Finding My Purpose Through Creativity and Connection

Hi there,

My name is Irene Thompson, and I’m the owner of The Stitchful Studio. People often ask me how I found my way into the world of embroidery at 53 — well, let me take you back to the beginning.

I became a single mom at 18, and like most young moms, I went into survival mode. My son, Tylor, became my whole world. For the next 18 years, I stood behind a barber chair, determined to provide for him.

I’ll be honest — I cried all the way through barber school. I hated being in people’s personal space, probably because I guarded my own so closely. But I stuck with it because it gave me two things I desperately needed: cash to put food on our table and flexible hours so I could always be there when Tylor needed me.

When Tylor graduated and left for the Marine Corps, I knew I had to find something else to keep my mind busy — something to keep me from constantly worrying about him. So I moved back home to Crescent City, California, and bought a barbershop. Between managing the shop and sending Tylor a care package every week while he was deployed, I stayed busy — and to be honest, those packages probably helped me just as much as they helped him.

During his second deployment, God brought an incredible man into my life — the man I would one day marry. Around that same time, I started facing some serious health challenges and was eventually diagnosed with lupus. My doctor assured me that with the right medication, remission was possible. But finding the right treatment was a battle, and the stress of running the barbershop was taking a toll on my body.

When Tylor returned home, I knew it was time to step back. He took over the shop, and I tried to focus on my health. But when Tylor received orders for another deployment, we decided to sell the shop and move to the Sacramento area. I found a job cutting hair in someone else’s barbershop — no stress of ownership, just cutting hair and going home.

That worked for a while, but my husband eventually decided to open his own barbershop. We agreed it would be his business, and I’d just work there part-time. But as I got older, standing behind the chair became harder and harder on my body.

Then one day, everything changed.

I had a seizure at the barbershop — and by the time the day was over, I had experienced about 15 of them. That’s when we knew I had to retire from the hair industry for good.

I still needed an income, but I needed something flexible — something that would allow me to rest when lupus made things hard. That’s when embroidery entered my life. My husband casually mentioned how cool it would be if I could embroider his logo on some hats — and from there, my excitement took off.

With embroidery, I still get to be creative. I still get to help people. And best of all, I still get to feel a sense of purpose.

I truly hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know a little more about me. I cherish the special relationships I build with each of you — whether I’m creating something meaningful for your loved ones or working with you to make a design that’s personal and unique.

If you’d like to know more about my journey or just want to say hello, I’d love to hear from you. My heart is always open, and if sharing my experiences can encourage someone else, I’m happy to do so.

XOXO,

Irene