Live Chainstitch Embroidery for Pinterest & Anthropologie's Brand Activation
Pinterest, Anthropologie, and a whole lot of chainstitch embroidery are a creative match made in heaven!
I had the incredible opportunity to team up with Pinterest for a special Media Day presentation at Anthropologie's home base in Philadelphia's Navy Yard. The goal was to create a memorable, hands-on experience for Anthropologie employees, and Pinterest decided that live chainstitch embroidery was just the thing!
And when you put two brands known for their creativity and beautiful visuals together, there's no shortage of inspiration.
A Custom Embroidery Experience Inspired by Two Creative Brands
One of my favorite things about working with brands is getting to create something that feels uniquely theirs.
For this event, Pinterest wanted to give Anthropologie employees the opportunity to personalize a variety of Pinterest-branded merchandise. But rather than simply offering a standard menu of embroidery designs, we collaborated on options inspired by trends and themes that had emerged throughout Pinterest and Anthropologie's working relationship.
There was so much fun inspiration to pull from!
I loved getting to think through how those ideas could translate into chainstitch embroidery. It's such a unique way to bring a brand's creative direction to life, especially when the designs have a little extra meaning to the people attending.
Employees could choose from the embroidery options and have their selections stitched onto Pinterest merchandise, creating a personalized takeaway from the day.
A Custom Embroidered Banner, Too!
As if the on-site embroidery wasn't enough fun, Pinterest also requested a special custom piece for the event.
I created an embroidered table wrap featuring larger versions of the iconography inspired by Pinterest and Anthropologie's favorite trend collaborations.
But here's the fun part: we designed it to have a second life!
After serving as part of my embroidery station's display, the table wrap could be used as a banner for Anthropologie to hang after the event.
I LOVE when event decor can be repurposed into something meaningful rather than simply being packed away at the end of the day.
It was such a thoughtful way to commemorate the collaboration between the two brands, and a great example of how embroidery can extend beyond personalized giveaways.
Hats, Totes, Sweatshirts & More!
On the day of the event, I headed to the Urban campus at the Philadelphia Navy Yard to get everything set up.
I coordinated with the campus staff to prepare my embroidery station, while Pinterest brought an assortment of merchandise for employees to customize.
There were baseball hats, tote bags, sweatshirts, and fabric pouches — all ready for a little chainstitch magic!
Some Anthropologie employees even came prepared with their own garments from home, knowing they'd have the opportunity to get something embroidered.
I love when people get excited enough about an event to plan their customizations in advance!
Throughout the day, employees stopped by to choose their designs, watch the embroidery process, and leave with a one-of-a-kind piece of merchandise.
And it turns out, they were REALLY excited about it.
When an Activation Is Twice as Popular as Expected!
Pinterest originally anticipated around 40 embroidery requests for the event.
We ended up with approximately 80!
That's DOUBLE the expected number of customizations, and definitely a good problem to have.
Thankfully, one of the things I offer through That Crafty One is flexibility when event needs change. When Pinterest realized how popular the embroidery station had become, they were able to extend my scheduled hours so we could accommodate additional requests.
We even relocated my embroidery setup to another area of the campus to keep the experience going!
Anyone who has planned a corporate event knows that things don't always go exactly as expected. Sometimes the venue changes, sometimes the schedule shifts, and sometimes your embroidery activation becomes twice as popular as you anticipated.
My background in project management comes in especially handy in those moments. I'm comfortable adjusting plans, coordinating logistics, and figuring out how to keep things moving without disrupting the guest experience.
And on this particular day, that meant a little extra stitching!
Why Live Chainstitch Embroidery Works for Brand Activations
I love events like this because they demonstrate how live embroidery can be so much more than a branded giveaway.
For Pinterest and Anthropologie, the embroidery designs were inspired by their shared creative work, making the customization experience relevant to the audience and the occasion.
Guests weren't simply receiving a piece of merchandise with a logo on it. They got to choose a design, watch it being embroidered, and leave with something personalized.
It's a fun way to turn branded merchandise into an interactive experience.
And for corporate marketing teams, retail brands, and experiential agencies, there are so many ways to customize the concept.
I can collaborate on brand-specific artwork, develop embroidery menus, discuss which merchandise is suitable for on-site customization, and help plan the logistics of the experience.
Whether you're organizing a client appreciation event, a corporate conference, a product launch, or a retail activation, the goal is to create something that feels intentional, memorable, and true to your brand.
A Creative Day at the Navy Yard!
All in all, it was such a wonderful day getting to collaborate with Pinterest and Anthropologie.
The embroidery station was a hit; the customizations kept coming, and I got to spend the day surrounded by people who genuinely appreciated creativity and design.
And apparently, the other presenters at Media Day were a little jealous of Pinterest's well-laid plans!
I can't say I blame them. Who wouldn't want a custom embroidered sweatshirt or tote bag to take home?!
A huge thank you to Pinterest for trusting me to help bring this experience to life, and to the team at Anthropologie for being such enthusiastic participants.
Planning a brand activation, corporate event, or experiential marketing campaign?
That Crafty One offers live chainstitch embroidery for brands, retailers, and corporate events in Philadelphia and beyond. From custom artwork and branded merchandise to event planning and on-site execution, I'd love to help create an experience your guests will remember.
Let's plan your next live embroidery activation!
