In this episode, host Bess Wilkins chats with Meg from Nutmeg and Honey Bee about the importance of using creativity to deal with grief and improving your general mental health. If you’ve never heard of Meg, you’ve got to check out her Instagram page. It’s filled with her amazing creations: from baked goods to embroidery and so much more. We discuss so many topics today including knowing when it’s time to pivot the direction of your business, when it’s time to prioritise your “offline” friends and family (as opposed to feeling like a slave to the social media machine) and how embroidery and creativity can help find a sense of balance. Oh, and just wait til you find out what creative hobby she’s up to now.



Episode Links:



Meghan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutmegandhoneybee/



Meghan’s Website: https://nutmegandhoneybee.co/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

The world of abstract embroidery can be extremely daunting and it’s hard to know where to start. Ashlie from Happimood Co uses her experience as an artist to showcase how approachable abstract embroidery can be.



In this episode, host Bess Wilkins chats with Ashlie about the temptation of all artists to focus too much on getting it ‘perfect’ rather than letting the piece speak for itself. Ashlie also encourages us to embrace the mistakes and allow the piece to evolve as it needs. She doesn’t start with a fixed plan in mind for her abstract work and firmly believes that the piece will tell you what it needs and when it is done.



Episode Links:



Ashlie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happimood.co/



Ashlie’s website: https://happimoodco.com/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she speaks to today’s guest- Lauren from Lark Rising. Lauren started her journey with embroidery in 2015 and has since grown her business, written a book, taught workshops and classes, all while juggling two young kids!!



We talk to her about her journey, her creative process and her tips and tricks for choosing colour palettes and exploring different fibre arts.



Episode Links:



Lauren’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larkrising/



Lauren’s shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LarkRisingEmbroidery



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Making the jump from ‘just a hobby’ into a side hustle or business can be scary. A lot of people dream of making money doing what they love and Katie has done just that, all whilst still holding down a full-time job.



Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she chats to Katie from By Katie Olivia about what she has learnt, how to manage study vs work, and her creative journey in the first 12-18 months of running her business.



Episode Links:



Stitching & Co Advent Calendar Pre-order https://www.lifewithbess.com/product/stitching-co-embroidery-advent-calendar/



Katie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bykatieolivia/



Katie’s shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/bykatieolivia



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Learning to say “no” is something we all struggle with, in our personal lives and businesses. It can be so hard as a small business, especially when you’re just starting out, to not just say “yes” to every opportunity that comes your way. When you’re starting out that might be just what you need to allow you to experiment and build up confidence, but at some point you need to set boundaries… and that means saying “no” to certain things.



Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she chats to Lindsey from Urbann Nest who has been in the small business world for over 6 years about her story, why it’s important to say “no” and whether she’s ever regretted saying “no” to an opportunity.



Episode Links:



Urbann Nest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbannnest/



Urbann Nest Website: https://urbannnest.com/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Wood workers who are women (say that fast three times) are definitely less common, but we love seeing women get on the tools and create something beautiful. In this episode join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she chats to Kate (Modern Hoopla) about how you can take your finished projects up another notch with beautiful wooden hoop frames. Bess chats to Kate about her journey into starting her business, how to finish your hoop with just the right frame shape and more!



Episode Links:



Modern Hoopla Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernhoopla/



Modern Hoopla Website: https://www.modernhoopla.co/



Modern Hoopla Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/ModernHoopla



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Social media, we love it and we hate it…but when you’re a business it’s hard work to keep on top of the latest trend, posting stories and photos, replying to your followers and creating reels. This episode features someone we consider the reel queen!



Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) and guest Yulia (Matryoshka Doll Shop) as they chat all things Instagram – how to have an Instagram account for business but also as a hobby page. This episode was filmed in late 2021 and there have been a few changes to Instagram such as chronological feed options but we think the fundamentals of what Yulia shares are still very much relevant to all of us.



Episode Links:



Matryoshka Doll Shop Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matryoshkadollshop/



Matryoshka Doll Shop Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MatryoshkaDollShop



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Ever feel you aren’t creative enough to have a ‘creative’ hobby… well then this episode is for you!! Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) and guest Stephie (Hoop and Fred) as they chat about exploring and growing your creativity, how to look at it differently, finding the right creative hobby and overcoming perfectionism. With an extra special guest appearance from the Life with Bess studio dog… Aurora.



Episode Links:



Hoop and Fred Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoopandfred/?hl=en



Hoop and Fred Website: https://www.hoopandfred.co.uk/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Want to take your business to the next level? Join host Bess Wilkins (from Life with Bess) as we chat to Julie from Humble Stitch Studio about two aspects to think about when it comes to business. Collaborations and branding… a bit of a random combination but this is a jam packed interview and a perfect episode to get you excited for all the amazing opportunities you can have this year!



Episode Links:



Humble Stitch Studio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humblestitchstudio/



The Humble Stitch Studio Website: https://www.humblestitchstudio.com/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

If starting a creative business is on your list for 2022, then this is the perfect episode to start off season 2. Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she chats with Sally Wilson from Caterpillar Cross Stitch. After running a successful cross stitch business for 6 years, Sally has lots of tips and encouragements for those starting out or thinking about it. From how to avoid burnout, why it is important to build a community, when to bring on staff to help and more!!



Episode Links:



Caterpillar Cross Stitch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caterpillarcrossstitch/



Caterpillar Cross Stitch Website: https://www.caterpillarcrossstitch.com/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Burnout is something that a lot of us creatives have experienced at some point in time. Join host Bess Wilkins as we chat to Miriam from Slow Evenings Embroidery about her journey back from burnout at the start of 2021 and how she is learning to identify when she is heading down that path. She shares about how she was experiencing anxiety, business paralysis, and creative block. Anyone who has been burnout (creatively or not) will tell you it is not an easy journey back to normal – and Miriam shares about how focusing on her mental health and identifying triggers has helped her to tune in to her creative side again.



Episode Links:



Slow Evenings Embroidery Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slow_evenings_embroidery/



Slow Evenings Embroidery Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SlowEvenings



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Join host Bess Wilkins as she talks to today’s guest Melissa from M Creative J about taking that next step from learning embroidery to then teaching it. Melissa loves to create whimsical modern embroidery patterns drawing on her love of nature and desert landscapes and is passionate about teaching others to find joy in embroidery and crafting. She believes that anyone can learn to embroider and has years of experience running in-person and virtual workshops.



Episode Links:



M Creative J Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcreativej/



M Creative J Website: https://www.mcreativej.com/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Colour really is such an important part of embroidery and as much as we hate to admit it, sometimes it can make or break a design. For a lot of people starting to create your own colour palettes is a bit daunting and you don’t know where to begin because there are a million different colours to choose from. Join host Bess Wilkins as we chat to Sophie from Mindful Mantra Embroidery about how she picks the most beautiful colour palettes for her designs. We chat about her process for creating colour palettes, understanding colour tones and shades, does knowing colour theory help at all and how many threads do you need to own to create beautiful colour palettes.



Episode Links:



Mindful Mantra Embroidery Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmantra_embroidery/



Mindful Mantra Embroidery Website: https://mindfulmantraembroidery.com/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Looking to experiment with different fibre arts other than Embroidery? What about punch needling and weaving? Julie Stuart from Clever Poppy is the queen of crafts and has amazing kits and online courses to help beginners get started in a new craft. She loves to focus on helping mums reclaim ‘me time’ through crafting! Join host Bess Wilkins as Julie shares the differences between the embroidery, punch needling and weaving, how to know which craft is for you and all sorts of tips and tricks for how to master each one.



Episode Links:



Clever Poppy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleverpoppy/



Clever Poppy Website: https://cleverpoppy.com/



Clever’s Poppy’s Free Workshop: https://cleverpoppy.com/pages/embroidery-workshop-a



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Many people find a sense of therapy through embroidery. It forces us to take the time to slow down and work with our hands. For Rebekah from Stress Away Stitching embroidery is helping her manage her anxiety and improve her overall mental health all while completing her Thesis and starting her embroidery business. In this episode, host Bess Wilkins chats with Rebekah who shares openly and honestly around her journey with severe debilitating anxiety, navigating the ups and downs of life and how she does this one stitch at a time.



Episode Links:



Stress Away Stitching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stressawaystitching/



Stress Away Stitching Website: https://stressawaystitching.square.site/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Do you feel like there is nothing original left in the world of stitching botanicals. Join host Bess Wilkins as Katie Martin from Harvest Goods Co not only shares with us how to stand out in a saturated world of botanicals but the importance of finding that spark of joy that drew you to florals in the first place. From colour inspiration and composition to being confident to show the world as you see it – she is open about her journey with adoption, business and managing a work-life balance.



Episode Links:



Harvest Goods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harvestgoodsco



Harvest Goods Website: https://www.harvestgoods.co/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Join host Bess Wilkins and Sierra from Knotty Cat Co. as they chat about all things transferring your pattern onto fabric. Everyone has their own preference, or technique they swear but there are pros and cons to each method but in this episode it is just two stitchy girls chatting about all different things they’ve tried and what has worked and hasn’t!!!



Episode Links:



The Knotty Cat Co. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theknottycatco/



The Knotty Cat Co. Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheKnottyCatCo



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Life with Bess x Lumber Lust Embroidery Stands: https://www.lifewithbess.com/product/embroidery-stand/



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Ever felt like you are a total imposter when it comes to embroidery or running a business… you know that feeling of not being good enough or feeling inadequate. Well then this episode is for you!!! Join host Bess Wilkins as we hear from Tatum from Threaded by Tatum discuss imposter syndrome!! She shares how suffering from imposter syndrome has impacted her business, her creativity… and most importantly what she has learnt in how to overcome it and get back on track!!



Episode Links:



Threaded by Tatum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threadedbytatum/



Threaded by Tatum Website: https://threadedbytatum.com/



Article – HRM 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome: https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/strategic-hr/five-types-imposter-syndrome-how-to-manage-them/



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Life with Bess x Lumber Lust Embroidery Stands: https://www.lifewithbess.com/product/embroidery-stand/



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Today we explore what it means to find your style in the embroidery world. Not sure exactly where to start? Join host Bess Wilkins and Krista from She the Bee as Krista shares her journey along with some amazing tips to help you start to find your own creative voice.



EPISODE LINKS:



She the Bee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/she_the_bee/



She the Bee Website: https://www.shethebee.com/



Heidi | Creating Magic Online: https://www.instagram.com/creatingmagiconline/?hl=en



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Life with Bess x Lumber Lust Embroidery Stands: https://www.lifewithbess.com/product/embroidery-stand/



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521

Get to know Celeste Johnson from Lemon Made Shop. You may recognise her from her amazing collection of wildflower US state patterns and her embroidery book ‘Freshly Stitched’. Celeste’s journey is one of organic and strategic growth, setting boundaries and being open to possibilities like writing an embroidery book! This episode we mixed things up a little bit and answered a stack of questions from her Instagram fam.



Episode Links:



Lemon Made Shop Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemon_made_shop/?hl=en



Lemon Made Shop Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/LemonMadeShop



Celeste’s Book – Freshly Stitched: https://www.amazon.com/Freshly-Stitched-Embroidery-Projects-Beginners/dp/0764361236



Stitching & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingandco/?hl=en 



Stitching & Co FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchingandco 



Leave a Review on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchingandco/reviews/?ref=page_internal



Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1564564521