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When I was a little girl, and had to stay home from school because I was sick, I used to go to my grandparents’ house.

Most of the time, I had some toys or books to occupy me… or I just wallowed in sickness – watching soap operas, Lawrence Welk, or Anne of Green Gables (if I was lucky!) with my grandpa.

Some days though, I got to watch my grandma sewing patchwork and quilting! As a kid, I don’t think it occurred to me that I could actually DO that myself someday! But as the years went by, and without serious encouragement from my elders (the “YOU SHOULD DO THIS” kind), I took up sewing, then knitting, then quilting, on my own. She planted the seed!

First, when I was seven years old, I made a panda out of old socks, dish cloths, and paper towels (for stuffing, obviously!) I sewed him all by myself and even destroyed a Sharpie marker while colouring in the black bits.

When I was twelve, (with the help of my mom) I made a Betty Rubble halloween costume (granted, it was more like a blue sack with a draw string – but I was still PROUD!)

This was also the era when I first learned how to knit: I’d asked my grandma to teach me. Sure it took me four years to complete my first scarf, but no one told me that a 13″ wide scarf for a preteen was a questionable style choice! Thank goodness my methods have evolved since then.

High school in the late 90s wasn’t the worst fashion era I could have lived through… But it did inspire me to hone my sewing skills by inserting colourful fabrics into the legs of my jeans (ya, we did that!)

In early university, my best friend showed me how to crochet, and how to purl… and from there, my knitting knowledge expanded considerably.

I won’t catalogue my crafting CV further… Everyone has their own origin story!

I’m just really excited to use this forum as a way to discuss the fibre arts I love so much! To interact with other artists! To work with people looking to commission pieces!