We all have that card or note or recipe from a loved one – you know, the one that we will never toss or put too far out of reach.
The last Valentine before your wife died. The birthday card from your grandparents that said how proud they were of you. The recipe for biscuits. The drawing of your family by your 4 year old.
Now you can turn them into a piece of art that can be displayed proudly in your home as a finished hoop or in a frame.
Have you been curious about how custom handwriting pieces work?
Let’s walk through the steps of an order from start to finish:
First, you need to decide what it is you’d like to have embroidered. You can see ideas on Etsy or in the gallery at the end of this post.
Then, either just place an order or message me (Etsy, IG, Twitter, whatever). We will chat about fabric colors, embellishments, and floss color. Maybe you want it framed instead of on a hoop. I can prepare it so you can frame it when you receive it. Otherwise, it would be in a wooden embroidery hoop.
This customer wanted her grandmother’s note “treats and goodies” on a hoop. She sent me a photo of the index card she had been holding on to for years. She knew there was a punctuation error but that made it even more charming.
Using Procreate, I created a digital mock-up of the piece and how it would look on a particular color fabric, with a floral embellishment. This was sent to her for approval.
She loved it, however, she wanted the pink outlined flower to be blue.
Once approved, I transferred the pattern to the fabric using a heat-erasable FriXion pen. I take extra care to get the little nuances of the handwriting, for example, the S on “Goodies” in this piece.
Then I stitch. Depending on how the original writing looks, I’ll choose how many strands of floss I use. Whipped back stitch is the best (for me) for getting a smooth look on the lettering.
Here’s where I connect with the piece. As I stitch, I find myself wondering about the stories. Who was this person? What were the circumstances in their life? Often I can feel the love as I trace their words with thread. It is always an honor to create these pieces for customers.
