We recently connected with Jean Ogilvie and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jean thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

The medium I work in is hand embroidery. I learned the basics from my mom and aunt, who gave me cross stitch kits and sewing machine lessons as a kid. In junior high, I started experimenting on my own – embellishing vintage clothes from rummage sales, turning my jeans into skirts, and making little pouches and things. I kept it up through college and later – but only as a hobbyist.

Pivoting my career to start Sew Choice, not only did I need to refine my skills – I needed to build a new professional community. Early on, I explored a lot of content from other fiber artists and embroidery accounts online. Seeing the variety and complexity of work inspired me to up my game and invest in some unique learning opportunities.

On a friend’s tip, I went to Milwaukee to take a class with the Wondermakers – an embroidery collective who mail their work back and forth. It was like improv for stitching: we each got a piece they had started, and we had to finish it. It was a great lesson in letting go.

A few months later, I made a road trip to Canada to take a course with Danielle Clough. She was visiting from South Africa as part of the Canadian Embroiderers’ Guild 50th Anniversary. Danielle’s thread painting class taught me so much about my perceived limitations and potential as an artist. I left with cherished friendships and a deep respect for embroidery’s role in bonding women across generations.

These were definitely “special occasions” I had the luxury of time and money to invest in. I’ve benefited equally from tutorials on YouTube and other social media. And some of my favorite classes have been nearby, with Chicago artists like Jenna Blazevich (Vichcraft) and Shannon Downey (Badass Cross Stitch). All of these experiences shaped the way I approach embroidery – and continue to challenge and inspire me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

In 2021, I quit my job as a creative director. I loved parts of the role, but the overall lesson it taught me was that years of executing other people’s ideas – while ignoring your own artistic impulses – will catch up with you. I always had aspirations of a solo art career, but I never thought I was cut out for it. Eventually, the fear of failing on my own stopped holding any power, because the burnout I felt was so much worse.

My first priority starting Sew Choice was to give the floor to all the ideas that had been piling up, begging for my attention. I finished old passion projects, embroidered pieces for friends and family, and looked for cool workshops to update my skills. After a year, I was brave enough to go live on Etsy.

When you practice a slow craft, testing the market takes time, and I gave myself a lot of freedom to explore different revenue generators. I offered framed embroidery pieces online, seasonal items at local markets, and custom commissions for private clients. There have been stickers, gift tags, photographs, and a lot of bookmarks. Finding a balance between art-making and making a living will always be a challenge, but every new venue or medium I try is a data point to move forward with.

In 2025, I’m excited to bring more focus to my business and empower customers to develop their own stitching skills. I’m concentrating on teaching opportunities, developing embroidery kits, and offering DIY stick & stitch patterns. Education and sustainable fashion have always been passions of mine, and these offerings feel more aligned with my values of promoting community and contributing to a circular economy.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Oof. Perfectionism. A common thread in every performance review I’ve ever had is “Jean’s so thoughtful.” Every virtue has a vice, and behind the scenes I felt like I was always overthinking and never satisfied. When you become your own boss, productivity, output, the bottom line – they’re all your responsibility, and having analysis paralysis is not helpful.

Last year, a friend in my artist accountability group recommended the book The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler. I always knew I was a perfectionist, but her book helped me understand how much control it had over my everyday operating and creative process. The book was really cathartic for me, and I still refer to it all the time. Spoiler: you can’t stop being a perfectionist, but you can start being an adaptive perfectionist!

How does it relate to embroidery? Mistakes are natural. Sometimes, they make a piece better. Sometimes, you work for hours forcing an approach that’s not giving the desired effect, and you have to have the humility to start over. Learning to be OK re-calibrating and iterating in my stitching has been a work in progress, but game-changing.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Aren’t we all just comedians trying to land a joke?

I think any artist making art is seeking connection – hoping that what resonates for us might be transferable to somebody else out in the world. Getting a “laugh” for me can come in the form of a positive review, a good conversation at a market, a compliment about my technique, or an online sale from a stranger. It’s all connection, and it all feels pretty good.

More fundamentally, I’m just happy to be here. For so many years working for corporate clients, all I wanted was a sense of fulfillment, and all I felt was resentment. It’s a relief to be on the other side, and I’ve never regretted my decision to start over. To anyone else having nagging feelings or the impulse to explore another path, I recommend letting those thoughts in and finding out what they want!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://sewchoice.etsy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sewchoice/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1E6c68z2ym/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: https://linktr.ee/sewchoice

Image Credits

File: CeninyeHarris_HWMarket.jpg > Cenìnye Harris

File: DanielKim_enough.jpg > Daniel Kim

LaurenVenell_DCWorkshop.JPG > Lauren Vennell

(All other photos Jean Ogilvie)