When I was eight months pregnant, I found myself sitting behind my chainstitch embroidery machine at a baby shower, stitching tiny clothes for someone else's babies while eagerly awaiting the arrival of my own.
In April, I had the pleasure of embroidering at a beautiful baby shower in Wayne, Pennsylvania, celebrating Katelyn and Austin, who were expecting TWINS! A baby boy and a baby girl!
The shower was hosted at Katelyn's mom's home, where the family had set up a clothing rack full of blank baby items just waiting to be personalized. There were onesies, sleepers, burp cloths, bibs, blankets, and all sorts of adorable little things.
I set up my embroidery machine in the living room, a quieter spot where guests could stop by to place an order as they mingled and enjoyed the festivities. Some guests even pulled gifts they'd brought for Katelyn out of their bags and asked if I could add a little embroidery to those, too!
Sea Turtles, Sweet Little Letters & Custom Designs
Ahead of the shower, I worked with Katelyn's family to select thread colors and draw up embroidery designs that complemented the theme and reflected some of Katelyn's interests.
One of those interests is SEA TURTLES!
Katelyn has a special love for sea turtles and makes a point of incorporating sea turtle rescue efforts into her travels whenever she can. Naturally, we had to include a sea turtle in the embroidery menu, and it ended up being one of the most popular designs of the day!
Another fun detail was that Katelyn and Austin had already chosen names for their twins. I came prepared with some classic serif-style lettering options so guests could personalize items with the babies' names or initials.
I love when families incorporate these kinds of personal details into an event. It makes the finished embroidery that much more meaningful.
Two Babies on the Way, and One of My Own!
This shower was particularly special to me because Katelyn and I were expecting our babies around the same time. Since she was carrying twins, her little ones were expected to arrive early, which meant we were both getting very close to meeting our babies!
At eight months pregnant myself, I was already spending a LOT of time imagining what life with a newborn would look like. Getting to embroider tiny clothes for Katelyn's babies only made me more excited to meet my own little girl.
It was really sweet being part of another family's celebration while preparing for such a big life change yourself.
A huge thank you to Katelyn, Austin, and their family for inviting me to be part of such a special afternoon. And thank you to Taylor Paige Photo for sharing the beautiful photographs featured throughout this post!
Live Chainstitch Embroidery for Baby Showers
If you're planning a baby shower and looking for an activity that's a little different from traditional shower games, live chainstitch embroidery is a wonderful way for guests to create personalized gifts for the baby.
I work with families and event planners to develop custom embroidery menus, select thread colors, and plan an experience that complements their celebration.
Get in touch to bring live chainstitch embroidery to your next baby shower or private event!
Check out my reel recapping the shower festivities on my Instagram!
I've had the opportunity to embroider at some really lovely baby showers, each with its own personality. Another favorite was a Parisian farmer's market-themed shower in Philadelphia, where guests personalized everything from tiny onesies to baby blankets. You can read about that celebration here!