The embroidery tattoo trend has people from across the world rocking faux stitches on their skin. Tattooist Fernanda Álvarez is putting her spin on it with floral-inspired designs that mimic a few styles of embroidery. Some of her inked blossoms resemble the satin stitch used on patches while other designs feature cross-stitching and elements of thread painting. Each is done with meticulous attention to detail just like the craft it’s modeled after.
Upon being formally trained as a visual artist, Álvarez began tattooing in 2015. She is inspired by the hues of her Mexican heritage. “I always wanted to imprint Mexican culture in tattoos,” she tells My Modern Met, “but also give a delicate personal touch, and I found all that in the colorful Mexican embroidery style.” Several of her tattoos use negative space to convey symbols of the country. In one design, flowers are arranged to form the shape of Mexico while another tattoo features a skull created from motifs found in Tenango embroidery—a style that originated in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
Scroll down for more of Álvarez’s work. And when you’re done, be sure to check out even more interpretations of embroidery tattoos.