Silk & Shadow - Painterly Suzhou Silk Pet Portrait
A painterly pet portrait hand-embroidered in split Suzhou silk, with layered colour, softly feathered light and hand-detailed eyes.
Dense and sparse — light and void.
Xushi is the quiet genius of Su embroidery: where the stitch gathers, your companion takes form; where the thread thins, light enters the silk. Faces are built from thousands of hair-split strands; shadows are left to the fabric itself.
No printing. No machine. One master, one frame, from first stitch to final knot — 110 hours for the intimate format, 250 for the statement piece.
Stitched by Lu Caifeng.
Lu Caifeng 陆彩凤
Professor-Level Master of Arts and Crafts and National Light Industry Technical Expert, devoted to xushi dense-and-sparse embroidery.
Where the thread stops, the memory continues.
From photograph to heirloom.
Share your photograph
One favorite photo is enough — we help you choose the right one.
Approve your preview
A stitch-plan within 7 days. No needle touches silk until you say yes.
The quiet weeks
110–250 hours of embroidery, with progress photographs at every milestone.
An heirloom arrives
Framed, insured, duties prepaid — with certificate and care guide.
The full specification.
| Specification | 15 × 15 cm | 26 × 36 cm |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,180 full payment | $2,580 full payment |
| Artisan hours | ~110 hours | ~250 hours |
| Composition | Head & shoulders portrait | Extended composition, deeper tonal layering |
| Silk ground | Pure mulberry silk, hand-split strands (finest 1/64) | |
| Framing | Solid oak · museum glass | Custom hardwood · three finishes · museum glass |
| Turnaround | 6–8 weeks | 8–10 weeks |
| Delivery | Insured, duties prepaid (DDP) · tracked worldwide | |
| Certificate | Named artisan of record · edition of one · care guide | |
Words we keep in silk.
No family reviews have been published with permission yet.
Before you begin.
Yes — always. Within seven days you receive a complimentary digital preview of the stitch plan. Nothing begins until you approve it, and adjustments at this stage are unlimited.
One clear, well-lit photograph where their eyes are visible. After ordering, we guide you through choosing — and if you're remembering a pet who has passed, we work gently with whatever photos you have.
Silk & Shadow portraits take six to ten weeks depending on format, plus insured shipping. Bespoke timelines are confirmed during your consultation.
The 26 × 36 cm format can hold two companions in some compositions — send your photographs through the preview flow and we'll confirm. For three or more, or full scenes, Bespoke is the natural home.
Begin your companion's portrait.
Six artisan slots remain for October. Your photograph, their name, one master's hands — an heirloom your family will keep.
Commission Silk & Shadow