Featured Artist of the Week

This week's featured artist is ---




Here is our interview with the artist, Amanda.

Describe what you make?

I make a variety of sewn and knitted items. I like to make tote bags and reusable shopping bags, from recycled, re-purposed, or vintage fabrics whenever possible. I also make the occasional toy, and I love to make aprons. Sewing with scraps fascinates me, because it is a way to get something usable out of something otherwise unusable. I have quite a few scraps; I'm annoyed by the fact that garment pattern companies seem to use very wasteful layouts; I often have almost half a yard left after making a garment. I occasionally make hemp jewelry as well, and have done a little beading in the past.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I enjoy working with yarn and fabric the most. Yarn, in particular, is a very forgiving medium, and if you mess up, it's easy to hide the mistake or undo it and start over. Fabric I like because it is a lot quicker to make a garment out of a piece of already woven material than to essentially create your material by tying lots of little knots, which is what knitting is.

How long have you been creating craft?

I've been creating crafts for nearly as long as I remember. My mother was very creative and taught me to sew and embroider at a very young age. Maybe not at five, but at six or seven. The first project I remember making for myself was a rag doll with button eyes, cut out along the lines of a gingerbread man, and the seams weren't even turned to the inside.

How did you get started?

I got started on Etsy because I stumbled onto the site and bought a vintage sewing pattern, a year or so ago. I didn't actually put up my shop until the end of August. I had been sewing a lot, but there is a limit to the number of purses and things that me, my family, and friends need, so to continue creating, I needed somewhere to get rid of the things I was making.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

The name of my shop comes from my tattoo. Seriously, I have a butterfly tattoo, but it is green and not really blue. Blue is my favorite color, though, and "Butterflygreen" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

The thing that I want people to know about my work is that I don't make anything that I'm not in love with.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

The only words of advice I have come from the mistakes I've made as a newbie - one is don't undervalue your time, and keep track of how long it takes to make something, and the other is to remember to include all the fees you will have to pay in the price of an item. Make a pricing formula. Also, don't give up too easily. Count it all as a learning experience, sort of an apprenticeship.

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Great interview! Great artist! Check out her shop Buterfly Blue

While you are at Etsy come on over and see us too! We have added some new things in our shop!