The subject of this article is the most frequent linguistic units in the speech of modern embroiderers, which arise as a result of deviations from the language norm and testify to the high linguo-creative potential of the craftswomen discourse. However, the author also draws attention to the lexical unit class that are characteristic of the embroiderers speech and have a terminological character. Productive models for creating new lexical units are subjected to a detailed analysis: suffixation, addition, contraction, truncation of a phrase, abbreviation. The analysis showed that the morphological suffixal way of word formation exceeds in the modern embroiderers speech, addition and abbreviation are represented to a lesser extent. In addition, it was found that one of the active mechanisms for the transformation of lexical units is semantic derivation, which leads to the expansion of the conceptual scope of traditional lexemes. In most cases, this process occurs as a result of metaphorical transfer. The author of the article also considers cases of proverbs transformation in the embroiderers speech, reflecting the special worldview of embroiderers, and also being an opportunity for free self-expression. Most of them are transformations of traditional Russian proverbs, and new variants in speech become more common than their prototypes – canonical proverbs. Changes in the construction-sources are determined by the craftswomen intentions and affect different levels — semantics and structure. At the same time, the replacement of the proverb component becomes the most frequent creative mechanism. The language material collected and analyzed by us allows us to conclude that the speech of modern embroiderers has a high linguistic and creative potential and a wide range of language game markers, indicating the emergence of a special subculture of craftswomen at the present time.