CQ: Tell us about your new book. It's huge!

JH: Yeah, it’s huge! I had to be really, really disciplined to get so many patterns put together by the deadline. I was figuring out how many designs I’d have to do a day to get them all finished in time. People just keep demanding more and more designs, so I realized if I didn’t make this the biggest transfer book there ever was, with owls and pastries, there would be trouble.

CQ: Fantastic! You definitely scored! Hey, didn't you recently win an award of some kind?

JH: The Stitch-It Kit was in Print Magazine’s Annual Review / Design catalog for 2005, which is a big, fat, prestigious acknowledgement in the commercial design world. The honor is deservingly shared with my publisher, Chronicle Books, for their outstanding packaging design. Most people don’t read Print, but I’m a dork who does. I used to look at Print when I was 10 and fantasize about seeing my work in it some day. No, really.

CQ: Congratulations! That's big! I share your passion for Print (and HOW) - I'm a magazine queen, they inspire me so much. Where do you find inspiration for your new designs?

JH: When I first started out, I created a list of ideas, and it wasn't hard at all. There were so many fun themes that I thought would make perfect embroidery patterns: tiki drinks, vegas-themes, pinups.... I couldn't believe that no one had ever designed embroidery patterns with these motifs before. So, the initial inspiration was simply what I wanted to see done with embroidery, that I had never seen done before. To me it seemed pretty obvious what the alternatives to geese in bonnets were.

Once the business caught on, it seemed that everyone I met was saying to me "You know what? You should totally do...." And I'd make a note of it. I keep a notebook of ideas and there are enough to keep me cranking out patterns for the rest of my life.

CQ: So what brought you to Austin and what were the early days of Sublime like?

JH: The early days of Sublime Stitching were me at the kitchen table, folding patterns and hand-writing order slips. Coming home from work (I worked at a museum, archiving works on paper) and immediately starting SS stuff until 11 at night, each and every night. Full time on the weekends. I worked like that for about eight months. It expanded from the kitchen table to my desk and then the front bedroom, out the hallway until finally I set up shop in a rennovated 300-square foot space that is now Sublime Stitching World Headquarters. But, in just over a year, I’ve outgrown this space too and am in the process of moving to a fulfillment warehouse. It’s not my warehouse, mind you, but a distribution center that serves fulfillment for many companies. I can’t wait! Believe it or not, I still fill orders when necessary. I was doing it last week when my gal had to be out a few days. I really don’t have time to be filling orders myself anymore, but I miss doing it. It’s fun and I get to read all the notes customers send in with their orders.

CQ: I understand your dilemma totally. We've tried fulfillment in the past, and probably will have to do it again soon, but we really like to get our hands dirty. It's a hard choice.

So, when you started, did you have a day job and start slowly or did it happen overnight?

JH: I was working at the museum when I started embroidering, and had the incredible good fortune of being part of a staff layoff. I was elated. It was just the thing that pushed me out of the nest and allowed me to fully focus on Sublime Stitching. The only thing that has happened ‘overnight’ with Sublime Stitching was the media attention. The growing of the company is something that most definitely does not happen overnight. There’s probably a perception that I have many minions doing my bidding and that I kick back with a box of bon-bons while it all just ‘happens’. For the first few years I put in 12-14 hour days, weekends too. I loved it, and you couldn’t tear me away from it. But, this is the first year that I’ve tried to keep a more traditional work schedule. No later than six in the office, and I don’t check email on weekends. Although, it seeps in much more than I admit. I easily work upwards of 60 hours a week. It’s an incredible amount of very demanding work. So you better love doing it! I do.

CQ: Amen! Julie works me to death. ;) Last month I interviewed Tsia Carson about her new book "Craftivity". In that book, you have an amazing project. Can you tell our readers a bit more about it -- how did you come up with the idea and how difficult was it?

JH: A woman on Craftster posted that in the 70’s her mother had embroidered the screen door of their house. I thought that was just fabulous. I wrote her and asked if she could tell me anything about how it was done, or where she got the notion...but she couldn’t tell me anything more. So, I interpreted it on my own. Not exactly the kind of embroidery project you curl up with in an arrmchair.

CQ: No, but so admirable and unique! I really admire how you put it out there and travel all over to meet your fans in person.

JH: Well, there’s a really personal aspect of Sublime Stitching. I love the way I can connect with other people through it, and let them know that the man behind the curtain at this company is me (and overburdened assistants I can’t live without). It’s not the brainchild of some corporate marketing team and getting to meet the people who work with my designs in person is really invigorating and rewarding. It’s honestly the best part about it.

CQ: Fun! What are some of your favorite places?

JH: Of course, I love New York and go every chance I get. I went to Philadelphia for the first time and had a blast. What a great city. I really want to go back to Philly! No, I didn’t eat scrapple. Oh, I love Minneapolis (Hi Dana!), but haven’t been in years. It’s on the top of my list for next trips. This year is the most I have traveled. Several trips to New York, then Seattle, Tokyo, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Chicago (twice)....I leave for Boston to start my book tour this week. I’m supposed to go to LA and Vancouver in November. Um...should I include the times I went to Arkansas to visit my mom? But I live in Austin which is my home. I always wanted to have a home base and be able to travel a lot, so that wish has come true.

CQ: How can we find out where you'll be next?

JH: You can sign up for my newsletter or check the Sublime Stitching Calendar!

CQ: Cool, we'll do that. Thanks so much for taking time out of your crazy book-touring, globe-trotting schedule to talk to us!

So, if you haven't already, check out the book. Then sign up for Jenny's newsletter so you can keep track of what she's up to next -- and when those new kits come out in stores! Thanks, Jenny! You rock!

 

BUY THE BOOK!

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p.s.

Got a question for Crafty Query? Someone in the craft scene that you'd like to know better?
Just wanna say HEY? Send me a note c/o julie@subversivecrossstitch.com