Invigorating everyday necessities with color and joy
Stephanie Cave comes to her creativity and ability naturally as she was raised in an artistic family and surrounded by the talents of her grandmother and her aunts, all accomplished seamstresses. Her grandmother even made dresses for Stephanie and her siblings to wear on every holiday and special occasion. It was this influence that led Stephanie to begin hand sewing at an early age and with those initial projects she discovered a joy in the making process that continued into young adulthood.
Stephanie began sewing more seriously in her 20’s embarking on many extensive home décor projects such as window treatments, pillows, and aprons though it wasn’t until 2007 that she considered selling her handmade creations. It was during that holiday season she decided to make all her gifts for friends, family, and coworkers, and then one night she and a friend found themselves sewing a giant pile of Stephanie’s coffee cup cozies, one of her earliest original designs. Realizing that the only greater satisfaction of making one hand sewn object was to make more, she decided to try selling her items at a local farmer’s market. While she maintained an office job during the day, she spent nights sewing, and weekends showing and selling her work at local craft fairs in the Boston area to great success. The more she sewed and saw how happy her work made the people around her, the more she wanted to spend all her time focusing on her craft.
It was also during this period that Stephanie began working as the Executive Director of Roslindale Village Main Street, a non-profit organization with the mission to strengthen the economic vitality, physical appearance and unique local character of the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston. Through her work with RVMS she learned the ins and outs of how small local businesses operate and she gained a tremendous amount of experience in many aspects of customer service and public relations, great skills for any small business owner. Her work with the organization was successful and gave her the confidence to strike out on her own, however, the decision to become a full-time craftsperson did not happen overnight for Stephanie. It was the result of many hours of researching, planning and strategizing, though the fuel for her efforts came from knowing where she found her greatest happiness.
In April 2013 Stephanie opened her studio and stitch salon, Stephanie Cave Design Studio, located in the center of Jamaica Plain. Her inspiration to fully commit to becoming a creative business owner came from her passion for making, and also for sharing the joys of sewing with others. Rather than simply employing herself as a seamstress and selling her wares, Stephanie found a retail space where she could do her own work and hold classes. She has developed a vibrant schedule of workshops for both adults and children, and also opens up her studio twice a month for community sewing nights where she will answer questions, provide advice, and assist anyone who comes by with partially completed projects. This spring Stephanie will celebrate her one-year anniversary of the business, the studio, and her success in creating a life where she can surround herself with color, whimsy, art, and the creative spirit.
