How Pfotenglück Uses emborado in Daily Business, at Markets and in an Online Shop

Who is writing this?

First of all, I would like to briefly introduce myself.

My name is Maike, I am 52 years old, work full-time and am a proud cat mom to three cats.
I started embroidery in May 2022. My collection quickly grew to more than 250 designs. Today, I own around 500 embroidery files.

Since I work full-time and care for my cats, my time for embroidery is limited. That is exactly why an efficient way to organize embroidery files is so important to me.

I embroider almost everything that fits into my machine. Clothing, towels, vaccination record covers and many other items. Sometimes decorative, sometimes practical, sometimes gifts and sometimes just for myself.

Since December 2022, I have been running a small online shop, and since 2023 I regularly sell at craft markets and local artisan fairs. I live in Freren in the Emsland region of Germany after spending many years in Münsterland.

For me, embroidery is more than simply stitching a design onto fabric. It is one of the most beautiful ways to personalize items, especially when working with personal photo motifs.

How I used to work. A lot of searching, little overview.

Before using emborado, I spent a significant amount of time searching for files. Without a structured embroidery file management system, finding specific designs often felt like pure luck.

Different motifs were stored in different folders because they could be used for multiple purposes. I rarely remembered the exact file name, but I usually remembered what the design looked like.

To check how many stitches a design had, I had to open each worksheet individually. Notes were stored separately. I also had to search through USB sticks because I organized them by theme as well.

All of this cost valuable time. Time that I simply do not have much of.

How I work today with emborado

Anyone who needs to manage a large number of embroidery files quickly realizes that traditional folder structures are not enough. Especially in a handmade business, proper embroidery file organization is essential.

Today, I spend far less time searching because everything is stored in one central place.

Even if I do not remember the exact file name, I can quickly find my design using filters or search terms.

Less time searching means more time embroidering.

Markets without emborado. Slow and inefficient.

In the past, conversations at markets often went like this:

Customer: “Do you have any other designs?”
Me: “I have around 500 designs. What kind of motif are you looking for?”
Customer: “Maybe an owl.”
Me: “I will have to check at home.”

After the market, I had to search my computer for owl designs. Then I sent pictures to the customer. Only after they made a choice could I finally start working on the order.

That meant unnecessary delays and additional effort.

Markets with emborado. Directly at the customer.

Today, it works very differently.

Customer: “Do you have other designs?”
Me: “If you have a moment, I can show you right away.”

I take out my tablet, log into emborado and type “anchor” into the search bar. Immediately, all matching embroidery designs appear.

The customer can choose their favorite design on the spot. I write the order into my order book and complete it comfortably the next day.

Less searching means being closer to my customers.

Technical failure and still able to work

Recently, my operating system crashed right in the middle of preparing for a market.

Without emborado, I would have been unable to work. I had external backups, but how could I quickly transfer individual embroidery files to my machine?

With emborado, it was not a problem at all.

I simply downloaded the necessary files onto my tablet and transferred them to a USB stick with a dual connector. I was able to continue working normally.

A technical issue no longer automatically means being unable to work.
In this case, emborado was the solution.

My pricing calculation. From paper chaos to structured workflow.

In the past, I calculated prices directly next to my embroidery machine.

I wrote down the stitch count on paper and started calculating while the next design was running. That often resulted in note chaos. If I forgot something, I had to return to my workspace.

Today, I store relevant information directly in the notes of each embroidery file. I can later complete my pricing calculation comfortably from my living room.

This even gives me more time for my cats.

Final thoughts

Especially in a handmade business with custom orders, personalized products and changing customer requests, reliable embroidery file management is crucial.

For me, emborado has not only created order but also:

• Saved time
• Enabled more efficient workflows
• Reduced mistakes when processing orders
• Minimized follow-up questions from customers
• Improved overall organization

For me, this means more structure, more peace of mind and more joy in both my hobby and my small business.

👉 Would you like to organize your embroidery files centrally and have them available at markets as well?
Try emborado for free at app.emborado.de.