StitchedbyTempa at Out! Raleigh Pride 2026: A Day Worth Remembering
On Saturday, June 27th, StitchedbyTempa set up on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh — one block from the North Carolina State Capitol — for Out! Raleigh Pride 2025. It was one of the best days this business has ever had.
What Out! Raleigh Pride Is
Out! Raleigh Pride is one of North Carolina's most celebrated LGBTQ+ Pride events, drawing thousands of community members, allies, and vendors to the heart of downtown Raleigh each year. The event fills Fayetteville Street with music, food, art, and the kind of joy that's hard to describe unless you've been in the middle of it. It is a day that belongs to the LGBTQ+ community — and to organizations like the LGBT Center of Raleigh that make it possible.
This year, the sky threatened storms all day. The wind picked up in dramatic swoops. And then — nothing. Just a breeze that made the whole afternoon more pleasant than it had any right to be. The weather felt like a metaphor.
Why StitchedbyTempa Was There
StitchedbyTempa is an embroidery business based in Wake Forest, NC. The products — snarky kitchen towels, embroidered hats, tees, and accessories — are made for people who want their space, their wardrobe, and their gifts to say something real. The brand tagline is Embroidered décor with a point of view, and Out! Raleigh Pride is exactly the kind of event where that point of view flourishes.
What Happened on Fayetteville Street
The booth opened. The people came. And they did not stop coming.
The "OMG! I Didn't Say That!" Jesus Kitchen Towel had made its market debut one event prior — and sold out immediately. So we made many more. At Out! Raleigh Pride, it happened again: sold out. Shortly after, the matching "OMG! I Didn't Say That!" Embroidered Tee followed. Watching a design connect that consistently, with that many different people, is the best kind of selling out there is!
By the end of the day, StitchedbyTempa had more than doubled its goal for the event — a milestone that hadn't even registered as possible going in.
The People Made It
A market like this doesn't happen alone. StitchedbyTempa was supported by family and friends every step of the way — from setup to breakdown, booth coverage to making sure Tempa actually ate lunch.
The Conversations Were the Best Part
And then there were the customers. The people who picked something up, laughed out loud, and said this is so me. The people who saw a towel and immediately thought of someone they love. The conversations that happened across that booth on Fayetteville Street were the best part of Tempa's whole day — better than the numbers, better than the sellouts, better than all of it.
There is nothing quite like watching someone feel seen by something you made with your own hands.
What's Next for StitchedbyTempa
At this time, Tempa is working on market season picking back up in September. The website, however, is always open — and restocking is already underway after Out! Raleigh Pride cleared the shelves. If you were at the event and missed something you wanted, click on over! The Pride items can be found here.
Out! Raleigh Pride 2025
Out! Raleigh Pride exists because of the LGBTQ+ community and the people who show up for it — year after year, in joy and in solidarity. StitchedbyTempa was honored to be part of it, and will keep showing up for events like this one.
Shop StitchedbyTempa: stitchedbytempa.com | Follow along: @stitchedbytempa on Instagram and Facebook | Custom orders: stitchedbytempa@gmail.com
StitchedbyTempa is a small embroidery business based in Wake Forest, NC, making embroidered goods with personality — snarky kitchen towels, Pride apparel, hats, and custom pieces. Products are available online and at select local markets and events throughout the year.
