FAQs

Who are you?

I’m V.! I’m an illustrator and embroidery artist. I've been making patches, bags, and other wearable accessories as Gnome Depot since 2018! You might have seen me on Etsy, found my stuff through social media, or found me at a convention Artist Alley. Thank you for your support!

What tools are you using?

I draw in Clip Studio Paint, digitize for embroidery in Hatch, and stitch on Husqvarna Viking embroidery machines.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes, for the most part! We ship out of Orlando, Florida and ship internationally.

Unfortunately, we are unable to ship to the UK at this time, which is huge bummer to us, as well. Our UK pals are able to shop via our Etsy, however!

Returns & Exchange Policies

Everything at Gnome Depot is handmade with care, and we stand behind our work. If you receive an item that is damaged or defective, please reach out to us through our contact form, or directly via email at shopgnomedepot@gmail.com to find a solution tailor-made to you.

We can process returns or exchanges within 7 days of delivery. Return shipping fees are the responsibility of the customer, but we’ll cover the shipping back to you. Items must still be with their original packaging to be processed for a full refund.

While we have discontinued bags, we still honor our lifetime guarantee! Just mail your purchased bag back to us for free repairs and free shipping back to you any time you need them. Please reach out via email to start this process!

When do you post new products?

I make all of the patches, notebook covers, and ID holders in-house on my own embroidery machines! This means I can make small-batches of exactly hat you’ve asked for, and make new items almost constantly. I recount inventory Friday night at 7pm EST with whatever I was able to get stitched over the course of the week.

As for brand-new item releases, you can always get a glimpse of the kinds of items coming your way by following Gnome Depot’s social media pages! On Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, I post about products launching, restock information, and share the creative ways you’ve styled our merch!

Starting in 2024, I will be swapping to a phased-opening. My online store will open in scheduled bursts between conventions. Please ensure you follow my social media pages or are signed up for my newsletter for announcements on these openings for 2024!

I’ve been waiting for ages for a restock! When will you be getting certain designs back in?

First, thank you so much for that support! It means the world!

I make each and every item in our shop myself, completely by hand. With over 200 unique designs and counting, there’s only so much I can get done in a week on my embroidery machines. Believe me, I’m working day and night to make each restock worth the wait!

You can always join an item’s waitlist to get emailed as soon as an item is in stock again! Click on any sold-out item’s listing and instead of ‘Add to Cart’ you will see the option to add your email to a Waitlist Notification.

If you need a design for a specific project and have a deadline, please reach out to us via email at shopgnomedepot@gmail.com to talk about getting it made as a custom order! We’ll try to work with you to find the perfect solution for your project.

Can you make items based on this specific show, movie, game, etc.?

Since all of our merch is made in-house, we can make one-of-a-kind custom works in small-batch quantities! We’ve done plenty of single-piece custom orders.

For patches: To send in your digitizing request, check out the listing below. This $5 digitizing fee is rolled into the final cost of the patch, acting as a down-payment to get your custom work started, and you’ll be prompted with a form at check-out asking all the details we’ll need to know to get started on artwork for your custom order!

For ID holders: Please note in your request on the listing below that you are seeking an ID holder, not a patch! If you have any specific color requests for the vinyl of your holder, note them as well. We’ll do our best to accommodate to the best of our ability, and work with you to find the best alternate if your color is unavailable.

How are your patches made? What makes them different to something cheaper from Amazon?

By shopping from Gnome Depot, you’re directly supporting a singular artist. I say “we” a lot to sound more professional, but the shop is run solely by myself. I am occasionally assisted by my roommate during product packaging, but that’s it. By shopping small, and shopping with Gnome Depot, you’re keeping my lights on and putting food in the dish for my cat, Ephie!

Patches start being drawn by hand, and then are manually digitized for embroidery. Each patch is stitched individually; we have one single-needle machine that needs to have the thread color changed manually, and one industrial multi-needle machine, which can automatically shift between 10 colors. Each patch is stitched onto felt backing for stability, and then has heat-activated adhesive ironed onto the backs. Every single patch is then hand-cut. It’s a labor of love!

To watch videos of our bags, patches, and stickers being made 100% by hand, be sure to follow our social media pages!

I see a lot of pride items, but I’m still in the closet. What can you do about my packaging?

We never, ever want to put you in a position where supporting queer artists puts yourself in danger. We have a few free add-ons you can put with your order! Adding them this way puts it on the invoice and makes sure it can’t be missed when packing your order!

We have add-ons to change the name we write on your thank-you note in case the name you need your mail addressed to isn’t the one you use in your personal circles. We’ll also black out any instance of your name associated to your billing. We also have an add-on to black out any instances of pride terms in case your family has the bad habit of opening your mail for you and reading over invoices.

We want to offer as many inclusive options as possible, but at the end of the day, I only have my own experiences to shape from. Please reach out via email at shopgnomedepot@gmail.com with questions or suggestions about the sorts of order add-ons like these we can offer to help you stay safe while supporting small artists.

Do you offer wholesale discounts?

We offer large-quantity discounts. Remember, everything we offer is made 100% by hand, and takes a large amount of time to produce and perfect!

• 10% off of 10 or more identical pieces

• 15% off of 25 or more identical pieces

• 20% off of 50 or more identical pieces

• 30% off of 100 or more identical pieces
  

How long do made-to-order items usually take to ship?

Made to order patches and ID holders take between 7-10 business days to get stitched, checked, and shipped.

Made to order bags take 2-4 weeks to cut, sew, and ship.

Made to order stickers take 5-7 business days to print, cut, and ship.

Some items are part of limited-run pre-order windows, either due to outside manufacturing (in the case of wooden keychains) or due to limited-edition fabrics that must be sources from custom print shops. These items will have their own specific turnaround-time included in the item description. Please take note of those dates for your records!

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