Butterfly, Butterfly by Fumie Suzuki

Hedebo embroidery, with its precise cutwork, satin-stitched dots, and lacy needlelace fillings, is one of Denmark’s most refined whitework traditions.

Characterised by its sculptural arches and delicate points, it embodies a purity of design where texture replaces colour and light itself becomes part of the decoration.

Japanese designer Fumie Suzuki is renowned for her ability to take this centuries-old technique and find renewed expression, creating stitched art that achieves a harmonious balance between tradition and modernity.

Her latest piece from Inspirations issue #128, Butterfly, Butterfly, is a perfect example - a design as graceful as the stitch itself, shaped into a butterfly needlebook worked entirely in white.

Stitched onto pristine linen using snowy broder spécial thread, Butterfly, Butterfly captures all the hallmarks of classic Hedebo embroidery: cutwork areas filled with fine needlelace, tiny padded satin-stitched dots and teardrops, and edges finished with tiered arches and neatly spaced Hedebo points.

The finished piece is every bit as dainty and elegant to hold as it looks - light as air, as though poised to take flight at the gentlest breath.The finished piece is every bit as dainty and elegant to hold as it looks - light as air, as though poised to take flight at the gentlest breath.

It’s hard to imagine a more fitting subject than a butterfly for a technique defined by delicacy and precision. The symmetrical wings provide a natural framework for the iconic Hedebo arches, while the purity of white-on-white embroidery lends the design a quiet majesty and sense of timeless grace.

Closing with a simple thread loop and pearl bead, the needlebook opens to reveal a felt needlepage within - practical in purpose, yet so exquisitely made it feels more like a cherished keepsake than a tool.

Small in scale but profound in artistry, Butterfly, Butterfly stands as a modern echo of heritage craftsmanship, perfectly balanced between structure and softness, discipline and beauty.

Ready-to-Stitch kits for Butterfly, Butterfly are now available and include all the materials you need to re-create this piece exactly as the original. Instructions are available in Inspirations magazine issue #128 or as a digital pattern, both sold separately.