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My Anita Goodesign Story: Close to my heart.
Grab a coffee or tea, I am going to tell you a story. This is my Anita Goodesign story, and I am going to explain to you why Anita Goodesign is close to my heart.
My embroidery journey started around 15 years ago, when my kids were little and I was a stay at home mom. This is when I started loving embroidery and learning how to digitize. Within a year, I had formed my own embroidery business and was working very hard, with long hours no days off. Well, I still do that now, working on the business embroidery and then making videos on my “free” time. I am not complaining, I love to work hard and accomplish even the impossible tasks. Around this time, Anita Goodesign started and became (and still is) one of the biggest embroidery companies around. Oh, how I drooled over the designs – so pretty, lots of bright colors and gorgeous fabric. I purchased a few designs, but I never got around to stitching any of them. I moved these designs from computer to computer, backing them up on drives thus saving them for “someday” when I could stitch them out and hang them on my wall.
Fast forward a few years when Anita Goodesign started their website and had all of their design packs on display. Wow. I was thrilled that I could at least see the designs – have you seen the roses designs where they decorated jeans? Yeah, that one got my attention. I loved it. I kept going back to the website to peruse and be inspired and dream of the day when I could actually stitch these designs and be creative, true to my “out of the box” embroidery style. I wish I could be that lucky to be able to get and use the Diamond club designs and those amazing books. I was happily dreaming and being inspired by everything on the website.
Fast forward a few more years, and I finally got the time to do some Anita Goodesign stitching. Luck had nothing to do with it. It was a heart attack. Yep, I was 48 years old and had a heart attack. Not cool, universe. Not cool.
So, what the heck does a heart attack have to do with embroidery? I had to slow down, but I also had to get up and do things. I wanted to do things that made me happy, things that I have always wanted to do and just never took the time to do. This is how Anita Goodesign helped me on the long, long path of healing. I purchased a Halloween Quilt design that I had my eye on for a long time and started working.
Don went out and bought me the exact fabric I wanted and helped me pick out the thread. He also threaded the machine, hooped and helped me stand up. But, I was up, I was happy and I was finally STITCHING ANITA GOODESIGN. The first block probably took me 2 weeks to complete. I could only do a little bit each day before I was too tired to continue. Every day got a bit better, and every day I did more. And more. I loved the design and how each block looked when I finished stitching. I powered on, stitched more. Kept working hard at moving and keeping busy. It was awesome. I felt lucky, happy and calm, because I had waited for 10 years to stitch this design. And I was doing a great job. A dream come true!
I told Don, my wonderful husband, that I had been coveting the All Access books for years – I loved the idea of the books full of gorgeous embroidery designs, silk fabrics, beautiful Floriani threads and so much more. Don insisted that I get a year’s worth of all access, plus all of the gifts you get. Yep, the time of my life picking out all of the designs that I had dreamed of for so many years. Another dream came true.
Fast forward one more time to last week. Last week we traveled from Canada to Charlotte, NC to go to the Anita Goodesign sale and see their offices. Like, see inside their offices – see the work in progress, the machines, the workflow. All of it. The embroidery nerd that I am had so many questions. What software do you use? What software does Stephen Wilson use? How do you do this? How do you do that? These were all questions that I had wondered about for years. Yeah, I am a nerd.
How does it feel to have your dreams come true? Overwhelming. Really, Really overwhelming, but absolutely awesome. I don’t think Taylor or Lane or anyone else had any idea how much that trip meant to me or how my brain was screaming like a little kid in a candy store the whole time. I boldly walked in there with my Zelda Shield backpack, exhausted and at the same time so excited, and asked Taylor all of my nerdy questions. The coolest part? He answered them all. So. Freaking. Cool.
Every month that I get the All Access Books I am thankful and very happy. When I do the videos looking through the books, my happiness, excitement and enthusiasm is real and is from the heart. It’s a big book of ideas, colors, creativity and embroidery designs. It makes me happy.
That is my Anita Goodesign story. The Halloween designs that I loved so much made me get up every day and accomplish my dream and recover at the same time. I struggled, but I was doing it. I worked hard on myself while taking time to breathe a bit and do things that I wanted. For all of that, I am very thankful.
So thank you to everyone at Anita Goodesign. Your hard work, creativity, and amazing books inspired me to get up after a heart attack and keep going. Everyone welcomed me into the offices. Y’all Let me be an embroidery nerd. You helped make my dreams come true. Even if I have some bad health days or my heart medications make me feel terrible, I can open up a book and be inspired, slow down and do what I can in the day.
This is why Anita Goodesign will always be close to my heart. Literally.
My next goal is to have 100K subscribers to the channel and get a Youtube Play button award. Big goals, I know. Help me make it happen.
Until next time
Stitch your dreams, you never know what can happen
Sue B
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23 responses to “My Anita Goodesign Story: Close to my heart.”
What a great story!!! I to love Anita Goodesign, and have many designs I haven’t stitched out yet. Watching your videos, and seeing what you do with them helps me to look outside the box and find other ideas on how to use what I already have. Thank you!!
Awesome, thank you for commenting!! I am glad you are thinking outside the box – it can be so much fun!
This is a Fabulous Story!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
I am having a horrible day at work today, Crazy Customers!! I shouldn’t complain, a Heart Attack would be much worse!!
Thank you for always giving your All!!!! Just reading the story is already changing my attitude!!!!!! I am just so thankful that I found your website, Facebook page and all the Fantastic Educational videos!!!
Can’t wait to see more from your trip!!!
PS- It’s wonderful to have Husbands that will take care of all our needs and Fabric Requests!!!!
💗💗💗💗💗
thank you Cindy! I great attitude makes a great day! Don is awesome – he is also the scariest looking dude in the fabric store, ha ha!
I really enjoyed reading your story how you were able to come back after your heart attack. I too have had problems since age 10 after being stricken with Guillen Barre Syndrone. I was totally paralyzed and after few months only my left side remained. I went on to live a full life despite handicap and found my love for sewing, quilting and embroidery. I followed my hubby throughout his 20 years of Air Force life and once we both retired really feel in love with Anita Goodesign designs. Have attended her University classes 101, 201 and this weekend doing the 501! Of course, come home with lots of new cards. Hoping to find the roses this time. Love yours so much.
It is through hard times we learn what is important and makes us feel good. After Breast Cancer a few years ago this is how I live my life. Enjoying it to the fullest I can. Hope someday we can meet! Maybe next year in Charlotte as I will be there!
Good for you! Keep moving and healing with God speed!
I am so happy to hear you are doing so well and glad you have such a great husband that
takes such good care of you.
Anita Gooddesign is one of my favorites also and I visit their website often and just drool…LOL LOL
Thank you Carol. Yes, I am doing well – a bit tired still from my big trip, but I am so happy with the experience – I don’t get out enough! I drool over the AG designs too – they are all so fantastic!
Thank you for sharing this. ♥️
I want you to know that you inspired and helped me in my new endeavor into machine embroidery even before reading the above story. I love watching you fo through the all access books. I love your tips and tricks. I had the Babylock Flourish that I bought last August, fell in love with the process and recently moved up to the brother to your McDreamy, the Destiny II. Today I got my first one on one at my local store and I am amazed at the possibilities. Thank you for giving your time and knowledge freely to those of us wanting to learn
McDreamy’s brother! ha ha, that is awesome!!
That is such an inspiring story. I am presently recovering from a pacemaker implant and can’t wait to get back to my embroidery.Thank you so much for your cool videos, etc.
It’s funny how there is something for everyone that makes us happy, makes our heart skip a beat, helps to de-stress us. For me, it is piecing and quilting. I have just recently, in the past year, dipped my toe in the embroidery field, and I am LOVING it! I have purchased multiple AGD designs because of what I see on your YouTube channel. I am hooked, and don’t know if I can stop! I am stitching out fantastic designs! I hope AGD continues to be your outlet for a healthy success.
I am glad you have found your happy place, too! and I am glad that you have dipped your toe in the embroidery field and loving it! I do too!
Thank you for telling your story I could hear the excitement in your words. Love your videos keep doing what you love to do.
Wow sue what a story of courage and determination. Lovely to hear that embroidery helped you recover from your heart attack. Love your videos and although I cant afford to purchase the anita goodesigns designs I love watching your all access videos and to see and hear your enthusiasm. Love the video you did where you adapted one of their designs. You are my eqivilant of Anita godesinq You are so inspiring and motivational to me . I am on a low budjet and things are a struggle but I watch you videos try to practise the digitising lesson on my pe designs 10 dont always get a chance to stitch out due to lack of funds for resources but I do what I can and am learning lots from you
Maybe you might get lucky and win one of the AG design collections on the youtube channel! all you have to do is like, comment with anything and share – you can make a difference!
This is a great story! So sorry for what you experienced with your health, but happy you found a silver lining!!
thank you! I always try to find a bright side in any situation!
Sue, thank you so much for sharing your story with all of us.
Congratulations, Sue, on your continuing recovery! Your story is heartwarming and inspiring to us embroidery fledglings. I really want to take the plunge into digitizing, but I am so dumb when it comes to computers. I will watch your digitizing instructional videos one of these days, however, because of your encouragement to do so. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm with us!
What an inspiring story Sue…thankful you have such a wonderful husband. You have inspired me on levels you can’t imagine. You are an inspiration to many many people including me.
I love your story. You have found your niche in the world and from your story I can tell you are a joyful spirit. Keep it up girl! oh, I love the Zelda backpack too!