WHAT'S
THE STORY? Who the hell are you?
Welcome!
I'm Julie Jackson: discoverer of new forms
of dorkiness, avoider of unnecessary phone calls and social commitments.
Most popular girl in the office (I work alone).
Subversive
Cross Stitch began in the spring of 2003 as a form of anger management
therapy when I was dealing with a mean idiot* boss. Since
I got such a kick out of it, I thought I'd share the idea and offer
this crafty form of therapy to others through kits. Then things
got crazy.
*she
once told me to make sure we had lots of film for the digital camera.
Hellooooo?
What's
in a kit? How is the Basic Kit different from the Deluxe Kit?
Here's
a link to photos for comparison. Both kits have a pattern
and instructions, and the thread
and material you'll need for the pattern. The Deluxe Kit also includes
an embroidery hoop and two needles. Beginning in 2006, I switched
to wooden hoops - I used to use luxite hoops but the tags were sticky
and I thought the wooden ones might be slightly more environmentally
responsible, I'm not sure. Anyway, I took a survey and wood won.
The material is 14-count Aida white, which I have professionally
die-cut by a big machine on the west coast with zig-zag edges to
prevent messy fraying (see, I'm always thinking of you!). The thread
is DMC six-strand cotton and the needles are size 24 tapestry needles.
I also include a bit of swell swag with
every order, from Subversive and other crafty businesses. If you're
ever concerned with the quality of materials, please let me know.
I use the basics for my kits because most of my customers are new
to the craft, so I try to keep it simple. That said, I don't cut
corners, so please feel free to tell me if anything doesn't meet
your expectations.
I'm
buying this as a gift and I have no idea what to choose... help!
The
Deluxe Kit is for the stitcher on-the-go, the beginning stitcher
or the unorganized stitcher who'd rather have everything they need
in one handy place. If you're buying several kits for one person
to use, you probably only need one Deluxe Kit - they can use the
hoop and needles with any Basic Kits. If you're not sure, give a
gift certificate! If
you want me to slip a little gift card or message in with the order
and send it directly to the recipient, just email
me!
I'm
not crafty, can I do it? Will it take years or days?
Cross
stitch is one of the easiest forms of stitching because you're working
on a grid (the material) and it's kind of like connect-the-dots.
It's enjoyable for crafty types, but also for the kind of people
who like to do puzzles and solve problems. The pattern and the instructions
are very clear, all you have to do is read through them and you're
good to go. I think you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll finish
a piece -- it's more a matter of hours than years, I promise. A
night or two of stitching in front of the TV should do it, or a
cross-country flight. Then you're done - instant bragging rights!
And remember: cross stitching is fun for a girl or for a boy, young
or old, reserved or gregarious. It's an equal opportunity pasttime.
For extra help, check out our animated instructions.
I'm
done - now what?
Slap
it in a frame, put it on a shirt, pin it
to the wall -- if you're handy, you can make it into a pillow (a
soldier in Iraq this very moment has a pillow that says "BITE
ME" on it). You can also look around craft stores for all kinds
of tacky, insane items with cross stitch material built right in,
like sippy cups or bookmarks or guest towels. Just think - "Happy
Fucking Holiday" guest towels! A "Babies Suck" sippy
cup! Be sure to share your creation with us by posting a photo in
the Subversive group
on Flickr!
Gosh,
do I HAVE to pay for shipping?
USPS
first class mail shipping is included in the price of all kits.
My gift to you.
For US Priority Mail, add $4.60 to your total.
For shipping outside the US, please add $5.00 to
your total.
Here's
the complete low-down on shipping.
SHIPPING
SCHEDULE: When will my order arrive, dammit?
I
ship as soon as possible, but sometimes it's pretty insane around
here. I always ship Priority Mail orders first (within 2-3 days,
tops), so IF you're in a rush, please add
the Priority Mail upgrade when placing your order. I make
sure that all Priority Mail packages are moved to the top of my
list. Regular
orders and international orders usually ship within 5 business days,
but it may take as much as 10-15 business days for me to get
your order out. Usually, it's less, but that's the worst-case-scenario
for 2007 so far. If you're in a TIZZY, email me and we can always
FedEx or I can just start running in your general direction with
kit in hand. Seriously, it's no big deal for me to FedEx your order,
either with your account number or mine. Our FedEx guy is cute!
I can also ship UPS, but don't make me use that awful DHL. Ick.
More
details.
Maybe
I don't like Paypal. Do you take checks or Matchbox cars?
I
prefer Paypal, since it makes transactions go smoothly and quickly.
If you're not signed up, it only takes a minute (heck, you might
not even have to sign up anymore). They can utilize payment through
a credit card or your bank account. It's very easy and they're so
reputable that they were purchased by eBay. I've been using Paypal
since 2001 and I LOVE them. If you'd rather pay with a CHECK, that's
cool: please click here for a printable
form. Ix-nay on the ars-cay.
Will
signing up for your newsletter make you like me more?
Are
you kidding? If you sign up for my newsletter, I will love you forever
and ever. Plus, you'll be the first to know about new stuff
and you'll get special offers and we'll be best friends.
It's kind of like a cootie shot. Only better. No spam and usually
one email a month max. Plus, if I annoy you, you can unsubscribe
and walk right out the door. You won't even have to see me cry and
I won't spread vicious rumors about you, either. Check
out these recent newsletters, then sign up below!
I
want to take our relationship to the next level: do you sell wholesale?
I
thought you'd never ask! Sure, I can get it for you wholesale. Email me for the scoop.
If you want to order books, notecard sets or calendars wholesale,
you'll have to contact Chronicle
Books. To order magnets, coasters or matches, contact your pals
at blue Q.
Who
did the graphics for your pins? Who did your website?
My
illustrious illustrator is Matt
Hinrichs, he designed the "retro girl" that is on
some of my pins and postcards. He also provided the illustrations
for my book and for the animated
instructions page. It took a raucous rollergirl
to breathe new life into my website - kudos to Beth Been of Groovee
Fortune. Beth's alter ego is Scarlot
Harlot in the Austin
Roller Derby scene. She kicks ASS! Oh, and
my fabulous pins are cranked out by the
fabulous folks at Busy
Beaver Buttons,
who always do a fabulous job.
Will
you sponsor my cause / my craft group / me in AA?
Shoot
me an email! One of the good things about working for myself is
that I can contribute to good causes (yeah, I know you think I'm
just being sarcastic). I'm particularly partial to animal rescue
groups and women's rights organizations. I've also sponsored small
craft groups that have had Subversive Cross Stitch theme nights.
And now and then I contribute some of the profits from kit sales
on this site to a good cause (see Fuck
Cancer). Pitch me an idea and I'll do what I can. Can't help
you on the AA thing, though. I'd be a bad influence there. See links
below for some of the causes I back.
Are
these the same kits I saw in Urban Outfitters or some store somewhere?
Yes
- three of my kits were carried in Urban Outfitters' retail stores,
print catalogs and online in 2004-2005. Urban also carries my book
and notecard sets, and the blue Q products. You may also have
seen them on the web at Target.com's Red Hot Shop, wishingfish.com,
BUST magazine's Boobtique, anezkahandmade.com, plainmabel or cutxpaste,
to name a few. You can also find them at the fabulous Crafty Planet
in Minneapolis, Atomic Books in Baltimore, here shop in Brighton
and several other places throughout the US and UK. Also, check out
my press page for a list
of places you may have heard of SCS in print or on TV.
I
saw your stuff at a gallery show. Do you sell finished, framed pieces?
I
have tried not to become a stitcher-for-hire, but it doesn't hurt
to ask. I love special projects and have done a CD cover and all
kinds of stuff like that. Also, I sometimes sell finished pieces
at galleries, but mostly I do it for fun. For example, for the group
youarebeautiful.org,
I stitched up a simple piece with their words ("You Are Beautiful").
After hanging all the entries in a gallery, they set them free,
placing them throughout the streets of Los Angeles. Here's
where mine ended up -- it's that tiny square up high on the wall
by the pipe. That's my kinda fun. Oh, there's this
gal on etsy who sometimes stitches up my patterns and sells
them finished. Her prices are really reasonable.
I've
got my own crafty thing going. Will you trade links / trade goods
/ swap swag?
Hey,
cousin! Okay, I have a new policy about links -- my new links page
will be a resource, since more and more I'm asked for that kind
of thing. I really want to keep it short, so I can't just add a
link for anyone who asks to "swap links" - that's so last
century, anyway, right? That said, I'm often asked for link graphics,
so you're welcome to use my linky banners to link to me (I was just kidding about
the last century thing!) As for trading goods, I'm almost always
up for a trade or barter situation as long as it doesn't involve
hostages. Email me and let's talk
about it. As for swag, I love to put fun pins, cards, etc. in all
my outgoing orders--who doesn't love free samples? Send some freebie
promo stuff to the PO box below and let me know if I should send
you some as well. Oh, by the way, I do not accept paid advertising
- in other words, if you see something on my site it's because it's
something I truly like. I'm not recommending anything because someone's
slipping me a few bucks on the side. Not gonna happen. If I find
a book or shop I love, you're gonna want me to shut up about it
because I can get pretty enthusiastic!
I
really appreciate your feedback and suggestions, and I STRONGLY
encourage you to strike out on your own--there are several ideas
in my book to get you started. I hope you'll drop me a note and
share your stories of subversive adventure! Mi casa es su casa,
so please make yourself at home and let me know if you need anything.
Thanks
for visiting! Julie
Julie
Jackson * Subversive Cross Stitch * email
* PO Box 831331, Richardson, TX 75083
SUBVERSIVE
CROSS STITCH PROUDLY SUPPORTS:
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