Who are you, what's your business name and what state do you live in?
We are Pamela Ayers, Emily Olson, and Maggie Carson, a mother/daughters team! Pamela is our mom. Our business is Wool Street Stitchery, and we live in the Texas panhandle.
Can you tell me the story behind why you started this business?
Pamela’s mom, Katherine Ryan, was a seamstress and crocheter extraordinaire. There was absolutely nothing she could not make. We lost her in 2006, but she instilled in us a love of working with our hands. The three of us followed in her footsteps, and have a love for all things textile. Pamela knits, crochets, sews, and is an avid weaver. Maggie recently started crocheting, and loves being challenged with new patterns. Emily has been knitting for over 20 years, can knit just about anything, and loves teaching others how to knit. We have recently started getting into spinning our own yarn as well! We all believe that just sitting together and chatting while working with one’s hands really creates strong bonds, and that is something that is missing in today’s fast paced world.
What's the biggest challenge in your business?
Other than the temptation to constantly buy more yarn, it is helping people understand that quality handmade items are more expensive and take more time than just running to the store, but that it is always worth it in the end! Our products are always heirloom quality and can be made to your exact specifications. That isn’t something you can just grab at Walmart! There is a perception that handmade should be, or is, cheaper than store bought, and that simply isn’t the case. Our husbands would definitely say it is that we have too much yarn, and it has absolutely overtaken our homes!
Favorite order you've made?
Pamela: Any useful things!
Emily: There have been so many! I would have to say the cardigan I made for my dad, and just about anything I make for my granddaughter!
Maggie: The little pumpkins I made for Autumn!
What motivates you?
Pamela: The joy of seeing something appear from raw materials.
Emily: Knowing I’m am doing the same thing that countless generations of women before me have done, keeping that legacy alive, and seeing people smile when they get their finished product.
Maggie: Just the fun in making things!
Is there any way to get a hold of you to look at more of your product or anything interesting coming up for you?
We are in the process of building our goimagine shop with our ready-to-ship items https://goimagine.com/
Our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/