The Origins of the word "Drift"

At its core, Drift Stitch Supply is a blend of the two worlds where I spend most of my time: on a river fly fishing and in the desert as a Crew Chief for an off-road race team. In our realm of racing, the fiberglass panels on the cars crack and break constantly. To keep things from falling apart, we take a drill and some zip ties and "stitch" the pieces back together. A technique we call a "drift stitch." In Fly Fishing, the word takes on a different meaning. A "dead drift" is when you let a fly float naturally with the current without any tension or "drag" that would tell a fish the bug isn't real.

The Beginning

My path into embroidery followed a similar evolution. I started sewing on entry-level machines before moving into industrial equipment, where I realized I loved the mechanical side much more. To me, it’s like the difference between working on a modern sports car versus an old pickup truck; the older machines are simplified, easier to maintain, and built to last. I eventually started tearing down and rebuilding vintage machines just for the fun of it, finding a great outlet in that side of the craft.

Chainstitching

That love for the mechanical is what ultimately led me to chainstitching. I briefly tried the automated route, but I hated the lack of control. I didn’t want to just hit "start" on a computer; I wanted to be the one controlling every stitch. Unlike digital embroidery, a vintage chainstitch machine is entirely manual. You steer the needle with a hand crank tucked under the table, meaning every curve and loop is directed by hand.

While technology has moved toward automation, I’m focused on keeping this manual process alive. There is a texture and uniqueness to chainstitching that a computer just can't recreate. Ultimately, Drift Stitch Supply is the result of the hands-on and creative parts that make up me.