• My Account
  • Lost Password
  • About
  • Wholesale
  • Store Locator
  • Classes
  • Events
  • OOPSIE

Hands On Design

Needlework and Cross Stitch Designs by Cathy Habermann

  • Shop
  • Tutorials
  • Floss Tube
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • 0 items$0.00

A Big Day at Our House

April 4, 2016 By Cathy Habermann Leave a Comment

There are 2 ‘anniversaries’ of sorts today at Haber-house!

First, my youngest (my baby), turns 21!

Bill & I spent time looking back at old photographs yesterday, so you can imagine a lot of laughs at good memories & of course Kleenex too. A new item on the ‘to-do’ list…scan all of those old photos into the computer! (Imagine, taking baby pictures before I-phones!!)

There has been a lot of ‘where did the time go’ kind of talk between Bill & I lately. Some of it is sad & bittersweet, but I choose to focus on the ‘what’s to come’ part of it all. We are so excited as soon Chris will start his senior year of college & then lookout world! We are so very proud of him, but also hold much respect for the child that has grown up: he is smart, loyal, strong (& perhaps a little stubborn & sarcastic…but I’m not sure where he got that!)

Blog 3 1

Blog 3 2

Blog 3 3

Blog 3 4

 

What about Anniversary #2?

Well, on Chris’ 3rd birthday (I don’t remember why we did it that way…), I opened Hands On Needleshoppe & began my career in the needlework industry!

I often find it hard to tell people what I do for a living (a needlework shop..what’s that?, you finish needlework?? you design cross-stitch?? my grandma does that!)…but the reality is, 18 years & I’m still here!

The brief bio:
– Hands On started in the lower level of my home – retail space was at a premium ($$$) – I stayed there for 3 years, building, learning, growing. We moved to a teeny tiny 450sq location & stayed less than a year! Moved to 2400sq ft and stayed almost 6 years. Cross-stitch, yarn, classes, retreats, gifts…we had it all, but time with family was tight & necessary.

– the year after I closed the shop, I did finishing full time for various shops & customers. While I loved the flexibility, I missed contact with stitchers & teaching! Enter: CherryWood Design Studios, where I hung my design hat for 5 years and learned a whole different side of the industry. 3+ years now on my own as Hands On Design & I still feel like I learn & grow with each design!

My husband’s favorite thing to tell me during some of the early growth years: ‘it’s all a process’! Man, I really disliked that saying, but 18 years later, I know what he said was the truth…

Blog 3 5

Releases from this year’s Nashville Needlework market.
I’ll talk more about them soon…but today we have much to celebrate!
Enjoy the stitch,
Cathy

 

Filed Under: Featured, Uncategorized

Like this Post? Subscribe to My Newsletter!

28 years …
There & Back Again!

Comments

  1. Rita says

    April 4, 2016 at 11:26 am

    Happy birthday to your "baby". (My baby turns 21 tomorrow.)

    Congratulations on your evolving business too. I love your designs!

    Reply
  2. Robin in Virginia says

    April 4, 2016 at 11:58 am

    Happy birthday greetings to your youngest son! Congratulations and best wishes to you on your business! Enjoy your celebrations today!

    Reply
  3. Vonna, The Twisted Stitcher says

    April 4, 2016 at 2:50 pm

    Happy Birthday to your baby 🙂
    And congratulations on your "process" because I think you've got a winning formula! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Cathy Habermann says

    April 4, 2016 at 3:14 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  5. Cathy Habermann says

    April 4, 2016 at 3:15 pm

    Thanks Rita! Enjoy the day with your baby tomorrow!

    Reply
  6. Cathy Habermann says

    April 4, 2016 at 3:15 pm

    Thanks Robin! I always enjoy hearing from you!

    Reply
  7. Vickie says

    April 4, 2016 at 3:18 pm

    Happy Birthday to your son. Our oldest is 21.
    I am currently stitching up all of your Year of Celebrations series. You rock!!

    Reply
  8. Stasi says

    April 4, 2016 at 4:44 pm

    Congrats on the birthday and anniversary celebrations!!! It seems that old saying applies "you've come a long way baby"! Continued success- I love your designs and just finished your Year in Chalk series for my oldest daughter's birthday.

    Reply
  9. Marilyn says

    April 4, 2016 at 5:23 pm

    Happy Anniversary/Birthday on both counts.
    I think this calls for a party!!!
    Love your designs.
    Congrats on your success.
    Marilyn

    Reply
  10. Cathy Habermann says

    April 4, 2016 at 5:40 pm

    Thanks Vonna, I always love hearing about the goings on in the Pfeiffer household!

    Reply
  11. Cathy Habermann says

    April 4, 2016 at 5:41 pm

    Aww, thanks! I love that series (they're all like my children!!)

    Reply
  12. Cathy Habermann says

    April 4, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    Thanks Stasi!

    Reply
  13. Cathy Habermann says

    April 4, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    Thanks Marilyn!

    Reply
  14. santadeb says

    April 5, 2016 at 7:39 am

    What a wonderful celebration day, I know you are proud of both "accomplishments" and hope you celebrated loud and long! As a stitcher I so appreciate that you stuck it out and hung in there, I know you must feel wonderful to be enjoying such great success…you deserve it!

    Reply
  15. Dede says

    April 5, 2016 at 9:56 am

    What a wonderful day to celebrate! Hope it is filled with lots of laughs and memories!

    Reply
  16. Veronica says

    April 5, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    Happy Anniversary! I love your to the beach & chart series.
    Congrats on all your accomplishments. Sounds like alot of fun. Have a wonderful day.

    Reply
  17. Veronica says

    April 5, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    Happy Anniversary! I love your to the beach & chart series.
    Congrats on all your accomplishments. Sounds like alot of fun. Have a wonderful day.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Shop By Category

Newsletter Subscription

Search

New in the Shop

  • I'M NEW HERE! I'M NEW HERE! $12.00
  • THIS BEE'S GOT KNEES THIS BEE'S GOT KNEES $14.00
  • GOOSE ON THE LOOSE GOOSE ON THE LOOSE $12.00
  • SPRING ROLL SPRING ROLL $12.00

Hands On Design Instagoodness …

hands.on.design

color, design, finish - #stitchsomehappy

It is in the shelter of each other that people liv It is in the shelter of each other that people live. 

‘17th’ - this Block Party series design is still available through your local or online shop as well as my website (the only place for PDF’s). 

Stitch as the block pincushion or just the side panel for a stunning piece to display. 

From the Hands On Design studio - original ideas start to finish, 100% human made. 

#handsondesign #blockparty #17th #shelterofeachother #stitchsomehappy
Just when I thought my batting average was doing p Just when I thought my batting average was doing pretty well...

Night Light NOTE: Cocoa & Grasshopper have identical symbols in the chart. 

The colors (brown & green) are used in distinctly separate areas of the chart & are easily discernible.

My sincere apologies for the charting mishap. 

Buttercup IS mentioned 2x in the color key intentionally. 

#handsondesign #nightlight  #firefly #stitchabug #stitchsomehappy
I enjoyed a little coffee talk with my Ornament Cl I enjoyed a little coffee talk with my Ornament Club Tier 2 Patreon members this morning - a chat about what else goes on at Nashville Needlework Market. 

Grab some stitching and enjoy the video🪡❤️

From the Hands On Design studio - original ideas start to finish, 100% human made. 

#handsondesign #happytobehome #ornamentclub #ornamentate #stitchsomehappy
Final Day of the Nashville Market Road Trip Home: Final Day of the Nashville Market Road Trip Home:

1. Read a book (I am ALL talked out🤣)
2. Keep an eye out on my weather app - we have never not had strange weather experiences on this drive home
3. Smile Bill
4. No, really smile Bill
5. Still working on those road trip snacks 
6. Worked a little on an upcoming design/class. I played with the color swatches before market, just making final decisions 👍🏻 

From the Hands On Design studio - start to finish, 100% human made. 

#handsondesign #nashvilleneedleworkmarket #roadtrip #alwaysbringabook #stitchsomehappy
As Bill & I finally hit the road for home, I thoug As Bill & I finally hit the road for home, I thought that I would share a peek around our room at Nashville Needlework Market ❤️

Thank you to the shops that came & continue to support my design work as well as the fabric & thread dyers (& those that cut amazing shapes from wood 😉) that I am fortunate to work alongside. 

A big thank you to Yarn Tree for once again hosting Market!

From the Hands On Design studio - start to finish, 100% human made. 

#handsondesign #originalart #xstitch #stitchsomehappy
I can’t believe that I finally get to share this s I can’t believe that I finally get to share this special project❤️ - the mystery market release is revealed!

‘I’m New Here’ - not just a baby sampler, we’re calling it a Baby Story - a sweet saying that I was inspired to write not long after we found out that we were going to be grandparents! 

The small ornament is perfect for the newly born- I’ve included alternative skin tone palettes for those tiny tootsies as well as an alphabet and numbers for personalization. 

Many thanks to @chantelles141 for working behind the scenes with me to create the Baby on Board finishing boards. The DMC palette is also easy to customize. 

We did not share any of the design details before market and asked shops to ‘do their thing’ - a great many came home with charts for you!! We thank them for their support!

From the Hands On Design studio - start to finish, 100% human made. 

#handsondesign #imnewhere #babyonboard👶 #stitchsomehappy
Follow on Instagram

Helpful Links

  • My Account
  • Lost Password
  • About
  • Wholesale
  • Store Locator
  • Classes
  • Events
  • OOPSIE

FOLLOW US ON:

Facebook-Logo_For-Website Instagram-Logo_For-Website

Get My Newsletter

And be the first to know about new products, events, tutorials and more!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Copyright © 2026 · Hands On Design

A Habermann Company · cathy@handsondesign.biz