Let’s talk about something that still hits like a punch to the gut: why we closed Embellish.

People came in genuinely surprised and asking what happened. And I get it — it was a big shift, and it caught a lot of people off guard. So here’s the truth, the real version, the one that doesn’t fit neatly into a Facebook comment or a quick “oh, you know, hard times.”

This is why Embellish closed — and how Sewing Machine Magic became something intentional, sustainable, and actually ours.

How It Started (and How Much We Gave It)

When we bought Ella’s Drapery & Décor, we didn’t just buy a business — we walked straight into a whole new life. We worked like absolute maniacs to turn it into Embellish — a full fabric store, a bigger location, a brand we were proud of, a place where sewists could walk in and feel excited!

And for a while, it really was magic. We had incredible staff. Honestly, the kind of staff you can’t bribe the universe for. There was laughter, community, that buzz of “we’re building something good here.”

But behind the scenes? 

We were tired. Not the “oh I need a nap” kind of tired — the bone-deep, never-off-the-clock, haven’t-seen-the-outside-world-in-weeks kind of tired. Small business tired. Creative tired. “Is this sustainable?” tired.

Still, things looked hopeful. We were growing, slowly but surely. We kept going.

Then the World Changed

And I don’t need to explain how the world shifted — you were there.

Everything became harder. Costs went up. Shopping habits changed. Suppliers changed. Expectations changed. The emotional load changed. And no matter how much harder we worked, it felt like we were running through wet cement.

We found ourselves facing the ugly reality no small business owner ever wants to admit out loud: We were burnt out, financially overextended, and emotionally running on fumes.

It was devastating to even think about downsizing or closing, let alone saying the words out loud. Embellish wasn’t just a shop — it was a community, a dream we built stitch by stitch, and a place people loved.

But we had to ask the hardest question of all:

What’s actually sustainable for our lives, our health, and our future?

And the answer wasn’t Embellish — at least not in the form it had become.

The One Thing We Knew for Sure

Even in the middle of all that heartbreak, we were confident that Ted was going to keep repairing sewing machines.

There are fewer and fewer people doing this work, and it’s desperately needed. Also Ted is great at it! He has this calm, deliberate patience that machines respond to and he seems to enjoy figuring out those little machine troubles.

We thought maybe it would just be repairs. Something small. Something manageable.

But then the universe handed us a tiny sliver of grace: a space just big enough for repairs and a little more.

Not a full fabric store.
Not the giant responsibility Embellish had become.
Just… the parts of it we hope we can manage rather than instilling panic.

Rebuilding Something Smaller, Smarter, and More Us

That’s how Sewing Machine Magic came to life — not as a replacement for Embellish, but as a deliberate, intentional rebuild.

We kept:

• sewing machines
• thread
• notions
• buttons (because obviously)
• zippers
• interfacing
• and yes, the full LDH lineup, because good scissors are a non-negotiable

We even brought in a rainbow wall of solids — not a ton, but just enough for when someone runs short or just needs something.

Suddenly, the shop felt different. Lighter. Absolutely tiny compared to Embellish, but in the best way. Manageable. Human. Fun again.

And because we’re us, it’s full of dice, dragons, potions, and weird little treasures that make people smile when they walk in. It’s silly and magical and cozy and a little chaotic — basically a reflection of both our brains on a good day.

People walk in and go, “Oh my god, this place is so cute.”
And every single time I hear that, I think, yeah… it feels right.

Why I’m Telling You This

Because closing Embellish wasn’t a business strategy.
It was a heartbreak.
A collapse.
And then a rebuilding.

People deserve to know that we didn’t give up — we repositioned, we recalibrated, and we chose something survivable instead of something that was slowly breaking us.

And I want you to root for us not because we’re a business, but because we’re two humans who wanted to keep our little community without losing ourselves in the process.

Sewing Machine Magic is the little shop that rose from the wreckage — on purpose, with boundaries, with joy, and with a lot more personality.

We may not be the big fabric store anymore, but we’re the magical little button-and-thread haven with the dragons on the vents and PFAFF machines that behave.

And honestly? I think that’s pretty damn special.

If you lived through the Embellish days with us — thank you. Truly.
If you’re new here, welcome to the tiny magical sewing shop we built.

Got questions about the transition? Want to know more about what we offer now?
Drop them in the comments, send us a message, or come visit the shop. We’re always happy to talk sewing, machines, tools, or just life.