Punched Paper Embroidery

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Clement who owns a small internet business that deals with a unique form of embroidery. Sit back, relax and enjoy the interview. I think you will find it just as fascinating as I did.

What is your site address?

http://www.sagestitchworks.com

What is the name of your business?

Sage Stitchworks, Inc.

What do you promote/sell in your business?

We (my sister and I) sell Victorian-style Punched Paper Motto needlework kits. These are kits modeled after the ones sold over 100 years ago. However, all of our designs are original and exclusive to us. We have worked very hard to retain the Victorian look and feel of the era. We have customers who personally have over 60 of the original antique mottos in their collection who are very pleased with our product. Their vote of confidence is something we don't take lightly.

How long have you been in business Jennifer?

We've been doing this as a business since last October ('99). We've been doing this as a hobby for about 8 years.

What motivated you to open this business?

We collected the antique mottos for many years and were fascinated by them. We would think of our own favorite scriptures or mottos that we'd love to have for our homes and I started designing them for our own pleasure and hobby. Soon friends started asking for copies and we realized that many others might like the opportunity to stitch these for their own homes.

What exactly is punched paper embroidery?

It was a form of Victorian fancy-work that the ladies of the late 1800s did for pleasure and to adorn their homes. The patterns were pre-printed on paper that is covered with evenly spaced punched holes. The embroidery is done much like it is on fabric except you are stitching through the pre-punched holes. The sturdy weight of the paper eliminates the need for a hoop - something that also popularized it with the women of the past era. This needleart stitches much more quickly than either needlepoint or cross stitch as the satin stitching really moves the project along and there is no tedious counting required. This is nice because if you want a motto for a holiday decoration or to give as a gift, you don't have to start it half-a-year ahead!

What is the history behind it?

Well, I went into this a little bit in the above question. We had to search for a long time to learn about these wonderful old mottos. Most of the information about them is out of print. They were sold as complete kits, including the frames, and were stitched by both women and children. The new brightly colored variegated threads were popular then and we use them in many of our kits as well. Mottos of the era could be worked in silk or wool, chenille or cotton, gold, silver, steel or colored beads. The Victorians' morals were greatly influenced by Queen Victoria's reign and most of the mottos were spiritual in nature. That is something that has endeared them to us as well.

Can anyone do this embroidery?

Let's see....I've had 7 year old girls (my daughter included) do it and also a couple of wonderful grandmothers in their 80s! I personally never did any type of needleart until I picked this up. My sister likes to hold me up as an example, "If she can do it, ANYONE can do it!" :-) We have an aunt that never did any previous type of needlework that is currently finishing her third and choosing her fourth! I would have to warn....this IS addicting!

Do you offer assistance for those who want to learn this new art?

Certainly, we do! We provide very detailed instructions in each kit as well as on our website. We are also available online by e-mail: mottos@sagestitchworks.com or by phone, 501-648-1889, to answer any questions that someone might have.

Are there other items you sell or promote?

We are carrying some related accessories online, like nice embroidery scissors, extra needles and floss, and beading accessories. We aren't currently offering frames with our kits but are planning on adding them as an additional item in the future. We have found that they can be custom framed for a reasonable price.

Do you have anything else to add to our interview?

I could never understand why this pastime died out (around 1910) as it is so relaxing, fun and easy to do. After much searching, discussion, and prayer, we decided it was time to revive this pastime from a past time. We hope your readers will check it out for themselves and also find that they enjoy drawing upon the heritage of our past to create heirlooms for their future!

Again, thanks Jennifer for granting us the opportunity to learn more about this craft and your business.