Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriella Bricker.
Hi Gabriella, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always been a creative person—the friend who made all the decorations for bachelorette parties, friends’ birthdays, and even my own wedding. I wanted a craft I could do while sitting on the couch with my husband while he watched sports, so I started hand-embroidering. The only problem? Hand embroidery projects took forever to finish.
Around the same time, I was recovering from major wrist surgery and had started doing Pilates. That’s when the idea struck: What if I embroidered Pilates socks? They’d be small, quick projects I could complete in one sitting. I began making them for myself and friends, and they quickly became a hit.
By Christmas 2024, I asked my husband for a small embroidery machine “just to play around with.” I taught myself to use it in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, launched an Etsy shop in January, and by March, I was able to quit my full-time job.
Today, my grip and everyday crew socks are sold in over 50 locations nationwide. I’ve hired two amazing part-time team members to help with social media and production, and I’m booked for pop-up events through October. I’ve also expanded into a full embroidery business—tote bags, napkins, shirts, hats, and more—with multiple embroidery machines to keep up with demand. You can often find me popping up around town with my machine, creating custom pieces on the spot and connecting with customers face-to-face.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One memorable moment was when I received an order for 650 pairs of grip socks—and two days later, my brand-new six-needle embroidery machine broke. I ended up making a last-minute road trip to Kentucky to buy a second machine off Facebook Marketplace. I knew I needed another one to keep up with orders, but I definitely wasn’t financially ready to make that purchase yet!
Like most small business owners, I wear a lot of hats—sales, website maintenance, customer service, embroidery production, packaging, shipping, and follow-up. Space is another ongoing challenge. I’ve converted one of our upstairs bedrooms into a full-blown workroom, complete with over 4,000 items in inventory. I know the next step will be moving production out of our home.
One huge blessing is that my husband handles all the accounting and business management for me—that takes a massive load off my plate and lets me focus on the creative and production side of things.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in embroidered grip socks for Pilates, barre, yoga, Lagree, and everyday crew socks. One of my favorite parts of what I do is offering custom designs—whether it’s a single pair or an order of 500. Low-impact workouts are trending, and people love showing a bit of personality in class with their custom socks. Orders can be placed online or in person at pop-up events, where you’ll find designs ranging from cocktails and dog breeds to fun sayings, new mom socks, bridal celebrations, and hobbies like pickleball or tennis. It’s a subtle but fun way to express yourself—and I’ve learned that people simply love socks in general, not just grip socks!
Traveling around with my embroidery machine also creates a unique, interactive experience. If you’re visiting Nashville, I can make you a one-of-a-kind souvenir or even stitch a pair while someone completes their workout.
In addition to online sales, the other half of my business is wholesale orders. Many small workout studios and local businesses struggle to get their brand or logo on socks (or any apparel) due to long lead times, high overseas shipping costs, and large minimum orders. I love being able to fill that gap by offering quick turnaround times, flexible quantities, and a way to help other small businesses bring their branding to life.
I’m most proud of how much we have grown in such a short period of time. This was not planned at all and it’s just amazing to see this take off the way it has. We continue to evolve every month! We started with socks, then someone wanted hats, then napkins, then live embroidery events! If you would have told me (or my Husband) in January that I would be lugging a 75 pound embroidery machine all over town, we would have laughed at you. Now we do it every week!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My husband truly deserves endless credit—after a full work week, he still spends his weekends popping up all over town with me. He takes care of all the behind-the-scenes business work—accounting, inventory orders, research, sourcing samples—and has been unwaveringly supportive every step of the way. I genuinely couldn’t do this without him. I’m also incredibly grateful for my friends and family, who show up to events, buy socks, and even jump in to help me fill big orders when things get busy. Their support has meant the world to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gabbyandthreads.com
- Instagram: @gabbyandthreads
- Other: Tik tok: @gabbyandthreads
