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A P P A R E L D E C O R A T I N G S T I T C H S O L U T I O N S | J E N N I F E R C O X 8 2 G R A P H I C S P R O S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M Shop Profile: Margaret Swauger of Creative Impressions Embroidery HOME IS WHERE THE BUSINESS IS M argaret Swauger is the owner of Creative Impressions Embroidery, a home-based sewing and embroi- dery business that she's operated in north- east Ohio since 2005. She has a couple tra- ditional sewing machines, a couple single- head embroidery machines, a Serger, and a hooping station in her basement. Like the majority of the people in the embroidery industry, Swauger came into the business from the side. She explains, "I've sewn all of my life. I bought another sewing machine at the local sewing store in 1989, and it could do embroidery. Just lettering, and it was only 9 millimeters high. It was so tiny! When I saw the big- ger multi-needle machine at the home and garden show, I said that's what I want to do." "I CAN DO THAT." "For years and years, a friend and I wanted to go into business and have a yarn shop," says Swauger. "She and I both did a lot of knitting and crochet." Once Swauger saw the possibilities with the embroidery machine, she went to the bank to see about how to start a business. "The man at the bank said, 'When you fail, what will the bank do with all the yarn?'" She left the bank empty-handed, but undeterred. Her first order came from some guys on her husband's bowling team — they owned a local pizza shop. Swauger chuckles as she tells the story. "Don (my husband) went out there and told them what I did, I didn't. They said they needed some stuff. I think it was close to a $200 order: sweatshirts, T-shirts, and visors." From there blossomed a rewarding ad- venture. Swauger enjoys figuring out how to do unusual things. She also is more than willing and able to bring her consid- erable sewing experience into play to help a customer. "When I was singing with the Sweet Adelines, they asked me to make a pitch pipe pocket. I said, 'Yes, I think I can do that.' Then my friend looked at me and said, 'You're already designing it, aren't you?' as we were standing there. And I was!" The process of product development is very visual for Swauger. She sees something in her mind before she begins to create it, no matter what it is. She values her imagi- nation as one of her most essential skills in her business. She mentions that one of the pitch pipe pocket customers said her pock- et was the best one she'd ever used. Swauger Margaret Swauger likes to present a variety of products and ideas when she participates in the local events, such as embroidered greeting cards. (All images courtesy Margaret Swauger) Swauger has a large pile of denim jeans that she uses to make all sorts of products to sell, including rugs, placemats, purses, and even uses the pockets and waistbands sometimes. ger multi-needle machine at the I said some stuff. I think it was close