Tags: Antonette Stitches Antonette Urot arts crafts Edge Davao Embroidery Handmade Crafts Meg Hernandez Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom Needlework Portrait Embroidery Sewing
Accounting associate turned creative entrepreneur, Antonette Urot, sews your favorite images into embroidered keepsakes.
The love for crafting is innate for some and acquired for others. There are people who pursue their crafting dreams with every fiber of their being since childhood, while some only grow an interest in any craft halfway through adulting or in the midst of busyness.
Antonette Urot working in her craft corner at home.
In the case of full-time mom Antonette Urot, her knack for needlework flourished out of a need to add color to her daily routine. This former accounting associate claims she never thought she had a creative bone in her body until she tried embroidery—mainly as a breather from work and mom life.
Full-time mom and creative entrepreneur.
As she puts it, “Life in an accounting office was not particularly thrilling for me. Sure, dealing with balance sheets may seem empowering. But, for some reason, I wanted to do something other than staring at numbers on the screen all day. Being a big fan of Jane Austen, I thought, ‘how can I bring some of that cottage vibe into my 9 to 5?’ Embroidery was the answer to that question.”
Photo: @antonette.stitches on Instagram
Antonette began stitching to fill in spare time and to de-stress. Not too long after, in the thick of the pandemic—where practically everything shifted to remote working and learning—she ended up with more time on hand to improve her craft and work on unfinished projects.
One of her first embroidered works was a personal gift. This came as revelation to her friend, who was surprised to see such craftsmanship from someone who didn’t express much interest in arts and crafts. Her friend was so thrilled with the gift that she commissioned Antonette to make another piece for the Little Potato Heads, a children’s accessory line. That commissioned piece got a lot of attention and this opened the floodgates to business opportunities, particularly through Instagram.
Photo: @antonette.stitches on Instagram
“Sew” on and “sew” forth
“As the pandemic put everything to a halt, other moms turned to plants and banana bread. I decided to stitch,” Antonette shares. “Embroidery helped me make sense of what’s happening around me and make the most out of where I am this season.”
She officially began her creative venture in June 2020 and launched her Instagram business profile @antonette.stitches. Her portfolio includes a couple of embroidered replicas of special moments, from engagements to weddings and family outings.
Bride and groom.
Photo: @antonette.stitches on Instagram
“I just said yes to everything—whether it’s your baby’s name, your dog’s face, your favorite family portrait—I took them all head-on. Some of my clients shared the memories and stories behind their photos and images, which made each embroidery project more meaningful to create.”
Working on an embroidery project.
“I love embroidery because it takes me to a space where I can focus on one thing. Nobody can tell me what I’m doing is wrong. Even if I did make a mistake, I could start again and nobody would even know what happened. My needlework style evolved with every wave of projects that came in. If you scan through the pieces I did from day one up until recently, I can say, with a bit of confidence, that a lot has changed. It has only been a year since I took on this creative journey, and my style can still use some polishing.”
Couple kissing in Times Square, New York.
Photo: @antonette.stitches on Instagram
“Needle” little love
A lot of energy and love goes into every project Antonette makes. She stitches each image as how one would with paint, paying close attention to the layers and shades.
“I first start with a pattern. Then, I match the thread with colors on the photo references. Next, I trace and outline the forms on the fabric and stitch in colors and accents to the rest of the space. The length of the process depends on the complexity of the image.”
Baby’s sonogram.
Photo: @antonette.stitches on Instagram
Asked to name three of her most memorable projects, she says the one showing a couple kissing in New York Times Square is at the top of her list. “It just looks magical to me, and I’ve always loved the New York vibe and aesthetic.”
Next on the list is the embroidered replica of a baby’s sonogram. “I love the depth and texture,” she beams. “It also has that once-in-a-lifetime feel.”
One of Antonette’s memorable works.
Photo: @antonette.stitches on Instagram
The one with the Taipei 101 in the background is also memorable to Antonette. “This piece led me to take a crash course on color theory. I had to learn how to blend colors.”
“Threading” along
This embroidery artist also dreams of connecting and growing a community with other craft enthusiasts. “I’d measure my progress not solely by the amount of work that I do and complete, but also by how many people I can inspire and rope into this beautiful hobby.”
Embroidery kit for sale.
“My ultimate goal, I guess, is to open a craft shop where people can just be their creative self and work on embroidery, macrame, cross-stitch, and other thread-based crafts. I’m also thinking of creating a YouTube channel. I think that will help grow a community of thread heads until we can finally meet in person and share inspiration with one another. For now, I have kits available—all designed for those interested to practice embroidery.”
Follow @antonette.stitches on Instagram to inquire, order, or view her other works.
This story is also published on my Metro Mom column in Edge Davao newspaper. All photos courtesy of Antonette Urot.
