What is Cry Baby?

Cry Baby General Store is a funky little shack located at 1118 S. Shelby Street in the Shelby Park neighborhood of Louisville, KY. We offer home goods, household/office/craft supplies, chain stitch embroidery, and a lot of other stuff, too.

What is chain stitch embroidery? What’s so great about it?

Chain stitch is a type of embroidery in which a chain of thread is created using an industrial embroidery machine specifically for this purpose. It is operated with a hand crank and can be used for script monograms, patches on heavy felt, or custom garments. Since each piece is made individually, chain stitch is better suited to one-off or small run projects. For bulk custom items you may be more interested in digital embroidery, which Cry Baby does not offer.

Will you chain stitch my stuff?

Probably! Certain fabrics have a better relationship with the machine than others. Denim, canvas, and anything non-stretch with a little weight to it are our best friends. Sweatshirts are OK, t-shirts are not. We’re happy to go over limitations and possibilities with you.

How much does it cost?

This varies project to project. We believe that you can only have two when choosing between fast, cheap, and good. Our minimum for walk-in embroidery (unless otherwise stated) is $20. The minimum for custom embroidery is $50. We can work within most budgets, just ask!

What is the difference between walk-in embroidery and other custom work?

Cry Baby keeps items such as hats, tote bags, and bandanas to be customized while you wait. Walk-in embroidery is limited to monograms (names or initials) and small flash drawings. No appointment necessary. You are also welcome to bring in your own items to be customized. To inquire about a larger custom piece, please fill out our custom inquiry form.

I’m interested in being a Cry Baby vendor. Can we talk?

At this time we are slowing down on new vendors so we can grow our chain stitch operation. But that doesn’t mean we won’t carry your stuff! It just may take a while to get in here. Cry Baby is a one-person show on a shoestring budget. If you’re local, it would mean a lot if you stopped in to the physical shop before reaching out to inquire. Prospective vendors are welcome to email at any time, just please be patient while waiting for a response. Doing our best over here!

I’m not happy with my purchase. How do I get justice?

Chain stitched items are not returnable, and we only accept returns on general merchandise in case of defect. If there is an issue with your embroidery, we will gladly repair it for you. Keep in mind that although there is a machine involved, chain stitch is still very much human-made, and the occasional imperfection is normal. Please email me, Shawn, directly and we’ll work it out. Shawn@crybabylouisville.com

Will you embroider whatever I want?

Pretty much! We only make rules when we have to. No racist crap, or any of the other majorly bogus -phobias.