Custom Embroidered Chino Cap by Carolyn Laihow and MAKE


Carolyn Laihow is a Vancouver graphic designer who took one of her creations and had it embroidered onto chino caps at MAKE on Granville Island. She took a moment to tell us about her experience.

How did you hear about MAKE?

The good old fashioned way: walking by the shop on Granville Island.

Is this the first time you've embroidered with MAKE? 

Yes, it’s the first time I’ve had something embroidered at MAKE. The staff were really helpful and I like shopping local whenever possible. 

Was the illustration created by you? 

Yes! I sketched it out on paper first and then brought it into Adobe Illustrator to refine it and create a vector file. 

Did you create your project online or in our store?

I created the artwork in Adobe Illustrator first. Then I reached out to the shop to ask about getting them embroidered onto hats. They were really responsive and helpful with getting a quote put together. I dropped into the shop to see the test print and choose a thread colour too. It was so fast and easy. 

What did you create it for?

It was a surprise gift for a couple friends. We’d been planning a girl’s trip and Portugal was our destination. I wanted to give them something useful but also a keepsake from our trip. 

It’s a badge that combines a couple icons that represent Portugal: the sea/beaches, unique architecture, Fado music, a glass of port wine, seafood and the famous Tram 28 in Lisbon.

Was this the first time you had a design digitized for embroidery? What was the process like?

I’ve never had anything embroidered before so, yes, this was my first experience. I was a bit worried that the finer line details wouldn’t reproduce well and I would have to make a lot of adjustments to make it work, but the team was so helpful with their recommendations and the hats turned out exactly how I had envisioned it.


What was the reaction of your friends to their custom caps?

They loved them! I put the hats in a little “travel pack” that included lip balm, hand sanitizer, plane snacks and other mini travel sized things. They tossed the packs in their suitcases and used them on our trip. 

How was your overall experience with MAKE? 

So good! The staff are so friendly and eager to bring any project to life. They’re all very knowledgeable of different materials and artwork set up.

Do you have any future projects that you might embroider, print, or engrave with MAKE?

My day job is a graphic designer so I’d love to be able to work with the team again for custom swag.

Would you recommend MAKE to someone looking for something custom?

Absolutely! Top quality products/ final printed pieces plus the excellent service is worth it. 12/10 would recommend to anyone looking for premium craftsmanship. 

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