My Worst fear...

Ok... so that may be a little dramatic... ok, let me rephrase that.

My worst fear, in regards to embroidering for money, came true. Blech.

Up until now, the embroidery I have done has been for gifts... my theory is that if someone gets it for free as a gift, they can't complain about it, am I right? I'm right.


Just the other day, one of my fellow Junior Leaguers sent me a message saying she remembered (from facebook) that I have an embroidery machine and would I be able to embroider Easter basket liners for her daughters... she'd pay me. I said, sure... let me check out the liners to make sure I can physically do it. Everything looks good and she gives me a check and I take the liners.

I set up the names and head over to my mother-in-laws to embroider. After about an hour... voila! 2 personalized Easter basket liners. Completed.

I get home and see a message from another fellow Junior Leaguer and best friend of first Junior Leaguer. In short she heard that I had done the Easter baskets and could I please please please please do some for her kids. No problem! I get the baskets from her, set up the names and get ready for embroidering.

I was pretty hesitant about picking the embroidery color because these liners (from Target) are kinda BRIGHT pink and white (huge contrast there) for the girls, and a olive green and white for the boys. So I choose a navy blue for the guys and I try a teal green for the girls. Pink and teal looks good together, right? Not. in. this. case.

So I embroidered the girls baskets and .... oh no! I really can't see the names. What am I going to do? I have already unhooped them and don't have the skill to rehoop them... oh boy. Plus, these baskets are $12, do I go buy new ones and eat the cost?!

I rush off to my embroidery store and talk to "my" lady. After checking out my options I decide that I can use a fabric pen to darken the name. I embroidered myself a "Tester" piece of fabric and get started with the pen.
I used green ("P" and half of "Y") and purple (half of "a" and "t"). The purple seemed to bleed to me, although I could have just goofed on the "a", but I decided to go with the green.

Tester fabric

After a few coats I decide it's looking pretty good better and the end result is a happy customer!


Trust me... it WAS darker

Phew... crisis averted (although, like she said after I explained what I had to do was... they were only Easter baskets -- no sweat!)