We were lucky to catch up with Samantha Vernak recently and have shared our conversation below.
Samantha, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
It all began in 2005 when my Aunt taught me how to crochet. I stuck to basic things like crooked scarves and uneven afghans at first, but as I kept up with it I became more proficient and expanded my projects to hats, gloves, and even amigurumi, which is a fancy name for crochet stuffed animals. Learning to make Saminals as I called them, was difficult (have you ever seen a crochet amigurumi pattern??), but I taught myself using internet searches and trial and error. As much fun as crochet was, I wasn’t able to fully express myself the way I wanted, so in 2018 I began to learn a new fiber art: cross stitch. Again, I had no idea what I was doing, but through youtube videos and helpful blogs I was able to start expressing myself through my art. I started an Etsy in 2019 and sold enough hand stitched pieces that I was able to buy a basic embroidery machine to crank out more sass. It was a steep learning curve, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intimidated by the machine when I first got it. I eventually got out the owners manual and read it cover to cover, but also reached out to my childhood next door neighbor Jane Skoch of Maidenjane Custom Sewing Studio for guidance. She sat with me and patiently taught me the essentials of how to operate my new machine, which I am forever grateful to her for her time and knowledge that she shared with me. Once I got the hang of it I started creating, hooping and selling embroideries with only what my machine was digitally equipped with and because of these limitations I decided to buy embroidery software so that I could design and digitize my own artwork. Another steep learning curve, but nothing a few internet searches and questions to my Machine Embroidery For Beginners Facebook group couldn’t handle! Every day I learn something new and I’m very excited for what I learn next.
Samantha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My journey started in childhood. I’ve always been creative – from making my own paper dolls in kindergarten to sewing clothes for my beanie babies after school in grade school. I’ve worked with several different kinds of fiber art over the years, but I think the cross stitch and embroidery are the ones that allow me to incorporate my talent, creativity and inherent sassiness. I turn the timeless art of cross stitch your grandma used to make into something more sassy, crassy and little badassy. It’s the unsuspecting nature of it all, to see something with flowers on it yet also say [insert favorite cuss word here]. If a saying or a phrase pops into my head or if I see something hilarious on the internet that would make a great stitch I’ll write it down. From there I create my own patterns, whether they are cross stitch patterns on grid paper or digital patterns with my embroidery machine software. Once a hand stitched piece is finished it gets ironed, framed and listed on the site. For the embroidery patterns, I transfer the pattern from my laptop to a flash drive and then upload it to my machine where the machine then takes over. When it is finished embroidering, I’ll take it off the machine, clean up the stitches, iron it and hoop it.
The most rewarding feeling is when a customer tells me how a stitch would be the perfect gift for someone. For example, a customer once left a review of an Alf (from the TV show) stitch he had bought for a coworker who’s initials are ALF. The review goes on to say, “I get her something odd and Alf related every year. This year with the pandemic, she’s into needlepoint. So this gift might be the most epic yet. Looks rad. Watch out kittens.” I love finding the perfect gift for my friends and family so if a customer doesn’t find what he or she is looking for on my site I offer to do custom orders of cross stitch and embroideries.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
In a perfect world, society would push for more local businesses and shops, but that isn’t always the case. It is far easier to go to Amazon and within a seconds order anything you need and have it shipped to you without leaving the house, I’m guilty of it myself. That’s why a lot of small businesses have moved online, especially post pandemic, for convenience. I offer free shipping for any purchase over $40 as an incentive to shop online (without having to leave your couch!). Shopping small and shopping local is hard, I get it, but it doesn’t take much. If everyone bought just one gift for someone they loved this holiday season from a small business or artist the impact is very little on them, but very large for us. Every little bit helps!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Every small business owner has the dream of becoming successful with their craft. To me, the word “success” doesn’t mean profit (though that part is nice). To me it means the freedom to live my life the way I want to, to be creative every day and to make people laugh along the way. I quit my 9-5 job in May of this year and haven’t looked back. Did I just accept a part time job working 7am-noon to help make ends meet while still being able to run my business? Yes. Do I feel as if I failed? Nope. I’m still here, still creating, still supporting myself and my teenage son and still happier than I’ve ever been and THAT is my definition of success. If I can teach my son one thing it is this: Life is too short to be miserable. My goal is to teach him to keep going, keep persevering, to follow what his passions are, whatever they might be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://knottybynaturecle.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: Knottybynaturecle (https://www.instagram.com/knottybynaturecle/)
- Facebook: Knottybynaturecle (https://www.facebook.com/knottybynaturecle)
- Youtube: Knottybynaturecle