This koi fish is done in a proper engraving style, not the cute cartoon kind. The body arcs downward in that classic Japanese woodblock pose, tail fanning wide at the top, head dipping low with the whiskers trailing out. Every single scale is individually stitched with tiny satin columns and the crosshatching on the fins is what makes the whole thing look like it came from a 19th century botanical print.
Four colours total: black does the heavy linework and shadow fill, two greys handle the mid-tones and the plating shading, and a white underlay keeps the highlights crisp. And thats it. No reds, no oranges, no gold. Im actually glad I kept it monochrome because it means you can stitch it on coloured fabric and let the cloth do the colour work for you. Charcoal linen, navy canvas, dark teal jersey, all look brilliant.
I get messages from Japanese tattoo artists who use this on custom denim jackets for their clients, and aswell from people doing zen-themed home textiles. One customer last spring ordered it for a cream linen table runner she was making for a tea ceremony setup. She sent me photos and it looked genuinely stunning against the natural weave.
Hoop on a firm cutaway stabiliser, this is a dense design at 34k stitches running the largest size and each plating row needs a stable base or they'll shift. Use a topping on velvet or terry cloth so the needle path stays clean through the pile. Skip loose-weave linen on the bigger sizes because the directional stitch lines need grip. Pop the petite 3.5 on a shirt pocket or a bag gusset where you want something subtle but people will ask about it. Try the 5-inch on stretch jersey with a cutaway underneath and it looks incredible, especially in darker fabric tones. Dont skip the stabiliser and dont rush the speed on the fin sections.
Wilcom digitised each plating area with proper underlay so the satin columns sit flat and the bobbin thread stays buried. 9 sizes from 3 in through 7.5 inches, 4 colours, 3 colour changes. Its a genuinely nice piece once its done. Holler at me in the chat if the file gives your machine trouble and ill get a remap sorted for you.
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.
- Denim jacket back panel or chest pocketBlack denim jacket back at the 7-inch and pair with a simple collar for a tattoo-art aesthetic that people comment on.
- Zen-themed linen table runner or placematsNatural linen table runner at the 5-inch for a Japanese tea ceremony or zen dining setup, a customer sent photos that looked striking.
- Tote bag with Japanese art aestheticDark canvas tote at the medium size where the monochrome palette works against basically any bag colour.
- Navy or charcoal cotton shirt pocketCharcoal shirt chest pocket running at 3.5, a detail people always ask about and cant quite place.
- Framed hoop wall art for meditation roomBamboo frame at the 5-inch for a meditation space or yoga studio wall, the diagonal arc composition suits a narrow spot.
- Custom canvas clutch or pouchBlack canvas clutch zip panel at the small size for a subtle high-impact accessory, monochrome on dark is unexpectedly dramatic.
- Dark velvet cushion coverDeep teal velvet cushion at the largest size where the white scale highlights glow against the dark pile.
Dimensions
9 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.50 × 2.10 in | 13,432 |
| 4.00 × 2.40 in | 15,791 |
| 4.50 × 2.70 in | 17,778 |
| 5.00 × 3.01 in | 20,449 |
| 5.50 × 3.31 in | 22,999 |
| 6.00 × 3.61 in | 25,566 |
| 6.50 × 3.91 in | 28,339 |
| 7.00 × 4.21 in | 30,975 |
| 7.50 × 4.51 in | 34,121 |
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.
