About

I'm Clare the owner and designer of Oz Needle and Thread. I was born and raised in Australia before moving to the United States for university and living in LA, NY, DC and now Chicago with my husband and two small children. I previously worked in international education but I have been an avid stitcher and embroiderer since I was 10 years old.

My design background is mostly in fashion and I try to stick to vintage or self-made clothing whenever I can. I love designing needlepoint canvases and routinely wake up with canvas ideas that now run to the several hundred.

My influences are all over the map with everything from William Morris to Pop Art, Colefax and Fowler to David Hicks, Balenciaga to McQueen and Slim Aarons to Cindy Sherman.

I care deeply about sustainable, accessible and equitable business practices. My packaging is almost completely recycled, and I am working to make sure my social media and website are accessible with alt text and closed captioning. My ultimate goal with equity is two-fold: to make sure any products I use to make my canvases are from a fairly paid workforce, and to promote and include diverse voices in my work.

My business was named Oz as a nod to my home country, but also to celebrate the magic and fun of the Wizard of Oz and the hope that I will make lots more friends in this community.

Clare