#i've never painted an embroidery hoop before but WOW what a game-changer this piece looks SO nice in it

[numinousnic]

[IMAGE ID] Three photographs of an embroidery hoop against a dark red background. The hoop is painted purple, and a black cord is looped around the top.

The first photograph is a full view. Two overlapping faces are in the center of the fabric, outlined on either side with radiating black lines. The lower, overlapped face is outlined in cream and black floss, and has sunken cheeks, a blue, tearful eye, and a blue mouth with a purple tongue. The eye and mouth are downturned, mimicking an ancient Greek tragedy mask. The upper, overlapping face is outlined in lavender and black floss, and has angular cheeks. Its features have been rearranged; its nose and ear have been swapped, and its blue mouth and eye have been swapped. The eye is upturned and the mouth is grinning toothily, mimicking an ancient Greek comedy mask. Around the face is a cursive border stitched in red, magenta, and purple, with rainbow metallic floss overlaying it, reading: “your face is not your face is not your face is not your face is not your face.”

The second and third photographs are close-ups. The second photograph is of the tearful eye of the lower face and a section of the border reading: “your face.” The third photograph is of the grinning mouth and ear-turned-nose of the upper face and a section of the border reading “face is.” [END ID]

For there are many faces out upon the carousel, and many names that you might be. So bide your time a while and wait the coming of another one whose fate and face might sit upon your grinning carmine skull.

So turn with the turn of the merry-go-round and dance to its jolly old song. Who will you be, with a name or three, and a stranger’s face worn wrong?

— MAG165: Revolutions

Since The Magnus Archives was a constant audio companion for me when I was first getting into embroidery, I’ve wanted to stitch a tribute piece for a long time — and over two years after the episode that initially sparked this concept was released, I finally have!