If you’ve ever seen those dreamy stitched photos floating around Pinterest or Instagram and wondered, “Wait… can I actually embroider on a photo?” — the answer is yes, you absolutely can. And it’s one of my favorite creative projects to do when I want something low-stress, meaningful, and ridiculously pretty.

This isn’t traditional embroidery on fabric — this is stitching right onto a printed photograph to add floral elements, sparkles, outlines, or little whimsical touches. It’s the perfect way to elevate a memory, personalize a gift, or turn a regular picture into a piece of art you’ll want to hang in the hallway.

Let me walk you through exactly how I do it, plus all my best tips so you can try it too.

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Start With the Right Kind of Photo Print

The very first thing I learned is that regular printer paper will tear the second you try to stitch through it. For photo embroidery, I always print on something thicker.

Here’s what works beautifully:

• Matte photo paper (This is the paper I typically use)
• Thick cardstock photo paper (If I use cardstock, this is the brand I use)
• Matte brochure paper
• Canvas paper (Canvas paper is good for not worrying about prepunching holes, or accidentally ripping a hole in your paper.)

The sweet spot is 160–230 gsm. It’s sturdy enough to handle stitching but still thin enough to poke through without forcing it.

And take my word for it — skip glossy photo paper. The needle slips all over it, and the print can crack or flake off. Matte finishes are always the most embroidery-friendly.

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Pre-Punch Your Holes (This Changes Everything)

Trying to force a needle straight through a photo is basically setting yourself up for bent needles, ripped edges, and frustration. The trick is to pre-punch your holes before you stitch.

I usually tape my photo onto a foam board and use:

• A pushpin
• A fine sewing awl – this is the awl I use.
• Or even a sharp embroidery needle with a thimble

I poke holes along the outline of whatever I’m stitching — flowers, sparkles, outlines around clothing, or a little star cluster. Space them evenly and pretty close together so your stitches look smooth.

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Keep Your Design Simple (Less Is More)

One thing I love about photo embroidery is how magical it looks when the stitching is just an accent — not the whole picture.

My favorite details to add are:

• Tiny florals
• Little stars or sparkles
• A flower crown
• An outline around hair or clothing
• Hearts
• A few colorful lines for contrast
• Florals “held” in someone’s hands
• A stitched border

You don’t need a complicated pattern. Pick one or two areas to embellish and let the photo do the rest.

Choose the Right Needle + Thread

Because you’re working on paper, you want to be gentle.

Here’s what I reach for:

• A size 5–9 embroidery needle
• 1–3 strands of floss
• Metallic thread for highlights (I use this sparingly because it can tug harder)

A bigger needle can easily tear the print, so keep your tools on the finer side.

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Sketch Your Embroidery First

Before poking holes everywhere, I like to lightly sketch where my stitches will go. A pencil works perfectly.

Sometimes I’ll even lay a floral sketch over the photo to help me plan placement — especially if I’m adding a flower crown or a big bouquet. It keeps the final design feeling intentional and not random.

Use Paper-Friendly Stitches

There are a few stitches that work beautifully on paper because they don’t require going through the same hole over and over.

My go-to stitches are:

• Backstitch
• Running stitch
• Lazy daisy (perfect for flowers!)
• Straight stitch
• Woven wheel stitch – for flowers

Stitches like satin stitch are quite difficult to do without tearing the paper. If you’d like to use satin stitch, I’d recommend Canvas paper, or just a lot of paper embroidery practice.

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Be Gentle With Your Tension

This is a big one. When you’re used to stitching on fabric, you naturally pull your thread snug — but with paper, a tight tug can rip the hole into a little tear.

So I always remind myself:
Soft hands, gentle tension.

You want the thread to lay smoothly across the paper without any pull or strain.

Keep the Back Neat (Or Cover It)

Because the project is made on paper, the back doesn’t behave like regular embroidery. You can’t really weave thread ends under other stitches the same way.

Instead, I:

• Use tiny pieces of washi tape or masking tape to secure the back
• Trim threads close
• Avoid bulky knots

When I’m done, I usually cover the back with more cardstock or a pretty backing sheet to hide everything and keep the piece protected.

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Frame It Without Glass (Or Use Spacers)

Your embroidery adds dimension, so pressing it against glass will flatten the stitches and ruin the look.

I either:

• Frame it without glass,
  or
• Use spacers so the glass sits above the stitched areas.

Shadowbox frames work beautifully for this type of art.

Try Black-and-White Photos First

Tip from experience: black-and-white photos look absolutely stunning with colorful embroidery accents. The thread pops so beautifully against them.

But color photos work too — I just find B&W gives that artsy, modern vibe with zero effort.

Keep It Whimsical + Minimal

To me, photo embroidery is at its best when it feels a little magical — like you sprinkled tiny stitched details across a meaningful moment.

Think:

• Little florals framing someone’s face
• Stars stitched in the sky
• Colorful highlights in hair
• A stitched bouquet someone appears to be holding
• Tiny hearts or sparkles

Simple, whimsical, and a total joy to create.

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Final Thoughts

If you’ve been wanting to try photo embroidery, this is your sign. It’s beginner-friendly, relaxing, and such a sweet way to preserve memories or create personalized gifts.

And all you need is a photo, a needle, some thread, and a few simple stitches.

Once you try your first one, I promise you’ll want to make ten more.

Happy stitching!

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