“Embroidery has come so far from grandma’s old fashion stitches. Gone are the days of everything looking similar and using the same patterns that everyone else is using,” said Rebecca Tresler of Sparklinbecks. “Now it is breaking out into a whole new world of possibilities and really modernizing stitches. I love when people see embroidery and realize the beauty in it and appreciate the work that goes into it. All artists have their own take and it’s been a joy to see my niche start to develop.”
Based in Gilbert, Arizona, Tresler is an embroidery artist and sells hand stitched homewares and accessories, like tea towels, necklaces and wood hooped home décor, through her Etsy shop, Sparklinbecks. “Currently, my soft kitchen towels are my favorite…or maybe the necklaces I started with…it’s so hard to choose and I always want to keep everything,” Tresler laughed. It was Tresler’s signature floral and succulent designs immediately drew me to the small shop. “I am starting to appreciate nature more and how flowers develop and grow. I go hiking in the desert and see the cactus blooming and realize how my stitching makes that beauty last a little longer in my mind,” she shared. “My husband brings flowers and I look at them with newfound interest on how to draw a new type.” Beyond the flowers, Sparklinbecks’ snarky “Not Today, Satan” and “It’s Too Peopley Outside” needlework designs are also crowd pleasers. “I love sarcasm and words and quotes and I love when friends share ideas and memes.”
As you might imagine, embroidery is a detailed form of art. “My designs start with sketching with pencil and paper and turning them into digital pieces. I have recently begun sketching digitally and am really love it,” Tresler explained. “When I sit down to design, I just kind of go with one flower type or cactus and build on top of it until I get the entire look I am going for. Colors are usually trial and error as I am stitching. Once I get the sketch to my liking and traced onto my cloth, it can take anywhere from 2-12 hours on a design piece, depending on the intricacy.” Her favorite part of the process is seeing her design translated through the stitches. “I love to see 2D turn into textures and colors. I only use DMC threads and the quality of the threads really makes a statement on the fabric. The sheen and vibrant colors make you want to reach out and touch each stitch. It feels like it just comes to life when you see it from start to finish.”
Tresler discovered an enthusiasm for embroidery nearly a decade ago as a craft blogger. “I had two kids at the time, so I couldn’t get my hands on enough crafts. I put it to the side though and developed my sewing skills and began homeschooling my kids,” she recalled. “I had two more kids and needed to stay in shape for mental and physical health. During a run last spring, I fell and broke my dominant hand. It took five months to get back to some normalcy and stitching helped me feel like I was using my hand again along with physical therapy. I also read it helped with anxiety which I was also needing an outlet for. Turns out it was true!” Through Sparklinbecks, Tresler also found a way to share her skills with aspiring artists. “I got into this little business wanting to teach others the love of embroidery, so I do have a lot of original patterns for sale to teach others how to begin.”
Feeling stitchy? Check out all of the embroidered goodness in the Sparklinbecks Etsy shop or “hoop” on over to Tresler’s Instagram account here.
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