about mary mack
Thoughtful & Intentional Mighty Pretty Things
“Sondra is able to bring feeling and emotion to her designs in a way that I have never seen with other embroidery companies.”
Karen Pulaski, Tribute Goods
“The passion Sondra has for helping clients create items that tell their unique story and conjure memories full of love is what sets Mary Mack apart.”
Mary Mack is a grandmother granddaughter story. A story rooted in tradition, grounded in values, steeped in love and threaded together over time. It is a story that began when Sondra Callaway Williamson’s grandmother taught her a simple stitch in hand embroidery. A story where an art form was passed down and a love for meticulous detail and mighty pretty things was born.
It is the Mary Mack story; unapologetically old-fashioned yet unequivocally fresh and modern.
A story that is the embodiment of a grandmother and inspired by the timeless art of embroidery yet reimagined using state-of-the-art software and machinery. Where designs are intentional and thoughtful attention to detail are never overlooked.
A story of charming sensibility and a sentimental spirit. Where old and new, simple and fancy mix effortlessly together. Where pillows are hand cut, embroidery stitched one piece at a time and quality always matters.
A story where we share the best of the past and present, curated and collected, fun and sometimes even unexpected. Where color is embraced, and nostalgia encouraged. Where designs are classic but never pretentious.
A story where chapters were written with each passing year; footnoted by places called home and events, big and small, serious and lighthearted. But most especially a story continually unfolding where ideas are brought to embroidered life and where it never grows old sharing mighty pretty things.
Using the finest imported linen and the best materials, Mary Mack creates mighty pretty things to be used, appreciated, and loved from one generation to the next.
Influenced by her grandmother, Sondra is passionate about creating heirloom quality linens and products that will become part of your story. It is this same passion that is a core component of the Mary Mack business model. The passion of helping others impacted by ALS, as her grandparents were, is the driver behind Mary Mack to constantly learn and grow as a business so that it can give back.
giving back
meet sondra
Having learned hand embroidery from her grandmother, Sondra Callaway Williamson has always shown an appreciation for the work and even more for the memories it evokes.
It all began with French Knots. Sitting next to my grandmother, I mastered (after what seemed to be a thousand) my first embroidery stitch. The design was a basket full of flowers and as my grandmother would say, “mighty pretty”.
Mary Mack Grass Callaway was practical and pragmatic, sentimental yet sensible, proud but humble. Her house was filled with whatnots, but everything had a place and everything was in its place. She did her own cleaning, gardening, sewing, and canning. She always ironed on Tuesdays, cleaned her church on Thursdays, and baked on Saturdays (for guests who just dropped by on Sundays).
She was adamant about order, a stickler for detail, a good steward of all things, and a firm believer that anything worth doing was worth doing well. She valued family and friends and cared deeply about time spent together. For me, she was an extraordinary influence; emotionally, spiritually, and creatively.
While the embroidery I do now is no longer by hand and the methods and techniques worlds apart from those she taught me, it nonetheless reflects the same passion, embraces traditions, and shares a love for mighty pretty things.
