The Beginning
My venture into operating a small business began accidentally in the summer of 2014 while on maternity leave after the birth of my first (and so far, only) daughter. I had been forced to learn to sew as a child, and while pregnant had made a few dresses for my little girl and for the children of a few friends. A friend of a friend heard I could sew, and asked me if I would make some crib bedding for her little one. Because I had never attempted anything on that scale and didn’t have my hands full enough as a brand new mom, I agreed.
Looking at this photo of that first crib set now, all I see are mistakes and things I could have done better. But after posting the photo on facebook, messages starting with "hey, can you make..." started pouring in, and before I knew it, I was operating a small business.
The Name
As the requests came in, I found myself needing to create an "official" business, the first step of which was coming up with a name. Cut to me ugly crying in the car because my now 6 week old daughter was growing so fast and I couldn’t bear the thought of her getting any bigger, and Stay Little Sewing was born. I did not know at the time about the tiny 1 pound 13 ounce little boy who would later come along and inspire me to devote a large portion of my business to making sweet little things for preemies, thus making my chosen business name a bit ironic. Still, I suppose all parents love having something that will “stay little” as their babies grow, to remind them how tiny they once were, because I promise they DO NOT stay little for long. *cue ugly cry......*
My sweet P, who did in fact keep growing, and is not so little anymore.
The tiny guy, with the first versions of the creations he inspired. The story behind these is nothing short of amazing, and I'll share it soon! (Spoiler alert: he didn't stay little either.)
The Journey
I was forced to learn to sew when I was 10 years old. I did NOT appreciate it at the time. I didn’t know then that skill would allow me to spend most of my days working from home, giving me extra time with my sweet girl during the week. I’ve been a nurse for 10 years, and my work as a nurse has really helped me in this business. I understand what nurses need NICU clothing to be. I've comforted those experiencing unspeakable loss, and it gave me a huge soft spot for the grieving. Because I love it so very much, I still work as a nurse one day a week, and I don't think I'll ever give up that one day. But I also love the comfort I am able to bring others through this shop. I love hearing my customers’ stories. I love making tiny things for babies born too soon, bringing parents a small sense of “normalcy” being able to dress their baby in a sea of tubes and monitors. I love taking precious things worn by a loved one gone too soon and repurposing them into an heirloom that can be handed down for generations. I love creating one-of-a-kind custom quilts that are as unique as the little ones they keep warm. I do not take my work lightly, and everything I make is truly made with the utmost love and respect for the people I am making for. I consider it an honor and a blessing to be able to do what I do, and I hope to expand to offer more thoughtful, meaningful options in the years to come!
Why I'm here. For the love of these two.