Liz Kellner came to embroidery a little later in life. “We always had a craft closet,” Liz says, as she recalls raising her two now-grown daughters. “They loved having projects to work on and there was always something partially completed in the closet.” But it wasn’t until her son-in-law invited her to a machine shop open house to see the next generation of embroidery machines that her hobby turned into a business.

“He told me, ‘this will change your life,’ ” Liz remembers, laughing. “So I started out with an entry-level machine—a combo embroidery/sewing machine.” A few classes and a lot of YouTube tutorial videos later, Threads and More by Liz came to life. Now, the Benson artisan is preparing her newest batch of embroidered pillows and towels.

Reading Pillows are one of her most popular items. Each pillow is 18"x18" and constructed from cotton fabric, with a handle on top and a roomy pocket in front. “Children love the reading pillows,” Liz says. “They can slide their books or treasures in the front pocket and settle down when they’re ready for naptime to read and relax.” An embroidered picture and quote adorn the front of each pillow.

Liz will also bring embroidered towels to the Starbuck Vintage & Artisan Market. She’ll have kitchen, tea, and “peeker” towels—a hooded child’s bath towel. Threads and More by Liz can be found on Facebook, with products in stock in Starbuck’s There's No Place Like Home, Merchants on Main Street in Sauk Center, and Beloved Makers and Company in Hudson, WI.