From The State Journal, Frankfort KYEtsy.com inspires Betsy to get crafty
By Keren Henderson
Etsy.com - the largest online marketplace for buying and selling handmade items - is a world of artistic inspiration.
The site worked its magic on Frankfort’s Betsy Bailey.
Betsy, 26, who works for the Legislative Research Commission, graduated with a bachelor’s in art education but set aside her artistic pursuits after signing on with the state.
Betsy recently rediscovered embroidery – a childhood hobby – and is selling hand-stitched wall decorations through Etsy.
She describes her designs as “pure, unadulterated hand embroidery and all the little tugs and knots and love that go along with a needle and thread and a vision.”
She started on notepaper, stitching initials and birds as Christmas gifts using a box of embroidery floss her mother gave her.
“That’s the cool thing about embroidery floss – it never gets old,” she explains.
Now, most of her designs go straight from her imagination to the fabric of 6-inch wall hoops. She sells traditional initials, but most of her designs are anything but.
“It’s a traditional craft done in a whimsical way,” she says.
She credits her boyfriend, Kale Nickens, with the “quirky stuff.”
The site worked its magic on Frankfort’s Betsy Bailey.
Betsy, 26, who works for the Legislative Research Commission, graduated with a bachelor’s in art education but set aside her artistic pursuits after signing on with the state.
Betsy recently rediscovered embroidery – a childhood hobby – and is selling hand-stitched wall decorations through Etsy.
She describes her designs as “pure, unadulterated hand embroidery and all the little tugs and knots and love that go along with a needle and thread and a vision.”
She started on notepaper, stitching initials and birds as Christmas gifts using a box of embroidery floss her mother gave her.
“That’s the cool thing about embroidery floss – it never gets old,” she explains.
Now, most of her designs go straight from her imagination to the fabric of 6-inch wall hoops. She sells traditional initials, but most of her designs are anything but.
“It’s a traditional craft done in a whimsical way,” she says.
She credits her boyfriend, Kale Nickens, with the “quirky stuff.”
Kale comes up with the design ideas, Betsy sketches them on fabric with water-soluble ink, then the stitching begins.
She explains how her octopus designs came about.
“I was doodling my ever present swirlys and circles and happened upon an octopus. Kale added the face and accessories and we developed a series of characters.”
She sold three of the four, but “OldManPus” is still for sale – on clearance for $10. The name pretty much describes him – he’s an Octopus with bushy eyebrows, a cane and a pipe.
Then there’s the “Nesting Pests” series – “an ever expanding group of Matryoshka nesting dolls with a bit of a twist.”
The Russian stacking dolls are designed to look like classic monsters and include: Franky, Wolfie and Bitey.
But the most unique series is probably “Organic Fruits” designed by Kale.
Etsy has millions of products, but no one else is selling embroidered organs that look like fruits with faces.
Designs take anywhere from one to five hours to stitch, Betsy says. Since she started, she has learned several tricks to produce higher quality work.
She’s sold about 15 wall decorations on Etsy, and has also made sales at craft fairs.
“I get a really good response to the buttons and pins at the fairs,” Betsy says.
The fabric buttons are decorated with initials and other designs.
To take a look at Betsy and Kale’s latest designs, go to saysyou.etsy.com.
1 comment:
Embroidery was never a childhood hobby. My Mom did crosstitch and sometimes I watched her or pulled a stitch.
I didn't start on notepaper. It was cardstock.
Embroidery floss DOES get old.
Kale doesn't design everything. The bulk of what I've done aremy own designs.
It takes more than 5 hours to complete most pieces.
"I get a really good response to the buttons and pins at the fairs," makes me sound like a yokel. I am not.
Just to clarify.
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