One of my favorite things about the chainstitch embroidery community is getting to work alongside other artists. There's a wonderful network of talented stitchers out there, and I'm always happy when an event gives me an excuse to bring someone along!
For Event Strategy Group's happy hour ahead of the PCMA Convening Leaders conference in Philadelphia, I teamed up with fellow chainstitch artist Joy Nuanez to personalize Quince cashmere beanies for guests at Barbuzzo.
Before we ever sat down at our machines, there was quite a bit of planning to do. I worked with ESG to determine what we could realistically embroider during the event, how guests would place their orders, and how to keep everything organized while everyone enjoyed their evening.
Working with ESG, I helped determine what was feasible to embroider within the timeframe of the event, consulted on customization options, and worked through the logistics of how guests would place and receive their orders. We discussed embroidery capabilities, the best way to structure order forms, and how to keep the experience organized and efficient while guests enjoyed their happy hour.
Because live embroidery takes time (it's handmade, after all!), it's important to balance the creative possibilities with the realities of how many items can be completed during an event. That's where planning really makes a difference!
Knowing we'd benefit from having another set of hands (and another embroidery machine!), I recruited Joy Nuanez to stitch alongside me. One of my favorite things about the chainstitch embroidery community is the network of incredibly talented artists I've gotten to know. I genuinely love opportunities to collaborate with my peers, and being able to bring additional artists onto an event means we can accommodate more guests without sacrificing the quality of our work.
Here's where my two professional worlds collide!
In addition to running That Crafty One, I'm a trained project management professional. While my embroidery business is a creative outlet, my professional background has given me the skills to manage timelines, coordinate resources, anticipate challenges, and keep lots of moving parts organized. Those skills come in especially handy when planning live embroidery activations!
When you book an event with That Crafty One, you're not just hiring someone to show up with an embroidery machine. You're getting a partner who can help you think through the entire experience, from the initial concept and customization options to staffing, order management, and day-of logistics. And when an event calls for more than one stitcher, I have a wonderful network of fellow artists I can recruit and coordinate, so you don't have to manage multiple vendors yourself.
For ESG, that meant having one point of contact to help plan and coordinate the embroidery activation, with Joy and I working together to bring the personalized beanies to life.
A huge thank you to Event Strategy Group for trusting me with the details, and to Joy for joining me behind the embroidery machines. It's always a treat to collaborate with talented people and bring a little handmade magic to a Philadelphia event.
Planning a corporate happy hour, conference activation, or private event? Whether you're hosting an intimate gathering or need a team of stitchers for a larger crowd, I'd love to help bring your idea to life. Visit my live embroidery events page to get started!
