Today my Stitchography guest is Sue O'Very. Her specialty is machine embroidery, but we're all multi-taskers. You must watch her notion review YouTube videos. They are so informative and so well done.
Legal name, Susan Jane O'Very (pronounced, OH Very) like Oh Very Good ;)
Business name (and what all my friends call me)
Sue O'Very of Sue O'Very Designs
My specialty is machine embroidery, specifically projects created entirely inside the hoop of the embroidery machine called, In the Hoop projects or ITH.
2. What is your background and how did you arrive at your current job(s)
I began my career as a costume designer at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fl. I have worked as a fashion designer for VF Imagewear where I worked on ladies Harley Davidson, as a designer for a leather manufacturer and worked with brands such as Verizon, Tumi, Nautica and Apple. After my daughter was born I left my corporate life to be a stay at home mom. Two months into my new life, the company my husband worked years for went out of business over night. With no warning, I called upon all my old sewing industry friends and asked if anyone needed teachers. Within a week I had a years worth of teaching jobs and events planned. Thus began our business in 2010. At the time we called it, Sealed With A Stitch.
3. How many hours a week do you devote to your job?
In the beginning, probably 60-120. Now I am really structured and try to keep my time working in front of my computer to a 6 hour a day maximum. Not to say when there are deadlines or new events to prepare for the hours are not longer. It is my first priority to be a mom and keep a flexible enough schedule to help at my daughters school and be apart of my local community as much as possible. That is not to say my mind only works 6-8 hours a day. Many times I will be restless and I look at the clock while laying in bed and hop up to see if an idea will work. Then I am in my sewing studio at 2am. The most important thing to remember is for me it's not work, it's fun and just happens to be a way I can support my family.
4. Where do you physically work?
I have always worked from home. What I do keeps me in front of the camera, computer or sewing machine. There is no need for me to rent a space outside of the home.
5. What do you sell and how do you sell it? (It can be a service)
I sell sewing patterns and machine embroidery designs. They are sold digitally via my website,www.SueOVeryDesigns.com and physical copies are sold directly to shop owners and distributors.
6. What are you working on now?
Fun question! I am preparing for Fall Quilt Market, the largest showcase of new ideas in our industry. I have several new projects, patterns and events I am planning for 2018, so my brain is full and my checklist is long.
The other thing I am enjoying working on is my YouTube Channel, www.SueOVeryTV.com. Every Wednesday I show off a new Sewing Notion; how it works, where to use it, who invented it, etc. It's so much fun so please subscribe to the channel. I always create 1-2 new sewing or machine embroidery projects each month too.
7. What do you do when you are not working?
Play with my daughter, take day trips with my husband and daughter, we like to try new restaurants, watch movies, go to the beach and pool, do theme parks. By myself when I am not working I like to draw, paint, read and actually sew for myself and family.
8. Perhaps an indelicate question, but people starting out want to know - what are your income sources?
As an entrepreneur there will never be ONE way to get paid or by ONE person. That is the beauty of being your own boss. For me it is my website, distributors, shops who buy directly and other online embroidery malls.
Business name (and what all my friends call me)
Sue O'Very of Sue O'Very Designs
My specialty is machine embroidery, specifically projects created entirely inside the hoop of the embroidery machine called, In the Hoop projects or ITH.
2. What is your background and how did you arrive at your current job(s)
I began my career as a costume designer at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fl. I have worked as a fashion designer for VF Imagewear where I worked on ladies Harley Davidson, as a designer for a leather manufacturer and worked with brands such as Verizon, Tumi, Nautica and Apple. After my daughter was born I left my corporate life to be a stay at home mom. Two months into my new life, the company my husband worked years for went out of business over night. With no warning, I called upon all my old sewing industry friends and asked if anyone needed teachers. Within a week I had a years worth of teaching jobs and events planned. Thus began our business in 2010. At the time we called it, Sealed With A Stitch.
3. How many hours a week do you devote to your job?
In the beginning, probably 60-120. Now I am really structured and try to keep my time working in front of my computer to a 6 hour a day maximum. Not to say when there are deadlines or new events to prepare for the hours are not longer. It is my first priority to be a mom and keep a flexible enough schedule to help at my daughters school and be apart of my local community as much as possible. That is not to say my mind only works 6-8 hours a day. Many times I will be restless and I look at the clock while laying in bed and hop up to see if an idea will work. Then I am in my sewing studio at 2am. The most important thing to remember is for me it's not work, it's fun and just happens to be a way I can support my family.
4. Where do you physically work?
I have always worked from home. What I do keeps me in front of the camera, computer or sewing machine. There is no need for me to rent a space outside of the home.
5. What do you sell and how do you sell it? (It can be a service)
I sell sewing patterns and machine embroidery designs. They are sold digitally via my website,www.SueOVeryDesigns.com and physical copies are sold directly to shop owners and distributors.
6. What are you working on now?
Fun question! I am preparing for Fall Quilt Market, the largest showcase of new ideas in our industry. I have several new projects, patterns and events I am planning for 2018, so my brain is full and my checklist is long.
The other thing I am enjoying working on is my YouTube Channel, www.SueOVeryTV.com. Every Wednesday I show off a new Sewing Notion; how it works, where to use it, who invented it, etc. It's so much fun so please subscribe to the channel. I always create 1-2 new sewing or machine embroidery projects each month too.
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www.sueoverytv.com
•Heidi's Mom •Pattern Designer •Illustrator •Blogger •Sewer & Crafter •Craftsy Instructor •Movie maker SueOVeryDesigns.com
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Play with my daughter, take day trips with my husband and daughter, we like to try new restaurants, watch movies, go to the beach and pool, do theme parks. By myself when I am not working I like to draw, paint, read and actually sew for myself and family.
8. Perhaps an indelicate question, but people starting out want to know - what are your income sources?
As an entrepreneur there will never be ONE way to get paid or by ONE person. That is the beauty of being your own boss. For me it is my website, distributors, shops who buy directly and other online embroidery malls.
9. If you could give one suggestion to someone starting out, what would it be?
Don't wait to be 100% ready to get out there. Start today! If I could give two suggestions it would be name your business after yourself. Honestly I wanted to be clever and name my business something cutie, but that corners you in down the road. What if you want to do more than one thing in your life. That is exactly why I changed my brand from Sealed With A Stitch to Sue O'Very Designs. Now I can do more under the same business name.
Don't wait to be 100% ready to get out there. Start today! If I could give two suggestions it would be name your business after yourself. Honestly I wanted to be clever and name my business something cutie, but that corners you in down the road. What if you want to do more than one thing in your life. That is exactly why I changed my brand from Sealed With A Stitch to Sue O'Very Designs. Now I can do more under the same business name.
10. Where can people find you and/your products? (FB, blog, website, IG, Twitter, stores
Now that my business is my name, finding me is easy. I am Sue O'Very Designs everywhere. Because of that darn apostrophe in my last name we remove it for web stuff. Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and everywhere I am @SueOVeryDesigns
If machine embroidery is something you enjoy, check out my Craftsy class too! It's called, In the Hoop Gifts.
Web: https://sueoverydesigns.com/
Blog: https://sueoverydesigns.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sueoverydesigns/
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/sueoverydesigns/
Pinterest: https://www.Pinterest.com/sueoverydesigns/
Craftsy Class 50%: http://craftsy.me/2lRS0E4
YouTube: www.SueOVeryTV.com
