Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
Embroidery
May 20, 2025

Two Women Create Two Different Embroideries on Opposite Sides of One Fabric

Crafting can be magical, and double-sided Su embroidery might be the most enchanting of all. It features two embroidered designs, one on each side of a transparent piece of fabric, that exist independently. The designs look completely different, and you'd never know there was another embroidery on the other side of the fabric. If this sounds impossible, you can see it in action.

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Gift Guide
May 16, 2025

Etsy Releases Father’s Day Gift Guide Filled With Unique Picks for Your Pops

Dads are notoriously hard to shop for. After all, what do you get for the man who says he doesn’t want anything? If you’re tired of getting gift cards and want to wrap a physical present for the greatest guy in your life, then we have a suggestion: look to Etsy! The handmade marketplace has compiled a helpful Father’s Day gift guide for dads (and grandpas) of all kinds.

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Dogs
May 13, 2025

Ancient Roman Epitaphs Show That Family Dogs Were Deeply Loved Even Thousands of Years Ago

There’s one unfortunate and universal experience as a pet owner: in almost all cases, you will outlive your beloved animal. While we can recognize this intellectually, it doesn’t lessen the pain caused when our pets cross the rainbow bridge. Not only is this fact universal, but it’s also timeless. If you need proof, just look at Roman epitaphs from thousands of years ago.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.