To the Stars: Embroidery Inspired by A Court of Mist and Fury
“To the Stars” finished embroidery featuring black cotton thread on teal cotton fabric.
I’ve been reading, ya’ll. Okay, okay—I’ve always been a reader. But I’m talking about obsession-level reading. The last time I fell so deeply into a book series was during the Hunger Games era, and even that didn’t inspire me to create fan art. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) that I was fully captivated. In fact, it inspired me to create embroidery patterns!
In a previous post, I talked about my pattern called “Feyre’s Bargain”, inspired by the bargain Feyre makes with Rhysand in A Court of Thorns and Roses. But now, I’ve added a new pattern to the collection, and it holds a special place in my heart: “To the Stars”. If you haven’t read A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF) yet, this is your official spoiler alert! I highly recommend reading the book before continuing, and then come back—I promise, I’ll be waiting right here.
The Inspiration Behind “To the Stars”
For all you ACOMAF diehards out there, you probably already know exactly what I’m talking about. There is this moment in the Summer Court that stands out so vividly in my mind. It’s when Rhysand raises his glass during dinner and toasts, “To the stars that listen and the dreams that are answered.”
OMG, it gives me chills. How does Feyre not know she’s in love with him at that moment? Honestly, if I were her, I would have melted right there into his arms, completely forgetting I was a guest at Tarquin’s table. It’s such a beautiful line and a pivotal moment, not just between Rhys and Feyre, but also for the entire group sitting around the table. These characters are all dreamers, in one way or another, each seeking a better world, or perhaps, just some solace in their lives.
Rhysand’s words resonate even more deeply when you get to Chapter 54 (you know the one!). His words reflect the unspoken bond between him and Feyre. And as someone who loves capturing emotion through art, this moment sparked my inspiration for the “To the Stars” embroidery pattern.
The Design: Night Court Insignia and Symbolism
A close up of “To the Stars” embroidered quote on Ramiel.
The design of “To the Stars” is based on the Night Court insignia: Mount Ramiel topped by three stars. For those who may not be as familiar with the lore, let me give you a little background. The Night Court insignia represents Mount Ramiel, a sacred mountain located in the Illyrian Mountains. The mountain is untouchable—no one is allowed on it except during the week of the Illyrian Blood Rite, a brutal and ancient trial for the Illyrian warriors.
During this sacred week, three stars surround the peak of Mount Ramiel, which is a beautiful and symbolic image. The insignia is described in Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Frost and Starlight and A Court of Silver Flames, and it feels like the perfect blend of mystery, power, and serenity. We readers still have no idea the true meaning behind those stars. I hope we will in future books.
Those three stars in my design are represented by six-pointed stars, which carry their own rich symbolism in our world. The six-pointed star, formed by two interlocking triangles, represents the union of opposites. In many cultures, this union symbolizes balance and harmony—whether it’s between male and female energies, fire and water, or even earth and heaven. In the context of Rhysand and Feyre, their love is this exact kind of balance. Their relationship is built on mutual respect, trust, and equality, and it embodies the perfect harmony between two powerful beings who complete one another.
This symbolism isn’t limited to just the ACOTAR series, either. Sarah J. Maas uses the six-pointed star in her Crescent City series as well, where it continues to represent balance and union in the face of chaos. There will be some Crescent City inspired patterns coming your way.
Blackwork Embroidery and the Night Court Aesthetic
Detail of the three stars above Ramiel and the gradation effect (fading) of the blackwork stitching.
When it came to translating this beautiful moment and symbolism into an embroidery design, I knew I had to go with a blackwork style. For those unfamiliar with blackwork, it’s a traditional form of embroidery that dates back to Tudor England. As its name suggests, it primarily uses black thread on a light background, often white or cream, to create intricate designs. Think of it as a perfect marriage between simplicity and sophistication.
The geometric nature of the six-pointed stars lends itself perfectly to blackwork’s detailed, symmetrical style. While the embroidery technique originated in England, the inspiration for the geometric stars came from traditional Middle Eastern patterns. This connection felt especially fitting because the descriptions of the Night Court in the ACOTAR series always remind me of the vibrant and mystic depictions from Arabian Nights—those open-air palaces carved into mountainsides, the flowing clothes, the romantic mystery in the air.
A Court of Arabian Nights?
If you think about it, the ACOTAR world really does have a lot of parallels to classic Middle Eastern culture. Take the Night Court’s fashion, for example—Feyre and Amren often wear navel-grazing tops and billowing pants that remind me so much of Princess Jasmine from Disney’s Aladdin. Even Feyre’s leave-nothing-to-the-imagination paneled dresses that she wears under the mountain and in the Court of Nightmares are evocative of traditional, provocative dancers from that region.
Let’s not forget the architecture in the Night Court. The House of Wind and the Moonstone Palace, with their airy, open designs, remind me of places like Cappadocia in Turkey, where ancient homes and churches are carved directly into the mountains. There is a whole city underground in that region. (!) The palaces of trade in the books resemble the bustling bazaars found throughout the Middle East, filled with rich colors, and exotic spices. The geometric tile patterns from Islamic cultures are prominent in that part of the world, and I wanted to capture that essence in my “To the Stars” pattern.
I used blackwork to create a gradation in the night sky—starting dark and fading to an even darker hue as the stars meet the silhouette of Mount Ramiel. This was achieved by stitching with different plies of threads in each set of stitches, a technique that adds depth and dimension to the piece. It’s one of the many advantages of working with blackwork embroidery—its simplicity allows for stunning visual effects.
Why I Love Blackwork
The process of embroidering the blackwork sky.
Blackwork has always been one of my favorite styles of embroidery, partly because of its rich history and partly because of its versatility. While it was popularized during Tudor England, it actually has roots that stretch much further back, with variations of the style seen in Moorish textiles. Traditionally, blackwork was used to adorn the clothing of the wealthy, especially on collars, cuffs, and sleeves. It’s a style known for its precision, symmetry, and the fact that many designs are fully reversible—meaning the back of the embroidery looks just as clean as the front. This is particularly important when blackwork is used on garments.
One of the things I love most about blackwork is how you can create something that feels both simple and intricate at the same time. The geometric patterns in black thread on a light background are strikingly bold, yet the stitching itself is quite simple—consisting mainly of backstitch, running stitch, and Holbein stitch (also known as double running stitch). The end result is a design that feels timeless, elegant, and just a little bit magical. The sight of a finished piece tickles my brain a bit in an oh so satisfying way.
Final Thoughts: Crafting with Fandom in Mind
As both a fan of Maas’ work and someone who finds joy in crafting, it’s been such a rewarding experience creating pieces like “To the Stars”. There’s something special about taking inspiration from a beloved story and translating it into a piece of art that others can enjoy. When I look at this embroidery pattern, I’m reminded of the beauty of dreams—both the dreams that we wish upon stars and the dreams we work to make into a reality.
Whether you're an embroidery lover or an ACOTAR fan (or both!), I hope this pattern inspires you as much as it inspired me to create it. The world Sarah J. Maas has built is full of intricate details, emotional depth, and symbolic imagery—and I’m just happy to stitch a little piece of it into existence.
