Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to travel to New York and film a course with Domestika. It was an amazing experience!
This started late last year when a Domestika representative reached out about my stained glass embroidery. They asked if I’d be interested in creating a course on something similar.
Obviously I said ‘YES!’
Domestika is a leader in DIY virtual courses. And since I love teaching and sharing my skills, it seemed like an excellent fit. So much so that I had planned to reach out to Domestika in the new year.
After committing and signing my contract, I worked with another Domestika team member to flesh out the idea for my course, share more about my process, and plan out the general lessons. This felt very similar to how I create and plan a workshop or create a kit.
Once that content was approved, I designed the piece for my course. I sketched out a couple design options then chose one to stitch. I stitched the course sample, multiple color ways for that sample, and process steps for the final design. It was a lot of thread, a lot of true crime watching, and a lot of stitching.
As the date for my course filming drew nearer, I worked with my course producer and team to send inspiration for the set design, select wardrobe options, shop for supplies, and find pieces to share about what inspired my work.
With everything in place, I eagerly awaited my flight to The Big Apple.
Before going a few people asked if I was nervous and I told them ‘No’ but also wondered if I should be? Yes, I’d never filmed a course before, but wasn’t this similar to teaching? I’ve taught more than 100 in-person and virtual workshops.
Packing was tricky! It was hard to fit all my items into a carry on. But somehow I did it, without smushing any of my embroideries.
Bag in hand, I arrived in New York… to find it snowing! I wasn’t prepared for the cold at all. After a long ride from the airport to my hotel, I checked in and went in search of pizza. My husband, who’d been to NYC before on business, recommended a delicious pizza place, NY Pizza Suprema. And it was amazing! (Chef’s kiss!) after my hunt for pizza was complete and my tummy full, I walked back to hotel to rest up for my first day with Domestika.
Getting to sleep was hard. I wasn’t nervous about filming, more about the time difference and daylight saving having just happened.
That morning I woke up early and went out in search of the quintessential New York bagel with schemer. Thankfully, Ess-a-bagel was nearby and it didn’t disappoint!
From there I walked over to the Domestika offices and we went to work. The first day we filmed my course. I shared how to create different stitches, and talked about my inspirations. It was a full day of work and fun!When 5:30pm rolled around, I was surprised it was so late already!
Once we wrapped I practically ran over to Mood Fabrics to get there before they closed. I accidentally walked into the Mood Home Fabric store and was initially confused and disappointed. Once I realized Mood Fabrics was actually an elevator ride to the 3rd floor, I was ecstatic, and very overwhelmed me! So much so, I didn’t buy anything. Afterwards, I continued my on foot exploration. I walked down to Times Square and then had more pizza, a white pizza slice.
The next day was much of the same. A bagel and schemer for breakfast; filming, photos, and a set change during the day, then an afternoon of exploration. We wrapped a little earlier on the second day, so I walked over to Central Park. I couldn’t resist a carriage ride around the park. And I’m so glad I did, because I didn’t realize just how big Central Park is! Afterwards, I fast walked over to the Ambassador Theatre to catch Chicago, then wrapped up the night with more pizza. This time I tried a white pizza with hot honey.
By the third day, a bagel and schemer was my regular for breakfast. How could I resist such amazing bagels and cream cheese? This time I ate and walked around the flower district before heading over to Domestika. On Wednesday we filmed the trailer content, which was quite a bit of script reading. I was worried I’d flub this part up, but it went surprisingly well! So much so that by day 3, we were done!
I took advantage of the afternoon by walking down to the Whitney Museum, visiting the Little Island, the Chelsea Market, and Milk Bar, before heading back to my hotel to rest my feet. By then, they were exhausted and it wasn’t even 6pm yet!
After a short rest, I decided I should probably eat something besides pizza, and wandered over to Teatrotto Tricolor. It didn’t disappoint! I had handmade pasta with chicken and sausage in a red sauce. From there I wandered around Times Square and found out Aladdin was playing. On a whim I decided to see if I could get a ticket, with 30mins before the show started. This was another amazingly good deal. I’m so glad I did it. The show was vibrant, full of movement, the costumes were amazing, the genie magical, and all the cast so good! I was smiling, laughing, and dancing in my seat from the get-go.
Luckily, I still had a half day in New York on Thursday, so I treated myself to one more bagel and another trip to Mood Fabrics. Going in the morning was a much better decision. The shop was slower and felt less overwhelming. I even found some fun fabrics to try for future embroidery projects. After that, it was off to the airport and a flight home.
It was such a whirlwind and an amazing experience! I can’t wait to share more about my upcoming course!
