Converting images to threads.
You never know where life will lead you… In 2009 I watched an embroidery machine in action for the first time. I was watching a piece of art come to life, with thread.
Growing up I had two older brothers, and I was always envious of my middle brother. Before he could even talk he was drawing, and he had a lot of talent. I would try to imitate him, but my hands just didn’t work like his. I have always loved art, but I knew I could never be an artist like him. So after graduating high school I decided to pursue a career in computer programming and web development. I thought designing websites would allow me to express my artistic side without really having to use my hands. I quickly learned though that I did not enjoy creating websites. I wasn’t able to create what I wanted to create, and it just felt like a boring job. I remember my father telling me in high school, “It doesn’t matter how much money you make, if you hate your job, you won’t be happy in life. Find something you enjoy doing everyday.”
I have a knack for being able to figure things out, problem solving. Every design presents a new challenge for me, and it’s the challenge that keeps me motivated. There are so many aspects to a good design, from stitch angles, to density and underlay stitching. It’s a very complicated and technical art… and that’s what I enjoy. I learned how to digitize by purchasing embroidery designs, seeing the issues they had, and fixing them. From there I was able to figure out how to break an image down into layers to create a design from scratch. I had a job running an embroidery machine at a local shop and after 6 months of working there and running my Etsy shop in my free time, I decided to take the plunge. I quit that job and started focusing all of my time and energy on building a library of designs. I noticed results pretty quickly, and felt I had finally found enjoyable work. I’m able to express my artistic side while also giving people the designs they need to bring their projects to fruition.
