Our shop is called Imagine Yarn Finds and we opened in 2016. We have been crocheting and creating art since childhood and became more serious about it in the last 5 years. I remember visiting my grandma and she helping me to fix my attempt at crocheting a granny square sweater that I was trying to do for school. My obsession with natural yarn when I got older, guided me back to the art of crocheting.
To finish off the collection, we make the perfect crochet doll for that special little one in your life. Each doll has its own personality and will steal your heart. We were avid buyers long before we opened our shop. Etsy provided us with that unique gift that was perfect for the special people in our life. And that drew us to Etsy as the platform where we want to share our unique products with the world. Its amazing be surrounded by other artists on Etsy.
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Introduce Yourself: Hi! I'm Lindsay and I'm from Martensville, SK. Mom x 2, entrepreneur x 2, and advocate for local arts, food and shopping! What is the name of your shop? My shop is Precious Gems Crochet Creations. I named it after my daughter, Gemma, who we've called our "Precious Gem" since she was born. :) How did you get started? I originally was looking for something to do to pass the time during the looooong cold Saskatchewan winters, but now I'm working on crochet items for all seasons. I have fond memories of watching my mom knit and crochet while I was growing up, and I'm all about functional crafts so I was naturally drawn to crochet. I had some help getting started from my mother-in-law as well as some support and tips from a co-worker. Otherwise I have been self-taught by watching YouTube videos to learn new stitches and techniques. Where can people find you online? You can find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/preciousgemscrochet and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preciousgemscrochet and will soon be starting a crochet specific board on Pinterest. What do you like about selling on Etsy? Etsy is the most well-known outlet for selling handmade items in my opinion. I'm very new to it, but so far dealing with Etsy has been a breeze. The fact that my customer orders right online and the financial aspect is taken care of without me having to fill out invoices and dealing with credit cards, etc. is a huge weight off of my shoulders.
Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your shop or yourself? I'm currently using up a large yarn stash that I've accumulated over the past several years (whoops!), but as that gets used up I'm planning on transitioning into using more eco-friendly, sustainable, organic and recycled yarns. I also have a ton of new projects I'd like to try out once I find the time! So what you see in my shop now may be evolving in the future, but I will definitely keep around the "hot sellers". I hope you like my shop and I would love to hear any feedback you have!
How long have you been doing your craft? I learned to knit from my grandma when I was little but hadn't kept at it until the last 10 years. I learned to spin shortly after and have been spinning every day since. Last year I spun over 22,000 yards, over 12 miles (19 km) 35 pounds of fibre (560 oz) and 93 skeins. Many of those made their way across the prairies in shops and galleries. How did you get started? Once getting back into knitting, I wanted to learn how to spin my own yarn. My mentor and friend Deb Behm taught me all I know. She wasn't a technical spinner and her way of teaching really inspired me. She was very generous providing supplies and tools and I wanted to learn everything. If it weren't for her and the amazing fibre community in Saskatchewan and Manitoba I don't think I would be where I am today. Where can people find you online? My Website: www.knitnatural.com Instagram: @knitnatural Facebook: www.facebook.com/Knitnatural What do you like about selling on Etsy? I like selling on Etsy because of how it is simple yet effective. I love the support that I get from Etsy Admin, fellow Etsy sellers and the Etsy Community as a whole. It is straightforward and always evolving to make my shop better. I have met so many wonderful customers and friends through Etsy that I don't think would be possible with other platforms. Etsy gives me the tools to promote myself, share my work and reach the world with ease. What brought you to Etsy? When I decided to start selling my work online, it was obvious I would head over to Etsy. I knew it quite well as I used it to shop for handmade items, craft supplies and even vintage items regularly. Etsy is well known and I knew that would help me as well. It was easy to set up my shop and I starting making sales all over the world which gave me a huge sense of joy and the urge to continue. ![]() What's been your best Etsy experience? I've had many great Etsy experiences like meeting my favourite seller (Kim from The Wacky Windmill), going to Toronto to meet with other Etsy leaders/captains for the Etsy Summit in 2015 and 2016 (also this month!), being a Senior Fellow along with 5 others around the world for the Etsy Fellowship Community but also organizing 2 very successful Etsy Made in Canada sales with my friends Marjorie and Anglea and my sister Nancy, with over 3,700 attendees, several craft workshops and great local partnerships. Etsy has been a wonderful community to be a part of and I am grateful to work alongside Erin and Elaine to grow our team and help promote and support other Saskatchewan sellers. Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your shop or yourself? Aside from spinning, I also judge wool and you can find me around fibre festivals throughout the prairies. If you think wool is itchy, you need to try another breed. Many people lump wool into one category when really there are hundreds of sheep breeds around the world with different qualities. I also have a few patterns available, some free and some for sale. One of them is the #1 men's hat pattern on Ravelry (Bankhead) and I have a few more designs coming out this year, I have also knit for fashion designers Riley Lawson and Dean Renwick for Sask Fashion Week (2013, 2015) so if anyone tells you knitting is only for grandmas, they are wrong, it is good for EVERYONE! If you are ever wanting to learn how to knit, spin or crochet, I teach classes around the city of Regina as well as fibre festivals like the Manitoba Fibre Festival so keep an eye on my website for updates.
P.S. I also recently opened up another shop for my love of snail mail and vintage ephemera which is called Shoebox Post. Introduce Yourself: Hi, I'm Angel! I'm a recent transplant to Saskatoon from sunny Florida. I love crafting Japanese silk hair accessories, illustrating stories and generally creating new shiny things.
How did you get started? I became interested in kanzashi after reading articles about the art form in college. After living in Japan and visiting Kyoto, the heart of traditional Japan, my interest deepened and I started concentrating my efforts on developing my kanzashi making skills. Where can people find you online? My website: Appledainty.com What do you like about selling on Etsy? I like selling on Etsy because of the awesome community of sellers, and the wide audience that the site reaches. I love shopping on Etsy for the same reasons! Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your shop or yourself? I'm always looking to learn new skills and help people who want to learn more of their own. If you ever have any questions, let me know!
How long have you been doing your craft? Since 1985. ![]() How did you get started? My eldest child was 10 months old and colicky. My sister-in-law suggested I needed to get out of the house a bit. Her mother taught rug hooking classes. No one would take care of my daughter, so we took her with us...along with a baby swing. As long as the baby swing was going she was quiet. As soon as it stopped she'd start to cry. It was a long day or two, learning to hook. But it was fun because my sister-in-law and her mother had a great attitude about the whole thing. And I was captivated by the potential for the craft right from the start.
What do you like about selling on Etsy? I can reach a wide diversity of people from all over the place. It's easy to list and manage your items for sale. There's support and help if you need it.
![]() Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your shop or yourself? The work in my shop is all original designs, most of them worked directly on backing without a pattern, and therefore not reproducible. I am a juried member of the Saskatchewan Craft Council. I exhibit across North America. I have work in private collections in South Korea, the United States, and in Canada. I am pleased to have my shop featured by Etsy. Thank you for all the opportunities Etsy!
How did you get started? I was new to Canada, left my country and came to Canada to start from zero, then i met the crochet art online, i found it very therapeutic so i started to make the crochet dolls , hoping not to comfort myself but also get to comfort my buyers with love and care. Where can people find you online? You can find me on Facebook ![]() What do you like about selling on Etsy? it's well organized, and easy to deal with. Simple and clear and Etsy is a worldwide well known platform to sell my arty dolls. What brought you to Etsy? i want to sell to the world and Etsy is the best option that is really great for artists. What's been your best Etsy experience? It's great to interact with customers around the world and to receive their reviews.
![]() Because I did this whole project as a linear thing - one set at a time - I kept finding great pieces for a previous selection. So we have another fashion "look" I could totally go with. I'd start with this great top by 26Lentils and add a fun pair of earrings from PlayingItByEar. My poor phone would get a little spoiling with a cozy from lilyNSparrow. As a part of a May project to give Etsy Saskatchewan teamies a little promotion, I've put together a series of picks from a variety of team shops. Team leaders will share these on the team Facebook and Instagram accounts and we'd love if you share them, too! Have some cute picks you think would make a great post? Pass them along to etsysaskteam@gmail.com ![]() Some days we just want comfy and cozy. Add an extra touch to a great, warm bath with bath salts by SpaStuff. Keep yourself a little toastier with this neck warmer from KnitNaturalFibreArts. And, enjoy that great DSLR - in all it's heavy glory - a little more with a padded strap cover from AliceandVictor. As a part of a May project to give Etsy Saskatchewan teamies a little promotion, I've put together a series of picks from a variety of team shops. Team leaders will share these on the team Facebook and Instagram accounts and we'd love if you share them, too! Have some cute picks you think would make a great post? Pass them along to etsysaskteam@gmail.com ![]() I did have a bit of a fashion pick in mind when I started this combo but it became more about what I liked the look of. That suits me just fine. A coffee cozy by FernSparrow to keep me spilling it all onto the cute skirt from RaspberryApparel. And as a book lover, I'd be thrilled to match utility and whimsy with a purse from retrograndma. As a part of a May project to give Etsy Saskatchewan teamies a little promotion, I've put together a series of picks from a variety of team shops. Team leaders will share these on the team Facebook and Instagram accounts and we'd love if you share them, too! Have some cute picks you think would make a great post? Pass them along to etsysaskteam@gmail.com Introduce Yourself: My name is Erika Folnovic. I am a UofR graduate with a degree in Arts Education and Visual Art. Fibre art and watercolour/ink illustrating are my main two areas of expertise. In fibre I make custom/monster fabric portraits, soft sculpture (puppets, stuffed animals, etc), and others as I find time to explore. In 2014, I illustrated my first children's book called "Jamie and the Monster Bookroom" by Kerry Simpson. Find more info about it here on our publisher's website: http://www.driverworks.ca/Jamie-and-the-Monster-Bookroom.php Before that I have had illustrations published in: "The Too Tall Boy" by Kay Niedermayer, "Letters to Jennifer From Maudie and Oliver" by Sharon Gray, "Every Bite Affects the World" by Catherine Verrall and Friends, and "Is it Easy Being Green?: Eco Art Initiatives for You and Your Classroom" an article I authored for Canadian Art Teacher. My work is mainly geared towards the young and young at heart and my designs are playful and cute. What's Your Shop's Name? ErikaFolnovic What do you make/sell? How do you make it? In my shop, at the moment, I only have my fibre work available in four main areas: Fabric Banners (pennant/bunting banners), Erika's Little Monsters (embroidery hoop portraits), Puppets, and Custom Products (of Fabric Banners and Little Monsters). All my products are handmade by me and use recycled materials where possible. How long has your Etsy shop been open? I started my shop in October 2014, but didn't post any items until December 2014. ![]() How long have you been doing your craft? I had a brief stint making jewellery and doing the festival circuit in Regina for 3 years before I went back to my first love, fibre art, and did that for another 2 years before deciding to only sell my work on Etsy and in shops (I have work available at Paper Umbrella and the Mackenzie Art Gallery shop in Regina). How did you get started? I have been making fibre work since my mom taught me to use a sewing machine as a young kid. From making small purses to hand sewing embroidered designs on pillows to applique work, I have always loved the tactile nature of fibre work. I didn't really think about it as an art form until I was in university and started looking at and researching artists working in soft sculpture and other textiles. What do you like about selling on Etsy? I really love connecting with customers that wouldn't be a usual part of the old festival circuit model I was running. What brought you to Etsy? I was becoming increasingly exhausted from the festival circuit after 5 years of travelling, setting-up tents, displaying products, tearing down, and starting all over again. Etsy gives me the freedom to work and sell from home and reach a really wide audience. What's been your best Etsy experience? All the custom orders I've made have been wonderful experiences. I love the process of bringing a family to life in fabric. I take a lot of time and consideration to replicate the people or animals with the small details that make them unique. Before selling on Etsy, I never really promoted custom work but I am really enjoying it! It's a fun challenge for me. Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your shop or yourself? I am an educator, as well as, an artist. I work with programs at the Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina Public School Board, Conservatory of Performing Arts, and others throughout Regina.
I am starting an initiative in Regina called the Art Supply Exchange and we are seeking second hand art supplies until our shop launch on September 25th. If you know anyone who is getting rid of any old art supplies please send them our way: https://www.facebook.com/artsupplyexchange OR http://artsupplyexchange.blogspot.ca/ |
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