A mother has revealed how she launched an online business transforming ultrasound scans into one-of-a-kind works of art.
Veselka Bulkan, from Munich, Germany, came up with the idea after searching for a unique way to announce she was expecting her first child last year.
A talented seamstress, Veselka decided to embroider her ultrasound scan in white thread on black background, creating a keepsake of the image.
After she posted a snap of her handiwork on Instagram she was flooded with requests from parents from around the world who wanted their own pregnancy memento.
Veselka spends up to four weeks making each piece, charging roughly £213 per image. The idea has proved so popular she has already been forced to close her waiting list for new commissions.
Veselka Bulkan, from Munich, wanted a special way to remember her pregnancy and so embroidered her ultrasound scan
After she posted the image announcing she was expecting her first child, Veselka was inundated with requests from people all around the world
Veselka usually focuses on creating embroidered vegetable-themed creations, which are also based on commission.
She is currently juggling both sides of her work with raising her daughter, who was born late last year.
The new mother explained on her site Little Herb Bouquet how her new venture began.
‘When I became pregnant at the beginning of the last year, I made an embroidery from my baby’s ultrasound,’ she wrote.
‘I looked [at it] every day during this season of my life while imagining how she will look like, and a keepsake of these beautiful days as well. I also used this as a unique way to announce my pregnancy.’
Veselka, who has now given birth, is caring for her newborn daughter alongside working through her waiting list full of requests
She continued: ‘Meanwhile, I have got many inquiries, so I decided to accept custom orders beside my root vegetable embroideries at the end.
‘Embroidering is fun but needs lots of time. Obviously, I am also quite busy with my little one. I will do my best to check your ultrasounds as soon as possible.’
The mother-of-one told POPSUGAR that she had only been able to complete a few of the custom orders because of the detail required, explaining each took between two and four weeks to complete.
The new mother is usually found embroidering root vegetables but has taken on the the new venture charging just over £200 per commission
She also warned fans that not all ultrasound scans were suitable for the treatment, pointing to the importance of clarity and shape.
She added: ‘The posture of the baby is a factor. Some photos are close up to the face, some are not. The contours on the head are pretty different in each in terms of abstraction of details.
‘The textures of the scan and the ratio of black and white areas are also a difficulty factor.
‘Some of the ultrasounds are so blurred and abstract. Their textures are not so clear so that the result would not be good at all. Three-dimensional ultrasounds are also not applicable.’