The first thing you see is an eye, drawn in that heavy graphic liner style with the lashes swept dramatically to the right. Then you realise the whole upper lash line has become a cat crouching sideways, its tail curling up and to the left where the eyeliner flick ends. And right in the inner corner a tiny tabby face peers out through the lashes like its been there the whole time. Its that kind of double-take design where people stare at it for a few seconds before they get it, and then they want to know where you found it.
Eight colours, which lets the iris do proper work. The eyeball has a pale yellow outer ring, a sharper green inner zone and the vertical slit pupil in dark grey, so it reads simultaneously as a human iris and a cat eye at the same time. Same shared visual trick the imagery is built on, just reinforced in thread. Lower lash area uses a soft minty teal as a shadow fill, which keeps the eye from looking flat. The tiny cat in the corner has its own whisker lines stitched in fine white running stitch.
Five sizes from 3.01 by 3.51 inches up to 6.43 by 7.51. Go for the large size on a tee chest, the detail in the tabby face and the iris layers really needs space to breathe. Smallest version works on a hat panel or a bag zip pocket where the outline of the eye reads clearly even if the finer details shrink a little. I get orders for this one regularly from people who do artsy cat-themed apparel, sold a batch just last month to someone doing a cat cafe staff merch run.
Stabilise with medium cutaway and float a water-soluble topping to stop the fine black sketch lines sinking into jersey knit. Use the topping on denim too, the lash strokes are thin and the topping keeps them crisp. Skip stretchy fabrics for anything smaller than 4 inches wide, the proportions compress in ways that lose the illusion effect. Message if the smallest size isnt holding the eye detail well and I can advise on thread weight.
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.
- Cat lover tee chest print alternative to screen printingPlace the 5-inch build placed on a plain white or black tee chest and the illusion reads from normal conversation distance, no explanation needed
- Quirky tote bag for a cat rescue charity fundraiserStitch on the front of a natural canvas tote and use it as a talking point at a cat rescue charity fundraiser table or a craft fair stall
- Denim jacket back yoke or sleeve panel for an artsy lookPut the large size on the back yoke of a denim jacket or along the sleeve for an art-school wearable that looks custom rather than off-the-shelf
- Sweatshirt front for a cat cafe staff uniformUse on a matching set of aprons or polo shirts for a cat cafe where you want staff uniforms that reflect the vibe without being generic
- Art school student hoodie or canvas bag statement pieceStitch on a canvas zipper pouch, a sweatshirt or a backpack panel for an art student or illustrator who is into trompe loeil visual concepts
- Phone case cover fabric panel or patch on a crossbody bagEmbroider on a fabric-covered phone wallet or a zip crossbody bag pocket for a cat-themed everyday carry that gets regular comments
- Hoop wall art for a home office or studio with a cat themeFrame in a round hoop on white linen and hang in a home studio, reading nook or office corner as a witty cat-themed wall piece
- Gift for a cat owner who collects unusual feline artPack with a matching cat-themed mug or print as a gift set for a cat owner who specifically avoids the generic paw print merchandise
Dimensions
5 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.01 × 3.51 in | 14,531 |
| 3.86 × 4.51 in | 19,032 |
| 4.72 × 5.51 in | 23,908 |
| 5.57 × 6.51 in | 29,011 |
| 6.43 × 7.51 in | 34,383 |
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.
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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.
