Embroidery Month Q&A With the Sweet Pea Team

Part of what makes Sweet Pea special is our community - which includes our internal team! Filled with craft lovers and hard workers, we are so proud to have a team that loves what they do. In honour of Sweet Pea's Embroidery Month, I asked each team member a few key questions about working here and their craft.

Allison, our CEO, who was also the company's first digitiser, has tried many crafts but was completely hooked when she discovered machine embroidery. Her favorite design? Ethereal Grove quilt—she believes it’s the most beautiful quilt she’s ever seen.  Her top tip? Iron, iron, and then iron again!

There have been plenty of laughs over the years, from possums invading the sewing room to discovering a rogue marshmallow mid-meeting. We have also laughed until we cried when we realised that a design or two stitched out looked very inappropriate!

Allison

When asked about his favourite designs, Tim from Customer Support is torn between animal zipper purses and the Crewel Quilt BOM from 2018.

Beautiful Birds Table Runner

10.98 AUD

21.95 AUD

Kayden, our Marketing Manager, loves the Beautiful Birds Table Runner and wants more people to try it. 

The runner features 5 tropical birds and is heavily embroidered, making it as much a piece of art as a practical item!

His advice for embroiderers when tackling this project? Embrace mistakes—they’re part of the creative process, and our community is always here to help.

Martyn, our Design Technician and Tester, has had a home embroidery machine for "many, many moons", dating back to some of the first machines on the market. His favorite Sweet Pea designs? Flower Quilt, Forever Flora Quilt, and the Woodstock Messenger Bag—until something new catches his eye. He loves that working at Sweet Pea you always feel heard and valued.

My top tip? "No one ever regretted buying quality"—
especially when it comes to needles, thread, and stabilizer!

Martyn

Nadia, one of our Designers, dove into embroidery when she joined Sweet Pea. She loves detailed scene hangers like the Desert Scene Hanger and Coffee Corner Hanger. Her advice? Pin your stabilizer to the hoop for better stability.

Dachshund Tote bag 5x7 6x10 7x12

9.98 AUD

19.95 AUD

Silvanna, our Design Manager and another digitiser, got into embroidery in the most unexpected way—distracted by a life drawing class, she spotted a sewing machine, gave it a try, and got hooked.

She adores the Dachshund Tote Bag and Australian Birds Runner.

She said meeting customers at shows is always a blast, and her best tip? Read the instructions, take your time, and have fun!

Christine, our Social Media and Affiliate Coordinator, started sewing after her first daughter was born and now makes most of their clothes. Her favorite design? The Protea Redwork Embroidery Design. Meeting customers at shows is always a highlight, and her embroidery mantra? Trust the process—or ask someone who knows!

Erin, our SEO & Content Manager, had no idea about machine embroidery before Sweet Pea, but she's always been into hand sewing. She loves the Free Standing Halloween Scene Hanger and thinks it would make a beautiful suncatcher. Her first video appearance for Trick or Treat was surprisingly fun, and she always enjoys running seasonal hunts on the website.

Always keep an eye on the stitch out and
the instructions, even if it's just in your
periphery. Maybe more important as a beginner but sometimes I miss little things until it's too late.

Erin

Emma, our Technical Manager of Design/Digitizing, was introduced to sewing and quilting by her mother-in-law and got hooked on machine embroidery at Sweet Pea. She said her tip after all these years is that it's better to over-stabilize than under. Her favorite designs? Floral Weekend Table Runner, Beautiful Birds Table Runner, and Blaze. Funniest moment in the office? The “marshmallow stowaway” incident. 

Australian Landscape Hanger/Runner

10.98 AUD

21.95 AUD

Cassie, our Sewing Manager, loves the creative variety of her job.

Her favourite Sweet Pea Designs include the Australian Outback Scene and Little Bunny Backpack.

She said when sewing you should take it slow and steady—and always read the instructions first!

Deanna, our General Manager, started young with a small sewing machine and a passion for making cushions. Her top pick from Sweet Pea? Meditation Mountain. Some of her most memorable moments include filming the first promo video for Incredi-Thread (fun and embarrassing!) and traveling to the USA for shows. Her best embroidery tip? Iron your fabric before stitching it down and pin your stabilizer in the hoop!

Alyssa, Senior Machine Embroidery Technician, got into embroidery thanks to her mum (Annette) and now loves it! Her top design? The Dollhouse Quilt—choosing all the different fabrics was a blast! Memorable moments? Filming a YouTube video singing the 12 Days of Christmas and travelling to the US for sewing shows. Her top tips were to adjust your machine foot height for different layers and change your needle regularly!

We get to work with the best team at Sweet Pea,
everyone is so creative, supportive and fun to
work with!

Alyssa

We hope you enjoyed getting to know our team better. Join the fun by letting us know how you got started in machine embroidery and what your favourite designs are in our Facebook Group!