Hey there! Welcome! I’m so grateful that you’re here and have stumbled upon my site. My name is Katy, and it is so great to meet you. I’m a Wisconsin based fiber arts enthusiast, licensed interior designer, and slow living lifestyle fan. I can’t say for certain I’m doing the “slow-living” lifestyle at the moment (outside of procrastinating all of my core responsibilities and enjoying very time consuming hobbies – but I’m very intrigued by the slow living movement. More on that later. I’m so stoked to tell you a little bit more about me and my journey to creating this site. I hope you enjoy and we become fast friends!
Why I’m Here
There are loads of reasons why I’ve decided to start this blog. Long story long – I’ve been knitting since my great-grandmother taught me around the age of 12. This time frame was during the height of websites like Livejournal and Blogger, while pre-dating some common day platforms like Tumblr and even Ravelry. I was just telling my husband about the dark times before Rav, and how a lot of what I learned after my first lesson with grandma as learned on other people’s Livejournal blogs or Knitty.com. During this timeframe, from 12 years old all through high school – even early college – I had started no less than 5 different knitting blogs. None of them I ever dedicated a lot of time to, nor kept up with, but creating and sharing about my passions in this sort of format has always been a seed of an idea deep down. I’ve always enjoyed inspiring people with my crafts. It is so beyond important to have a hobby to return to, and I don’t want to say I pity those that don’t, but I can’t imagine my only way to unwind being watching tv.
Little did I know was that knitting would become my gateway to a range of additional fiber crafts. The first being spinning my own yarn – I started out on a drop spindle that I got from a fiber event in Milwaukee. My bestie and my husband were with me and I’ll never forget how thrilled I was to create my first whole skein of yarn that was actually consistent!! This eventually turned into investing in a spinning wheel, a Kromski Fantasia. It’s been a while since we’ve spent time together, but I think of her often. I’m not quite sure how this next one started, but eventually I picked up cross stitching. I feel like I was looking for some home decor pieces and cross stitching kept popping up on Pinterest or something. Regardless, this is another craft that gets picked up sporadically, typically I die for any of the Halloween patterns so that’s typically when I’ll stitch! And most recently, I’ve picked up sewing my own clothes. I did teach myself how to sew in college. I got my sewing machine using the money I made by selling my textbooks back at the end of the semester. 🤭 I did an online course that taught you the basics, and then I put the machine away and didn’t touch it again for around 5 years. The pandemic started and I wasn’t interested in any sort of making… and like a lot of other people I would spend my time playing Animal Crossing after work. Well, eventually that led to a little bit of weight gain, shitty times shopping for new clothes, and I’d been wanting to try making my own clothes for a while at this point. I finally decided to dig that sewing machine out and learn some new skills. Knitting has always been my first love, and the one craft I’ll continue to return to, but I am so beyond grateful for the avenues it’s brought me down.
In addition to all of this – I’ve been feeling pretty burnt-out and uninspired in my business. Being a manifesting generator (human design link), I really need something to respond to in order to make big decisions. Although a blog may not seem like a big decision, I think it’s safe to say I’m not really receiving a lot of outside push to do this. It all feels very internal. But as I write this, really it’s not. The outside push to do something different and follow this passion dive is because I’m unfulfilled in my business. I’m a licensed interior designer by trade, and I left my full time office job designing fast-food restaurants back in February. Since then, I’ve gained a few clients, worked on creating an Etsy store where I sell pre-done paint color palettes, freelance designed a semi-local coffee shop (the dream), and resisted blogging in any shape or form. 😅 Don’t get me wrong – the ideas are ENDLESS. I have lists upon lists of ideas for my business, but literally no drive to get them done. Again, likely because I’m looking for that outside push to respond to. On a deeper note, I’m wondering if design is even really for me, at least in the capacity I’ve known my career to be. I got so burnt out on office work, and all of my jobs have been designing in some sort of a rotation which means I was churning out the same design style day after day. Even in some of my freelance work that has kept true. I’ve been working as an independent contractor doing residential design virtually, and to be harsh about it, the work disgusts me. That sounds harsh, but it’s true. Design is a service that not everybody can afford, and although I understand the angle of this platform looking to make it available for all, the general public doesn’t truly understand the work of an interior designer. People looking to revamp their entire living room for $500 is ridiculous, and they’ll end up just buying garbage furniture from you know where, it’ll last 1-5 years at most, and it all ends up in a landfill! People are putting toxins into their home with these furniture pieces… you know that new car/furniture smell that comes with new things? That’s literally toxins you’re bringing into your home, and then inevitably putting into a landfill. I could go on and on about my issues with the design industry, from the big box stores selling trendy items that aren’t meant to last, the overconsumption of consumerism (guilty), to the design showrooms that do a full renovation annually for the next event. It’s really frustrating, and I’m regretting being a key component to this vicious cycle we are in.
I have a great desire to be very intentional about my life going forward, including this blog. Things you’ll likely see me writing about include knitting, cross stitching, spinning yarn, sustainable home design and decor, and slow living thoughts and learnings. I desperately want to create a holistic household for myself and my little family. Here is the perfect basecamp to do that, focus on my passions, maybe help you find yours. And continue learning about all of these things together.
Sew: Collins Top designed by In The Folds
How We’ll Grow
I’m hoping my little corner of the internet can become a place for inspiration, learning, and community for you and I together. I have a lot of big dreams for this site, but rest assured we’re starting slow. Here are some of the things you may see from me in the future:
- Affiliate programs with some of my favorite fiber art brands and companies.
- Digital downloads from me – I’d love to create some beautiful digital planners to help you create the perfect capsule wardrobe, or just plan your projects out.
- A little store-front where I can sell some things. Maybe yarn stash I’m never going to get to, botanically dyed yarn… again that I’ll never get around to knitting, cross stitch kits from my favorite brands, and some beautiful home decor pieces that you won’t find anywhere else (and will last a lifetime).
- If I do decide to include ads on my site, I plan to keep them incredibly minimal, and in the least-obtrusive locations. Never do I ever want to become one of those blogs you find on Pinterest where after every paragraph is another ad. (Sorry to throw shade, do what you gotta do to pay the bills but damn are they annoying.)
I’d love to hear if some of these things excite you, I know that they excite me. Truly just sharing about my making in a more intentional way other than posting and ghosting on Instagram or Ravelry feels so good to me at this point in my life.
Keep in Touch
I’m so thankful you decided to spend some time with me today. If you’d like to become pals, please consider using your email in the form below to receive automatic emails whenever we publish a new post. Promise, it’ll never be more than once a week (likely be more bi-weekly to sporadic at best). I hope to see you again soon.
All the best,
Katy
