The heart is drawn in bold black satin outline, not the smooth valentine kind, more like someone grabbed a thick marker and sketched it out freehand. Inside it, 'BE REAL' sits in wide pink block caps across the top half, the sort of typeface you'd see screen printed on a streetwear tee. Below that, 'not perfect' drops into flowing pink cursive that trails off to the right with a long looping tail.
Then two heavy black lines cross at the base of the heart in an X shape. Whether thats a deliberate strikethrough on perfection or just a design choice, it gives the whole piece that bit of attitude that makes it interesting. Its not soft and motivational poster-ish, its got an edge to it. Stitch it on a hooped white or black cotton tee and it reads clearly from across a room.
Only 2 colors, black and pink, so the thread change is just once. Pop it on a duck-cloth tote and it looks like something from a proper shop. Use a light tearaway stabiliser on cotton and the satin density stays flat without puckering. 5 sizes go from about 3.5 inches top 7-in wide. I ran this one on a batch of sweatshirts last winter and had people asking where to buy them straight away, so the message connects with people in real life too. With only around 17,000 stitches at the largest size the density stays low and wont weigh the fabric down. Ping me if you need anything after the download and I'll get back to you same day.
What people are using this design for
A starting point. The design works for plenty more than just this list, this is what folks have stitched it onto most.
- Tote bag front panels for everyday carryThe square proportions drop perfectly onto tote bag front panels, looks great on natural canvas or black cotton
- Sweatshirt chest prints for teens and adultsBold enough to read across the room on a sweatshirt chest, the 7-inch size works best here
- Throw pillow covers for bedroom or loungeStitch it centred on a throw pillow cover in white or black fabric and the 2-color design pops cleanly
- Canvas pouches and makeup bagsSmaller sizes fit canvas zipper pouches nicely, a 3-in build works on the front panel
- Tee shirts for mental health awareness eventsThe 'real not perfect' message resonates strongly on event tees for mental health and self-acceptance themes
Dimensions
5 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.51 × 3.36 in | 7,612 |
| 4.51 × 4.31 in | 9,825 |
| 5.51 × 5.27 in | 12,097 |
| 6.51 × 6.22 in | 14,498 |
| 7.51 × 7.18 in | 17,089 |
Files & Formats
Eight machine formats included in one zip. Whichever your machine reads, its in the pack.
Plus a color chart for thread matching. See full format guide.
Reviews
No reviews yet for this design. Be the first to share your make once you have stitched it. Tag us on Instagram and we will feature your work.
You may also like
Other designs from this collection you might love
Blue Flower Fairy Embroidery Design, Instant Do...
Cherry Blossom Branch Embroidery Design, Spring...
Frog Love Embroidery Design, Cute Valentine Fro...
Your Opinion Is Not Part of the Recipe Embroide...
Fustergluck Kitchen Rooster Embroidery Design, ...
Spring Floral Gnome Embroidery Design, Machine ...
Bee Farm Raw Honey Embroidery Design, Machine E...
Coastal Lighthouse Embroidery Design, Machine E...
Red Tulip Embroidery Design, Machine Embroidery...
Raven on Tree Embroidery Design, Machine Embroi...
Celestial Alpaca Embroidery Design, Machine Emb...
Dog High Five Embroidery Design, Machine Embroi...
Browse by category
Pick a theme, find the perfect design for your next project
About the artist
Reyazul Masud Riham, hand-drawing every design on this site
Every design on Re Embroidery is hand-digitized by one person. Each file gets sketched, color-matched, and stitch-tested on real fabric before it earns a place in the shop. No team. No auto-conversion from images. Just slow, deliberate work, sometimes three or four days per design.
That's the joy I work for.
The hard part is finding my designs re-uploaded and resold elsewhere. So when you buy from Re Embroidery, you're paying one real person for the file you're about to download. That matters.
