Sarah K. Benning started stitching as a hobby, while she nannied. This hobby soon grew into a studio practice and then business. “At first, I was making hand-stitched greeting cards for friends and family,” she recalled in an interview with Bluprint. “They encouraged me to get more serious and sell my work, so in 2013 I opened an Etsy shop to sell the cards. Then I began experimenting with the hoop pieces — I sold a lot of them, but they were really time-intensive to make.”
Being a one-woman show, her work indeed takes much time and effort, with each of her pieces carefully hand-stitched, packaged, and shipped by her. Splitting her time between creating one of a kind originals and teaching creative workshops, her work takes her out on the road quite often.
Based in New Hampshire, she has developed over the years a very distinct embroidery style and aesthetic. Her approach to stitch is fairly unruly, often abandoning traditional stitches and techniques in favor of bold shapes, playful patterns, and contemporary subject matter.
The result is more often than not – playful and uplifting. Something to add to your home, perhaps.
