Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1362655
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 PRODUCTHIGHLIGHTS Welcome to the PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS section where each month we offer you resources to enrich and ex- pand your busi- ness with great services and products from our advertisers. 8 4 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 "My friend will just love this!" She came back later and said that she didn't send it to her friend and in- stead kept it on her dresser because it was so pretty. "Hearing those kinds of things makes you feel really good about what you do," she says. Because of her extensive sewing expertise, Swauger makes many of the things she embroiders from scratch. She has a large pile of denim jeans that she uses to make all sorts of products to sell. She turns the denim into rugs, placemats, purses, and even uses the pockets and waist- bands at times. If you have ever been to Kent, Ohio, home of Kent State Univer- sity, you may have been to Ray's Place, a well-known local bar and restaurant. The owner of Ray's picked up Swauger's business card at some point. When he placed his first order, he said that he'd carried that card in his wallet for about six months before calling. If you go to Ray's Place and see polo shirts with "Ray's Place, Kent, Ohio," Swauger did them, as she's provided those shirts for the past five to six years for both locations. One of her more unusual jobs was for a local landscaping company owned by a young man. He wanted the name of his company to be put on the seat of his work pants. But when you think about it, it makes sense. What part of a landscaper do you see when they are working? They are often head and hands down, working in the dirt, and bottoms up! A BIT OF ADVICE When asked what some things are you wish you knew then that you know now, Swauger replies, "I should have done more research about the multi-needle machines before I bought one. They have dif- ferent size sewing fields and unique features. Make sure you get what you feel comfortable with, not just what's available." She encourages everyone to explore all their options, and to not settle on the first machine that you see. Swauger also wants to share another piece of advice: "In- vest in a hooping tool. I saw one being demonstrated at one of the early National Network of Embroidery Professionals (NNEP) shows. I called my husband and said, 'Can I spend $600?' I brought it home and I told him as soon as I hooped the first shirt that it was worth ev- ery penny because the design was straight on the shirt!" Her next bit of advice re- ally struck a cord with me, as it is one of the main reasons continued on page 94 From local projects to creating custom items, Swauger finds joy in customer satisfaction.