Let's give a warm welcome to Jess, owner of Otter Bee Stitching!
All About Jess
Where are you located?
Des Moines, IA
Do you have a job outside of this?
Nope! This is my full-time gig.
What’s your dream vacation spot?
Iceland. I’ve done a lot of traveling, but haven’t made it there yet.
What’s your favorite color(s)?
Green
What’s your favorite food/meal?
Mexican food (tacos are life)
What’s your least favorite food/meal?
Anything with mushrooms
Do you have a favorite movie or TV show?
Not really, although I do rewatch Grey’s Anatomy
and Avatar: The Last Airbender a lot
What’s a quote that you live by?
“We are all horrible and wonderful and figuring it out.” -Harris Wittels
Do you have other hobbies (other than the one you specialize in now)?
I love to read! I also
love photography, writing, and hiking.
What’s 1 (or more) weird/strange fact(s) about you?
I had never seen Star Wars until last year at the ripe old age of 33.
If you had a theme song, WHAT would it be?
“New Romantics” by Taylor Swift
What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve done in your life?
I am not a spontaneous person haha. I like to have a solid plan and sudden changes make me anxious. That said, I think deciding to do a semester in London away from my family and comfort zone was a
spontaneous decision that majorly paid off.
Do you have a favorite holiday?
Christmas! It’s so magical.
Do you have a favorite season?
Winter. I love the cold and the snow, and there are no bugs anywhere. It’s perfect.
What inspires or motivates you?
I’m inspired by other people’s art all the time. There are so many people creating amazing things.
If you could do one thing for the world (people or environment), what would it be?
Cure COVID instantly. I’m sure we’re all super over quarantine at this point!
Anything else?
I’m a wife and mama to two kiddos, and we’re
expecting our rainbow baby in June.
All About Otter Bee Stitching
How long have you been making?
I’ve been a maker for 6 years.
When did you start your business or hobby?
I started my business in 2015. When I first
started, I was actually a toy maker. The shift to embroidery happened in 2017.
Why did you start?
I started it as a way to make extra money as a stay at home mom, and as
a way for me to make unique toys for my kiddo.
What’s your favorite thing you’ve made?
I think my favorite hoop so far has been the rainbow hearts one. It’s simple, but so beautiful and really resonates with a lot of people.
What’s a piece of advice for someone just starting out in your field?
Don’t be afraid to experiment! Traditional embroidery is beautiful, but figuring out your style sometimes means opening yourself up to the possibility of other materials. I never would have stumbled across appliqué without experimenting.
Does your company have a mascot?
Not really, but if it did it would have to be an otter.
What was your most memorable success?
I made a Harry Potter quiet book that went viral
on social media in 2017. The original video for it has been viewed over a million times, which feels so wild to say.
What was your most memorable challenge?
Putting together subscription boxes monthly
by myself was such a challenge.
How did or are you overcoming this challenge?
I eventually had to take a step back and reevaluate how I was putting boxes/kits together. I’m still working on streamlining that process, because kits are something my customers really want on a regular basis. I’m getting closer to a process I’m happy with.
What’s next for the future for Otter Bee Stitching?
I’m hoping to be able to start offering monthly
kits again soon. I’d also like to expand my pattern portfolio, and reach 10k followers on Instagram.
The Future for Otter Bee Stitching
What’s your latest project?
My latest project is a kit actually. It’s a gorgeous wreath with bees that says “bee kind or bee quiet.”
Where did the inspiration come from for this project?
I’ve had this idea in my brain for a good year or two, but wasn’t quite sure how to make it more detailed/elaborate than just a bee and some lettering. The final design draws a lot of inspiration from Hufflepuff colors, because that house represents kindness to me.
Have there been any challenges with this project?
The only challenge has been finding time to stitch the sample. With two kids at home and one of them doing virtual schooling right now, finding time to stitch has been difficult!
Will this be free or paid?
This will be a paid thing. The kit is $45 and includes 6 sheets of felt, 6 skeins of floss, a hoop, Kona cotton to stitch on, white felt for backing the hoop, templates to cut pieces, and a full-color tutorial with step-by-step instructions. It’ll also be released as a digital PDF for those who want to track down their own supplies or already have a stash at home.
Where can we find this kit?
The preorder and pattern will be on my website.
When will it be finished?
The kit pre order starts today (January 25)! The pattern will be released once the preorder closes.
Go and give Jess some LOVE! Like, share, or check out her beautiful kit. Remember, supporting Jess is supporting a small business and a local maker’s dream.
Here are the links:
Instagram: @otterbeestitching
Facebook: Click Here
Website: otterbeestitching.com
Comment below if you have any questions for Jess or Otter Bee Stitching.
And THANK YOU so much for reading and joining along on our Maker Spotlight. You can see a new maker right here EVERY Monday. I have some AMAZING makers lined up and I cannot wait to share them with you.
xoxo, Lindsey
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