My fascination with chainstitch embroidery started well over a decade ago, back when I was still living in Brooklyn.
I had always loved Western wear, particularly the elaborately embroidered suits made by Nudie Cohn. Like my grandmother, Nudie was an immigrant from Eastern Europe, though his path eventually took him into the world of country music, dressing everyone from Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner to Elvis Presley. Hello, gold lamé suit.
My first company out of design school was Daisy & Elizabeth, started with my good friend, yes, Elizabeth. We designed and made lingerie in New York City, with a strong Americana and Western influence. That fascination eventually came full circle when we created a capsule collection in collaboration with Nudie's Rodeo Tailors.
That was also when I really fell in love with chainstitch itself. The stitched line has movement and character to it; it feels almost drawn onto the fabric. I think that is part of why it has stayed with me. So much of my work begins with drawing and painting, and chainstitch feels like another way of translating a line by hand. So I learned the craft, and when I moved to California about 8+ years ago, I bought my own vintage chainstitch machine and started taking commissions from my home studio.
Almost ten years later, I still offer custom chainstitch embroidery on scarves and garments through Kambric, and take on individual commissions from my studio in Marin.
The setting has changed since those Brooklyn days, but the attraction hasn't. I still love the craftsmanship, the slight imperfection, and the way a simple line of thread can make something feel more personal and more alive.