A needle. Some thread. And my children’s names.
Have you ever had a moment where everything just clicked? Where you stumbled onto something that felt so natural, something that was to solve a tiny problem then turned into a passion and a way of living?
That’s exactly what happened to me with embroidery.
Hi, I’m Tiffany — welcome to The Embroidery Nook! If you’re new here, grab a cup of tea and let me tell you a little about who I am and why I started this blog.
From Vietnam to Vancouver
I was born in Vietnam and immigrated to Canada as a translator/interpreter with my husband and my first daughter, Ann. This amazing country gave me the opportunities I could never have imagined. From a professional translator and interpreter, I started my first job as a Financial Services Representative at Vancity Credit Union in Vancouver where I met wonderful people and gradually adapted into a new life. I spent seven fulfilling years there and got two more beautiful kids, Bryan (2019) and Chloe (2022).
It was a career I was proud of. But life had other plans.
The Decision That Changed Everything
In November 2023, I made the biggest decision of my life — I left my corporate career so I could have more time with my three children.
It wasn’t easy. I had built my professional identity over many years. But having no extra help from my families, my hands were full and watching my kids grow up is something I knew I would never regret.
I have always been working as a freelance translator and interpreter because I didn’t want all my college years to go to waste. Over the years, I had the privilege of interpreting at the highest levels of government — including for Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney.
And somewhere between the school runs, the nap times, and the beautiful chaos of raising three little ones — I discovered embroidery.
It Started With a Name
It began so simply. I wanted to personalize my children’s uniforms — just their names, stitched by hand onto the ties, gym shirts and school pullovers. Nothing fancy — I just didn’t want these items to go missing!
Well, to be honest, my stitching didn’t look good LOL. And my kids were not happy about it either. But uniform items are not cheap and I was tired of my kids complaining every now and then that their ties or shirts disappeared.
And we were not the only one with this problem. In the parents’ WhatsApp group chat, it was very often that someone was asking if their kids’ items were seen anywhere. Then a business idea popped up and I started researching machine embroidery.
When I decided to go into machine embroidery, I committed fully and purchased two Melco EMT16x professional 16-needle commercial machines at once that now sit proudly in my home studio!
My two Melco EMT16x — professional 16-needle commercial embroidery machines
In just two years I went from stitching names by hand to running a professional embroidery business from home, selling custom designs and embroidered clothing on Etsy and my own online store.
My kids are now a lot happier with their customized clothes and even proudly said “My mom made this”.
Why I Started This Blog
I started The Embroidery Nook because I wished something like this had existed when I was learning.
A place where a beginner could find honest advice, free designs to practice with, and a community of people who love this craft as much as I do, especially moms that want to make something special for their kids.
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been embroidering for years, you’ll find something here for you:
- Free embroidery design downloads every month
- Honest tutorials and beginner guides
- Machine and stabilizer tips
- Behind the scenes of running a home embroidery business
- Multilingual and cultural designs — because embroidery speaks every language
Let’s Stitch Together!
I’m so glad you found The Embroidery Nook. This is just the beginning and I can’t wait to share this journey with you.
Feel free to browse my free designs, drop me a message on the Contact page, or find me on Etsy.
With love and stitches,
Tiffany
Vancouver, BC, Canada.