Bumblebee Hand Embroidered Oversized T-Shirt, Black

One bumblebee, worked large across the back of a black cotton oversized tee, with Veethreads arched above it in outlined cream script. The whole thing is thread painted, which means the colour is built up in overlapping rows rather than filled flat, the way a painter would shade it.

Details

• Black cotton, oversized unisex fit with a dropped shoulder and round neck
• Single large bumblebee hand embroidered across the back
• Veethreads in outlined cream chain stitch above the bee
• Wings filled in woven stitch with hand drawn vein lines
• Sizes XS to XXL
• Stitched by women artisans in our Bulandshahr studio

How the bee is built

The thorax is the part people notice first. It runs through five greens, from a deep forest at the edges to a bright lime at the centre, and every one of those shifts is a separate row of stitching. The abdomen carries the same treatment in bands of black, olive and pale blue, finishing in a cream tip.

The wings are the technical piece. They are filled in a woven stitch, so the thread crosses over and under itself and catches light from different angles as you move. The vein lines are then drawn over the top in fine black thread. Four wings, each one filled separately.

Around the body sit small fern like sprigs in muted green, and the head carries two pale eye markings that give the bee an expression. None of that is decoration for its own sake. It is what stops a large insect motif reading as a graphic and makes it read as a study.

Fit

Oversized unisex cut with a dropped shoulder, XS to XXL. Take your usual size for a relaxed drape, or size down one if you want it closer to a regular fit.

Care

• Wash cold, inside out, on a gentle cycle
• Dry flat in shade, never in direct sun
• Iron on the reverse only, never over the stitching
• No bleach

See the rest of our hand embroidered t-shirts, or the animal embroidered designs for more insect and bird work.