Kathy &  Kay

Get to Know Lilybet Designs

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Hello, and welcome!  My name is Kay Hanson Cavnar and I am the creator of Lilybet Designs.  Here is where we will get to know each other a little better.   Let me tell you  about myself.

My love of needlework began when I was about 7 years old.  My grandma taught me to cross stitch on a stamped design.  I can still remember the red thread and metal embroidery hoop!  She went on to teach me to crochet and sew.  I have been stitching in one form or another since. 

Samplers became my favorite design style  in the 1980’s when my neighbor and I started stitching together on my back porch.  We both had an interest in history, so this began our work on samplers. 

My passion for needlework eventually brought me to seek employment in a needlework shop.     I enjoyed going to the shop and being surrounded by all the fabrics and fibers.  The creative juices started to flow.   The shop owner asked me to design something for a class and that was my first "real" designing adventure and I loved it.

Lilybet Designs was born out of an opportunity I had to enter a sampler contest sponsored by a magazine.   I was encouraged by my stitching friends to enter a design.    I won!!!   After finding my winning design on the cover of the magazine, I decided that this was something I would pursue.

Many people ask me, "Where did the name Lilybet Designs come from"?    About the time  I was considering names for my company,  my niece Marren Elizabeth was born.    Her daddy referred to her as Marren Lilybet, which I thought  was such a sweet nick name.    As her godmother, I knew I had to name my design company Lilybet Designs.

I am often asked what inspires my designs.  My inspiration comes from observing my surroundings.   I look through sampler books of museum pieces and architectural books from the 1800's and early 1900's included in my own personal collection.    I love the sense of history that samplers give us.     It is very inspiring to see the stitches, motifs, alphabets, and colors the women of yesteryear put into their designs.

 Other members of my family are  involved in creative design in some way or another.  My father, George, and sister, Kathy, are architects and my brother,  Kevin, is in media production.   I've always had the example of my father looking at every building, roofline, window, stone wall, landscape, etc. and creating with those ideas.   I guess you could say it’s in the genes!   Kathy (on the left, in the photo above) lends her creativity to Lilybet Designs on occasion.   We have her to thank for the "Lady" house series (Lady Gray, Lady Violet, Lady Scarlet, and Lady Champagne) as well as a few more.

My husband, Dick, and I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.   We were never blessed with children, but have many nieces and nephews to spoil.   We are avid sports fans, enjoy traveling, fine dining and good wine.   I am also a founding member of The Tudor Rose Sampler Guild.

I am very fortunate to have a wonderful circle of friends whom I stitch with regularly.     These ladies are a constant support and are a real treasure.   Thanks Andrea, Corky, Cyndi, Jan, JoAnn, and Sheri!   It's great to have friends to help you follow your dream.