FAQ

Live chainstitch embroidery gives guests something to actually take part in, not just watch. They choose a design, see it stitched onto a garment or accessory right in front of them, and leave with a personalized piece made just for them.

The stitching itself becomes part of the experience. The artist, vintage chainstitch machine, and live process naturally draw people in, giving guests something they want to stop for, photograph, film and share.

For brands, it’s a simple way to make the experience feel more personal and memorable. Guests get to see the skill behind every stitch and leave with something they genuinely want to keep and wear - not just another giveaway. That means the experience, and your brand, stays with them long after the event is over.

Yes. We can create a custom embroidery selection around your brand, campaign or event, including logos, lettering, icons and other artwork.

Before the event, we’ll work with you to confirm the designs, thread colors, placement and what we’ll be embroidering on. If you already have a logo or specific artwork in mind, we can adapt it for chainstitch and build it into the design menu. That way, you know exactly what’s being offered on the day and we can make sure everything is set up to run smoothly.

Guests can then choose from the approved designs and watch their piece being embroidered live at the event.

Absolutely. We do lots of weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, milestone celebrations, and private events across Southern California and Australia.

Live chainstitch embroidery is a fun way to give your guests something personal to do during the event and something they can actually take home and keep. They can choose a design, watch it being stitched right in front of them, and leave with a one-of-a-kind piece made on the day.

We bring the artist, vintage chainstitch machine, thread, and everything we need to stitch, and we take care of the setup and pack-down too. If you already have an idea for the designs or what you’d like embroidered, great. If not, that’s completely fine. We can help you work out what would suit the event and your guests.

If you’re thinking about having us at your wedding, birthday, anniversary or milestone celebration, get in touch and send us the date, location, rough guest count and a little bit about what you’re planning. That’s plenty to get started, and we can help you figure out the rest.

Yes. We regularly work on large corporate events, conferences, festivals, and brand activations, including events with thousands of guests.

For bigger events, we can bring multiple embroidery artists and chainstitch machines so more guests can take part and wait times stay manageable. The number of artists and machines really depends on your guest count, event hours, and how detailed the designs are.

We’ve been doing live chainstitch embroidery since 2015 and have worked with major global brands, agencies, production teams, and venues on events of all sizes. We’re used to working as part of a larger event team and can help figure out what will work best for the space, schedule and number of guests you’re expecting.

If you’re planning a large event or festival, send us the date, location, event hours and a rough guest count. That’s usually enough for us to get a good idea of what you’ll need and how many artists and machines will make sense.

It depends on the event, the designs and how many artists we have stitching on the day. As a rough guide, one embroidery station can usually complete around 120–150 personalized pieces over a full-day event, with most designs taking about 3–5 minutes each.

For events with more guests, we can bring in additional artists and chainstitch machines to keep wait times down and the experience running smoothly. We can also prep some of the work ahead of time and finish the personalization live at the event if that works better for your guest count and schedule.

Send us your estimated guest count, event hours and roughly how many pieces you’d like embroidered, and we’ll help you figure out the best setup for the day.

amR brings everything needed for the chainstitch activation, including the vintage chainstitch machine, table, thread and stitching supplies.

We also take care of setup and pack-down, so the embroidery station is ready to go when your event begins.

Live embroidery pricing depends on the length of the event, guest count, number of embroidery artists required, and whether the garments or merchandise are supplied by you or sourced through us.

Get in touch with your event details, and we’ll put together a quote based on the setup you need.

Our chainstitch activation setup usually needs around 3x3m (or 10x10 ft), on a flat surface with some protection from the weather.

We’ll also need access to a standard power outlet. If the event is outdoors, remote, or the venue has limited power, we can usually work around it with alternative options.

Before the event, we’re happy to coordinate directly with your venue or production team to confirm the setup, access, power, and timing. If space is tight or the setup is a little different, just let us know and we’ll find the best way to make it work.

amR was founded in Los Angeles, and our studio is now based in Venice, near Marina del Rey.

We offer live embroidery and on-site customisation for events, brand activations and private events across Los Angeles and Southern California. We regularly work in Santa Monica, Malibu, Venice, Marina del Rey, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

Our service area also includes:

• Culver City
• Pasadena
• Manhattan Beach
• Long Beach
• Orange County
• Newport Beach
• Laguna Beach
• Palm Springs
• San Diego

We also travel beyond these areas for events and brand activations.

Our studio is based in Sydney, and we regularly travel around Australia for live embroidery events, brand activations, private events and larger projects.

We regularly work in:

• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Brisbane
• Adelaide
• Perth
• Canberra
• Byron Bay
• Gold Coast
• Sunshine Coast

We also travel to Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Hobart, Cairns, Townsville, Noosa, Bendigo and regional areas across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

Travelling for events is a normal part of what we do, so we’re happy to work interstate or in regional locations and coordinate with your venue, agency or production team if needed.

We also create custom embroidered pieces and personalized orders for clients Australia-wide.

Yes. We create custom chainstitch embroidery for clients across the U.S., Australia and worldwide. You don’t need a finished design to get started. Send us an idea, reference image, sketch, or something you’ve seen in our work, and we can help shape the design, placement and details.

You can send us a garment or item you already own, or we can help source the right piece. We regularly work with denim jackets, jeans, hats, tote bags, shoes, patches and other garments and accessories. Once the design is approved, your piece is stitched by hand on one of our vintage chainstitch machines. Custom orders can range from one-of-a-kind jackets and wedding pieces to gifts, branded items, and personal commissions. 

If you have something in mind, get a custom quote, and we’ll let you know what’s possible.

Not at all. We create custom embroidery for women’s, men’s and kids’ clothing.

For women, we work on denim jackets, shirts, tailored blazers, suits, matching sets and other one-off pieces. We also do custom embroidery on women’s occasionwear and garments that need something more personal.

For men, we often embroider jeans, denim jackets, workwear, shirts, suits and even shoes.

If you have a specific piece in mind, you can send us a photo and we’ll let you know what will work best. You can also send your garment to us for embroidery, and once it’s finished, we’ll ship it back to you.

Yes. We love working on kids’ pieces too.

We create custom chainstitch embroidery for jackets, shirts and other children’s clothing, including names, small illustrations, personalised details and custom patches.

Kids’ pieces are especially popular for birthdays, gifts and keepsakes. You can also send us your child’s garment for embroidery, and once it’s finished, we’ll ship it back to you.

Yes. We work with brands on larger chainstitch embroidery runs for retail drops, limited-edition collections, branded merchandise, corporate gifting and custom product launches.

For larger projects, we can bring in a team of experienced chainstitch artists and plan production around your quantity, timeline and launch date. We can also help with design direction, garment or product sourcing, and the best way to keep each piece feeling handmade while producing at a larger scale.

We’re comfortable working directly with your creative team, agency or production partner when needed, and we’ll help shape the production approach around your project.

If you already have a quantity, deadline or launch date in mind, request a custom quote and send us the details.

Yes. We ship custom embroidery orders worldwide.

Shipping is free within the U.S. on orders over $200, and free internationally on orders over $300.

If you’re sending us your own garment, we’ll confirm the best shipping process with you before you send it. Once your piece is finished, we’ll arrange return shipping based on your location.

If you’re ready to get started, request a custom quote and tell us what you have in mind.

amR is a chainstitch embroidery studio based in Los Angeles and Sydney, working with brands, agencies and individuals across Southern California and Australia. We specialize in live event activations, custom commissions and garment repairs, all done on vintage hand-guided machines that create a texture and character you can't get from digital embroidery.

For events, we handle everything from start to finish. That includes the artist, vintage machine, full setup and pack-down, thread and all required supplies. What you see in the quote is what you pay. No setup fees, no hidden costs.

For custom commissions, we work directly with you to develop the design, then stitch it by hand onto whatever piece you have in mind, from a denim jacket or tote bag to something we source together.

For repairs, we use specialized darning and restoration techniques to extend the life of your favorite garments while preserving the wear, texture, and character that make them unique.

Chainstitch embroidery is done on vintage, hand-guided machines. The artist controls every line, curve and letter as they stitch, which gives each piece its own texture and character. Because it’s guided by hand, no two pieces come out exactly the same.

Digital embroidery uses computerized machines that follow a pre-programmed design. It’s faster and more uniform, but it has a cleaner, more machine-made look.

Chainstitch is a great choice if you want something that feels more personal, handmade, and one of a kind.

We can chain stitch all kinds of clothing, accessories, and merch. Some of the pieces we work on most often are:

• Denim jackets
• Jeans
• Vests
• Chore jackets and workwear
• Shirts and overshirts
• Hats and caps
• Tote bags
• Bandanas and scarves
• Patches
• Aprons
• Canvas bags and accessories
• Shoes and boots
• Wedding jackets
• Branded merch
• One-off custom pieces

Denim, canvas, and other sturdy fabrics are especially well-suited to chainstitch embroidery, but we can work with plenty of other materials too.

You can send us something you already own, or we can help source the right piece for the design. Not sure if your item will work for chainstitch? Get in touch and send us a photo. We can take a look and let you know what will work best.

Dry cleaning is the safest option for chainstitch embroidered clothing. If you prefer to hand wash, use lukewarm water and a mild detergent, avoid scrubbing the stitched area and don’t leave the garment soaking for too long.

To dry, gently press out excess water with a towel and lay the piece flat or hang it away from direct heat and sunlight. If ironing is needed, turn the garment inside out and use low to medium heat with a cloth between the iron and the embroidery.

Store your piece somewhere clean and dry, and if you notice any loose or damaged stitching, it’s best to have it looked at early We can help with repairs if needed.