As many have done during the endless boredom of quarantine, my sister and I picked up a couple of different interests. This included the latest newest craze at the time: embroidery.

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At first we got into hand-embroidered things, like flowers on tote bags. We decided to make an Etsy shop for fun in Summer 2020. We soon expanded after getting a bulk wedding order, making enough to buy an embroidery machine. Through several dropped ventures (clay polymer earrings, painted tote bags, etc) we maintained pretty strong on embroidery.

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Eventually, Etsy expanded in a way that we did not expect. To date, we have done over 800+ orders, including custom bulk orders for clubs, Greek life, and other weddings. 

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The thing about monetizing your hobbies is that just like with any other venture, creative burnout is very real. At times, I struggled to maintain the Etsy shop along with academics, other jobs and responsibilities, and a social life. Regardless, I am very grateful for what this has taught me. Though I wouldn't really advise others to try to make money off things you enjoy, I certainly think it says a lot about discipline and having creative freedom from controlling what you like.

We were able to include 'limited edition' listings and donate proceeds to causes we liked, and have an inclusive size choice/customizations.

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Future ventures on the horizon: embroidered earrings!