Until this event, I'd never coordinated a team of chainstitch embroidery artists for a project quite this big.
I was hired to bring live embroidery to the 10,000 Small Businesses reception at Union Station in Washington, D.C., where thousands of attendees were expected, and hundreds of dog bandanas needed personalizing.
One embroidery machine wasn't going to cut it, so I recruited two fellow artists, Karen Brown of Lu & Company and Arvay Adams, to join me. Along with our assistants, we headed to D.C. for what would become one of my biggest embroidery events to date.
And, as anyone who's ever planned an event knows, things didn't go entirely according to plan.
Three Embroidery Artists, One Big Event!
With thousands of guests expected at the reception, this wasn't going to be a one-woman embroidery operation!
Our client needed a team capable of customizing hundreds of dog bandanas throughout the evening, so I recruited two incredibly talented fellow chainstitch embroidery artists, Karen Brown of Lu & Company and Arvay Adams, to join me. Along with our assistants, we traveled to Washington, D.C., ready to stitch!
One of my favorite things about the chainstitch community is the network of artists I've gotten to know. I genuinely love opportunities to work alongside my peers, and it's especially rewarding when I can bring other artists onto a project and create more opportunities for all of us.
Plus, when you're facing hundreds of embroidery orders in a single evening, it's pretty wonderful to have a team of talented people working together!
A Little Project Management Goes a Long Way
Here's where my two professional worlds really collided.
In addition to running That Crafty One, I work full-time as a program manager for a Fortune 50 company. I'm used to coordinating teams, managing timelines, keeping track of requirements, and making sure everyone has what they need to get the job done.
Turns out, those skills translate pretty perfectly to managing a large-scale live embroidery activation!
I worked directly with the event agency to understand the requirements and determine what kind of embroidery team we'd need. From there, I recruited our additional artists and coordinated the logistics of getting everyone to Washington, D.C., including travel expenses, lodging requirements, and the details needed to make the event run smoothly.
Our client had one primary point of contact — me! — and I coordinated the rest of the team.
That meant fewer moving parts for the client to manage, and a much more streamlined process for everyone involved.
When Event Plans Change, We Pivot!
As anyone who's ever planned an event knows, things don't always go according to plan.
In our case, the government shutdown resulted in an unexpected venue change. On top of that, we had some last-minute updates to embroidery thread colors and matching table skirts that needed to be communicated and coordinated across the team. Fun times!
But this is exactly the kind of challenge that my project management background has prepared me for.
Rather than having the client communicate individually with multiple embroidery artists, I was able to manage those updates, keep everyone aligned, and make sure we were ready to go.
It's one of the things I really pride myself on offering through That Crafty One. I'm not just showing up with an embroidery machine — I'm helping manage the creative and logistical details that make the activation possible.
Hundreds of Dog Bandanas, Coming Right Up!
Once the event got underway, it was all hands on deck!
Karen, Arvay, and I worked together to personalize hundreds of dog bandanas for attendees. With our assistants helping support the process, we were able to work as a team and keep the embroidery moving as the orders came in.
There's something so fun about live chainstitch embroidery at a large event. Guests get to see the machines in action, watch their customizations being created, and leave with a personalized item that feels a little more special than a typical giveaway.
And in this case, those giveaways were for their DOGS! As someone who loves a good pet-related embroidery project, I was pretty thrilled about that part.
I also loved watching our team work together. When things got busy, we supported one another, kept stitching, and made sure we were all working toward the same goal.
It was a really rewarding experience, both creatively and professionally.
Live Embroidery for Large Corporate Events & Brand Activations
This event was such a great example of how live chainstitch embroidery can scale beyond a single artist and machine.
For larger corporate events, conferences, experiential marketing activations, and branded gifting experiences, having multiple embroidery artists can make a big difference in how many guests can be accommodated.
And when you book through That Crafty One, you don't have to find and coordinate all those artists yourself.
I can help determine the staffing needed for your event, recruit additional chainstitch artists from my network, and coordinate the creative and logistical details so your team has one primary point of contact.
From understanding embroidery capabilities and customization options to coordinating artists, travel, and event requirements, I love helping clients turn a big idea into an experience that actually works.
My goal is to make the planning process as smooth as possible while delivering something memorable for your guests.
Planning a corporate event, conference, or large-scale brand activation?
That Crafty One is based in Philadelphia, but we're happy to travel! Whether you need one embroidery artist or a whole team of stitchers, I'd love to help you plan a memorable live chainstitch embroidery experience.
Get in touch to book live embroidery for your next event!
