When You Fall In Love With The Embroidered Face Of Vincent Price (An Interview With The Artisan Behind I Sew Cute)

So I’m virtually strolling through Etsy the other day, and I spot this:

A line art embroidery pattern of Vincent Price?! OMG. What’s not to love?

Turns out, this is an example of the custom handmade embroidery patterns you can have made at isewcute.

“What’s that?” you say with a combination of incredulity and needlework lust. Well, kiddos, let me hip you to the idea…

You want to embroider someone special’s face onto something, so you contact isewcute and June turns a photo into a pattern (in three different sizes) so that you can embroider to your heart’s content.

But as cool as that explanation is, I still wanted to know more about the person behind I Sew Cute… So I suggested an interview, and got it in spades.

June, about the custom work, does the customer sign-off on the finished design/piece before payment, or is it a surprise when it arrives?

The customer is involved throughout the whole process. We discuss what they want. I let them know what I can do… colors/materials… as well as how long it will take to create it. Prices are similar to the items already listed. I don’t charge more for a custom order over a non custom order. Payment up front depends on if it’s something I can sell if the customer chooses to opt out… but, thankfully, that hasn’t happened yet.

I do guarantee that they will be happy with my work & do all I can to make the vision they have in their head become real. I take photos throughout the process & keep the customer updated. They’re a lot more work than just creating whatever I dream up, but they’re more rewarding as well because I know a custom order is going to mean so much to the person receiving it. It’s a very personal experience.

What’s the strangest or most surprising custom pattern request that you’ve ever had?

Jim Ross. He was so fun to draw because he has a very interesting face. I work very hard to capture someone with real expression in their eyes & make them look lively. It’s a great challenge every time.

I don’t want you to think I’m crazy or being negative, but the Jim Ross answer had me snort Diet Coke out of my nose — it’s that awesome! Did they make a dish towel? A pillow? Oh, that’s just too cool!

Not negative at all! I’ll take the diet coke snort as a compliment! I do wish that customer would’ve sent me a customer appreciation photo, because I’d love to see it stitched. I check on Flickr to see if he’ll posted it — and, yep, you read right, it was for a he. I adore my manbroiderer friends!

Do you/have you ever done any pinups or more risque sorts of designs/works?

Sure! I love pinups! So long as they’re coy & playful; I don’t care for truly vulgar designs. I have sketchbooks full of girls in various stages of completeness from thumbnail sketches to finished ink drawings.
These are examples of a couple of things I’ve embroidered:

Do you sell patterns for your pin-up designs? I didn’t see any at your store last time…

I should get some listed, because I haven’t any up now, but do have that custom listing where I would create a pattern for anyone of anything they’d like. I’ll have to work on getting those pinup patterns listed!

What are the most popular patterns you have?

Definitely the personal custom embroidery pattern. It can be anything you want it to be! A favorite pet, family member, or celebrity.

Do you sell finished embroidered works, or just the patterns?

Right now just the patterns, but I do have plans to sell my embroidered art this Spring.

In other words, people, “Stay Tuned.”

You can keep up with I Sew Cute works at the Etsy shoppe as well at the official I Sew Cute blog.

(And I’ve got a number of other interviews with June coming up at other blogs; I’ll update this post with those links as they are published.)

Last Minute Space Costumes

From Simple Toymaking, by Sheila Jackson (1966), how to make a “Dalek mask (for imaginary space creature).”

(Missing instructions, from next page: Protect acetate with paper and spray mask with a silver paint aerosol.

Get yourself some tinfoil and a deep purple wig, modify the bangs with a scissors, and Voila! you’re a moonbase women of UFO.

Pee Wee Herman’s A Softy

Since I’m supposed to keep this blog PG-13, I’m not going to say anything else other than all this handmade soft Pee Wee Herman goodness is available right now at Etsy!

Pee Wee felt finger puppet, freestanding embroidered and appliqued figure, felt pin, handmade doll — and you can even crochet your own Pee Wee with this pattern.

Recyle Your Underpants? Your Raggedy Underpants?!

It’s not only as bad as it looks; it’s worse!

Tamburina translates the Serbian:

Translation:

1)This is underwear that you have worn for many years. They are raggedy, but it would be a shame to throw them away.

2)Old underwear can be very useful. This is how: take the scissors and remove the fabric that goes between the legs.

3) When you finish that, you will have a convenient, short shirt.

4) If you don’t believe it, look how hot the shirt looks!

Notice that there are still holes — raggedy, ratty underwear holes — in your “new” recycled shirt.

Ugh.

Now, I collect vintage lingerie, which means, technically, that I buy (and, yes, wear) used lingerie — but that is nowhere near “raggedy” underwear. The only holes are those made by the manufacturer, thankyouverymuch.

And thank gawd the article doesn’t go there, doesn’t mention stains.

Crap, I just did.

And I used the word “crap” – doh!

I Don’t Think My Kids Are Ready For Me To Make & Wear This

I only know that this is Gloria Treviand that I love it. Her top or bra cups are the same kitschy faces sewn into dolls or tissue box covers!

Keeping The Kids Busy Can Be A Real Horror

Kids bored? Are you bored? Get ready to cut & paste! Baking With Medusa presents Things to Make and Do With Boris Karloff, Project Number Two: No-Clothespin Theater, featuring the windmill scene from Frankenstein/Bride of Frankenstein.