FAQ’s
Do you have a question for us?
Check below for answers to our most frequently asked questions.
1) Do you do custom commissions?
We sure do! From design through to the handcrafted chainstitch decoration; we can help you to create bespoke embroidery pieces and personal designs, all handcrafted on a fully hand-operated sewing machine. Exactly like they did in the 40s, 50s and 60’s!
The start price for our custom pieces is £250 but if you are looking for a small custom patch we have a range of customisable patches in our shop.
Head up here to enquire!
2) Do you provide blank garments?
We don’t and here’s why. Every client and every project is different and we want to prioritise that. We differ from some of the more common embroidery service providers in many ways. We are here to create your own special piece that is truly unique to you. We also value your journey and we know how exciting sourcing for your special garment is. We can of course suggest a type of garment or a brand over others, but we love the fact that you are leading this step.
3) Can you embroider a cursive name on my clothing?
Yes, we can embroider cursive names on your clothing! We love creating these beautiful, classic, and timeless designs. However, we don't offer bespoke commissions for name embroidery scripts on their own.
We offer two options for cursive name embroidery. Firstly, you can come to our live embroidery events, where we set up in stores or pop-up events and when possible allow customers to bring their own garments for personalization.
Secondly, we have studio open days where you can drop in and bring your own item of clothing for a quick and fun personalization. We're located in Woolwich, SE London, right by the river!
Sign up to our mailing list to see what’s in the calendar.
4) Can you embroider our logo or artwork?
We no longer offer embroidery production on its own but focus on both the design and embroidery together. You are welcome to still get in touch to confirm the specifics if you are in doubt, but it has been our experience, that we needed to re-work the design to be ready for chainstitching in the majority of cases.
Chainstitch embroidery is an ancient handcrafted method and is very different from other digital embroidery processes. We specialize in this craft and with over 12 years of illustration experience, Giulio can try to help you create what you have in mind.
5) Can you embroider any design?
We try to! But just like we mention in answer 3 and 4, we sometimes can’t.
Get in touch and we’ll see what we can do for you!
6) Do you sell patches?
We sure do! We have a selection of handcrafted chain-stitched products. You can choose between one-off embroidered pieces and customisable patches. With every piece entirely handcrafted with vintage machines in the heart of South East London. Head up to our shop now!
7) Do you do large runs?
It depends on the complexity of the artwork and quantity. We keep to a maximum of 30 pieces for any one design.
Larger runs are something that we often get asked to do for clubs and brands. Due to its handcrafted nature, chainstitch embroidery should be considered for limited runs only, rather than for a mass-produced project, as the time to make is the same per piece whether we do 1 or 30.
Send your enquiry through and we can assess it!
8) I would like an idea of prices.
Absolutely! We have a ‘Ballpark Figures’ section on the Contact page to help you with this.
Pricing a chainstitch embroidery project entirely depends on the following 4 elements. Design details, size, colors and where this will be embroidered onto.
9) Is it cheaper to order more?
Unfortunately not. Every piece is made by Giulio on vintage hand-operated machines. Having no automation means that each piece will take the same amount of time whether is one or thirty.
10) Can you stitch on sleeves or trousers?
Yes! We own one of the rarest chain stitch machines from the 1920s. This is the only machine capable to do so without having to disassemble the garment to embroider it. With this exact machine, Giulio had an official collaboration with Dr. Martens and went on a chainstitch tour around the Country, embroidering over leather boots!
11) Do you do collaborations?
This is certainly something that we do! We have collaborated with brands in many ways. Amongst these, Giulio has had an official collaboration with Dr. Martens and also worked with brands like Levis, Adidas, Ralph Lauren, and many more. Get in touch and tell me more!
12) We have a shop and would love to stock some of your work!
Sounds exciting and we would definitely love to hear more! On these occasions, we suggest creating some exclusive, original pieces specifically for your shop, just to make the project even more special. This is something that we have done in the past.
Feel free to get in touch so we can discuss this in more detail. But there is a small note before you do is that. Due to its handcrafted nature, chain stitch has a higher cost of manufacturing than more common digitized embroidered products. For this reason, we want you to factor this in if you are considering adding your store mark-up.
13) Do you offer custom design services?
Whether you are looking for a single design for your chainstitch embroidered piece or a series of designs for a capsule collection, we are here to assist you.
With over 12 years of illustration experience, Giulio can help you create what you have in mind. Head up to the contact page and let us know what we can do for you!
Commissions start at £250, check out the Projects page to see some past examples.
14) Can you chainstitch on leather or suede?
Saying that you can, doesn’t quite necessarily mean that it would look great in all instances.
Leather is generally a lot thicker than fabric and tends to stretch differently during and after embroidery. There is also an issue regarding chainstitch needles, which are a lot bigger than what other embroidery techniques use for leather. Larger placements can weaken the leather’ structure. For that reason, in the old days of chainstitch embroidery, felt patches were the ideal way to decorate a leather jacket. Single lines of stitches can however work very well in some applications, so we suggest getting in touch and tell us more about your project. We'll review it and let you know the best way to can tackle it!
15) Do you do live embroidery events?
We certainly do! Whether you are planning a private event, a personalization station in your store, or a customization tour in several parts of the country or throughout Europe, we can and have experience of doing it all!
With an extensive portfolio of collaborations for the Denim, Fashion, and Sports Lifestyle industries, we can tailor an exclusive package that suits your needs!
Check out the live events section or enquire here.
16) I’d like to start chain stitching, where can I get a machine like yours? Where do you get your threads, felts and supplies?
This is something we get asked often and it’s not something we can help with. It’s definitely not because we feel precious about our sources - even though this is our job and sources are to be considered sensitive information. We don’t provide this information because we believe that the whole starting, setting up and sourcing process is a cathartic and crucial step in every business. It’s a formative stage and in our opinion, everyone should take risks when starting a business.
Quick solutions can be pretty handy, but tests and mistakes can be an invaluable opportunity to evaluate or shape a business path! If you are really stuck, there are lots of great Facebook groups and Youtube resources that can help you solve some mysteries along the way. Just do your research and go for it!
17) Do you offer any chain stitch training or workshops?
We don’t always offer one-to-one training but it’s something we have done at the studio before.
It takes quite a few months of practice to be able to learn how to chainstitch on the machine, hence why it’s not something we do often.
We are certainly opened to discuss the possibilities of online teaching content and mini-workshops.
There are many embroidery techniques, starting from chainstitch, that can be taught more traditionally as a hand embroidery method.
Get in touch if you’d like to talk more about it!
18) I can get 60 patches made in South East Asia for the price of one of yours!
You are probably right! The look, feel and unique embroidery designs that we offer are very different to mass-produced options.
Quantities, minimum requirement, quality of work, labour conditions, manufacturing contacts, product development & product control are only some of the hidden factors that you should also consider when outsourcing this type of work. When you look at that route closely, things can be way more time-consuming and more expensive than initially considered!
