Try Our Designs

Your source for machine needle felting and machine embroidery supplies and more

About Denise:

Educated as a computer scientist and applied mathematician, Denise Spanos never expected that she would find herself working in the fiber arts. While working in research for the Federal government, she was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition (a
Chiari 1 Malformation) which required brain surgery. Following her first surgery in 1995, she returned to research work. Unfortunately, another surgery was required in 2000 and Denise retired.

Never someone to sit around without something to do, Denise began working with various artistic media. In 2001, she stumbled onto machine embroidery and became enamored with embroidery and sewing. In 2006, at the American Embroidery Conference, she discovered the Babylock Embellisher and since then, she has began exploring the fiber arts. TryOurDesigns was originally conceived as a site to sell designs that Denise wanted to digitize. When she could not find the supplies that she needed to work with her Embellisher, though, she thought that other people might be having the same problem. So, she started selling machine needle felting products on TryOurDesigns. As the business grew, time to digitize those designs disappeared. In April 2007, Denise's Mom, Lorraine joined the TryOurDesigns team. With the help of her Mom, Denise still plans to sell digitized designs in the future, specifically ones that work well with machine felted or machine punched backgrounds.

Denise owes special thanks to a few people without whose generosity TryOurDesigns would not exist. Thanks go to Pat Boddie, colleague and friend who reintroduced Denise to sewing and fiber arts, to Cookie Gaynor who introduced Denise to the Embellisher, to Heather Zolzer who shared her immense knowledge of fibers and dyeing with Denise, to Denise's dad, Dennis, who told her she could do anything that she put her mind to, and to her mother, Lorraine, for her love and support as TryOurDesigns has gone through its initial growing pains. And, special thanks goes to Walter who has supported the idea of this business from its beginning and who has lived with the chaos that it has taken to get TryOurDesigns on its feet.

Contact Denise:

The easiest way to contact Denise is by email. You can email with questions or comments to tryourdesigns@aol.com.

Take time to live and remember those who are important to you.

My sister sent this by email to me on the day before my Dad, Dennis, passed away. It was not until the day after he died that I read the email. I am so thankful that I had so many wonderful years with my Dad. Whenever we parted, I always told him that I loved him and he told me the same. When he passed away so very quickly, I was not able share with him a final goodbye, but there is no doubt that he knew that I loved him and that he loved me. I hope he had enough.....I am pretty sure that he did. As Father's Day approaches, I thought I would share it with you. Read on:

"Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure.

Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough".

The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?".

"Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?".

"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.

"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?".

She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone". She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. "When we said , 'I wish you enough', we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them but then an entire life to forget them.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE.....

To all my friends and loved ones,
I WISH YOU ENOUGH........"

Anonymous.