I showed interest in crocheting when I was 7, so my mom began to teach me. My first crochet project was a kitchen hand towel. I loved making them so much that we gave many away as gifts to family and friends for Christmas presents one year. I have expanded my crocheting projects to include baby blankets and outfits, and amigurumi critters. Learning to knit took a little longer as I only showed int
erest at age 11. I also gained more patience and had better hand-eye coordination. My interest for learning to knit comes from my granny Rafenstein. She would often be knitting wash cloths in between making her beloved ripple afghans. Granny continued to craft until she passed at the age of 98. The wash cloth pattern she used was my introduction into knitting. Since then, I have made knit market bags, scarves, and child ponchos. My next knitting project is finger-less hand warmers, because Wisconsin winters can be very cold. When I was in middle school, I picked up an interest in bead work. Back then, I usually worked with seed beads and sometimes used a loom to create bracelets. I have fond memories creating necklaces and bracelets with my older sister. For awhile, the beads were untouched and it wouldn't be until after college when I would pick up bead work again. This time though it was learning to make nice chain rosaries from a co-worker I worked with at a religious book store. Now I am exploring the jewelry scene, starting with earrings, in addition to making rosaries and chaplets. When I turned 18, I spent the summer recovering from an emergency appendectomy. During this recovery time, I also picked up embroidery skills. I don't have an embroidery machine, so I do each stitch by hand. Since I couldn't do much more than walk around and craft, I became rather proficient with my stitches. I remember my mom looking at my satin stitching, sighing and saying that it wasn't fair that I did it so much better than she could, especially since I hadn't been doing it as long as she had been. Today when I do embroidery, I tend to stick to pillow cases, towels, and aprons as they are less time consuming than things like tablecloths or quilts. Mom also worked with me at the sewing machine. I wasn't in to making my own clothes and I could only do so many curtains. So quilting and sewing didn't take off for me. I didn't really get into sewing until about 3 years ago when someone shared a bowl cozy video with me. I saw the basics of how one was made and put together and thought that maybe it was something I could try. I found a YouTube video that showed good step-by-step instructions, and now, I guess I'm into sewing. I found that I also enjoy trying to find patterns and themes that go well together to create a bowl cozy. I developed my sewing skills enough that I was also able to make face masks for my coworkers, family and friends at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. My next sewing project may be place mats or table runners. Knitting, crocheting, sewing, and bead work help me to relax. I enjoy the art and the sense of accomplishment I get after finishing a project is something special. Making things that people can use in their everyday life is part of why I love what I do. I take much pride in doing the art well so that it can be enjoyed by others. I started selling my towels and wash cloths when I was about 13. I actually went door to door in my neighborhood selling to my neighbors - just like the girl scouts selling cookies or the boy scouts selling Christmas wreaths. Only difference was I wasn't raising money for school, just my own fun fund. I was honest if people asked why I was selling. Overtime, selling my items developed from door-to-door sales to becoming a vendor at craft fairs. My mom and I would do them together and we always had fun. We were super close, "crafters in crime" and talked almost daily even after I got married in 2017. She always supported my craft business dream, and was with me every step of the way. She was excited when I opened my Etsy store, The Loopy Lady Shoppe, in December of 2020, and wanted to help me craft items to sell. Sadly, my mom died very suddenly this past March (2021). She wasn't sick, or in the hospital, but died in her own bed. Craft fairs are a little lonely without her physically at my side, but I know she would want me to continue to do them and to continue crafting. I have Mom to thank for instilling the love of working with my hands, creating things for others, and I will never forget the lessons of love and giving she taught me over and above the crafting. Thank you for reading about my journey. I look forward to the journey continuing and the twists and turns of not only the yarn and thread, but also the road of life. "May the road rise to meet you, and the wind be always at your back. And until we meet again, may the good Lord keep you in the palm of his hand." - From an Irish Poem
