About
Welcome
Hello! Welcome to Delva B. Tree!! Here you will find modern, stylish, fun and functional items all handmade with attention to detail. All items are handmade by me in my studio in Minnesota. I hope you'll look around a bit and find something you just can't live without or find a unique gift for that special baby or child or even the new glowing Mom-to-be. If you don't find what you are looking for you can always contact me to see if something can be made especially for you.
Thanks for considering Delva B. Tree as your source for fun and functional handmade items!
Stacy
Owner, Maker, Designer
How it all started
After deciding to stay home with my kids full time, I started sewing again after a 20 year break. I was instantly reminded of how much I loved it. My Grandma taught me to sew and do many other crafts as a young girl. I started making things for my home, my kids and gifts for friends. I received such great responses and encouragement that I decided to open up shop on Etsy. Shortly after deciding to do this, I was gifted with my Grandma’s sewing machine and now every item is handmade by me on my Grandma Delva’s sewing machine.
I originally started with crayon rolls, crayon wallets and art folios to encourage children's creativity to grow. After some instant success at local craft fairs and on Etsy, I branched out and started selling in local boutiques. This venture helped my own creativity to grow and my product base expanded to offer products for babies and adults.
Why the name Delva B. Tree?
Since my Grandma Delva is the one that taught me how to sew, I started thinking about using her name since it is unique and I wouldn't even know how to sew if it wasn't for her! My Grandma had a very big influence in my life and was my greatest role model. I asked my close friends that were encouraging me to start my business to vote on a name and it was a unanimous vote for Delva! Unfortunately, her first name alone made it difficult to obtain a domain and Gmail account so I realized I needed to add something. Her middle initial was B and I always remember as a little girl getting mail from her and that her return address stamp was always Delva B. It just always stuck with me. But again, I knew I needed to add more to the name and ended up adding Tree. It kind of rhymed and I thought of it like a family tree. When I was drafting my initial Etsy Shop Announcement, I wrote that my shop was my creative nest in the family tree. When I finally decided on Delva B. Tree and had some of the details worked out, I asked my Grandma if she was OK with it. She said she thought it was pretty neat and would be honored.
Shortly after having that conversation, my Grandma was faced with selling her home and moving in to a nursing home. I was so incredibly lucky to be gifted with her sewing machine and table. Everything made at Delva B. Tree today is made on the last sewing machine she owned. Sadly, my Grandma passed away the Summer of 2014. I think of her every day as I sit down to sew. She was an incredibly amazing woman and will be forever missed.
My favorite materials
I absolutely love fabric! I love working with high quality designer cotton fabrics. There are several different designers and manufacturers that I love working with - mainly Riley Blake Designs, Michael Miller Fabrics, Robert Kaufman and Art Gallery Fabrics. I also love the high quality Minky available from Shannon Fabrics.
I love the possibility of what an uncut piece of fabric can become. I love color. I love to mix and match colors and patterns to give a unique look to all of my items. I love to experiment (even when it doesn't work out the way I want it to), grow creatively and keep things fresh. I love high quality designer fabric and creating items that I hope will be enjoyed just as much as I have enjoyed creating them.