Interview Feature: LoveNYarn

Today’s interview feature is with LoveNYarn!  As you would guess from the name, you can find lovely item made from yarn in this shop!  LoveNYarn offers a wide range of apparel and household cloths. 

How did you come up with your shop name?

How I chose my name -- for me there are certain things in life that are really important, but love and family come first, so love was a natural part of my name. Then I was trying to decide what else was important. I love to travel and thought of that, but then realized my shop was going to be my knitting, and as I looked around my office/craft room I realized it is completely decorated in yarn. Yarn of all types. I really love yarn. I love the colors, the textures, the feel, so it was a natural, the name became LoveNYarn, my two passions.

Why did you start your Etsy shop?

Why Etsy? I have been knitting for over 50, no 60 years (is that possible?) I've been knitting all sorts of things for family members (6 children, spouses and 14 grandchildren) for years, but I love trying new things and sometimes I'm not sure that something I want to knit matches one of the family. I also knit a lot for our church's charity bazaar and for the past couple years have been told I should sell my knitting - so, Etsy was mentioned, and here I am.

How long have you been a crafter?

As I said, I've knitted since I was 10, started sewing about the same time -- did that professionally when the kids were young, making costumes for dance schools, wedding dresses and lots and lots of alterations. Made my own wedding dress, and attendants' dresses for my daughter's wedding. Course I made all their clothes when the kids were young. Dabbled in other crafts -- cross-stitch, some ceramics, other miscellaneous crafts, but have always gone back to the knitting.

Does your shop reflect your personal style?

Personal style -- for a long time I always gave away everything I made, more recently I wear and use my things. I have to like what I'm knitting or it's a chore, so I'd say yes, I love the kinds of things I make.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your products?

My inspiration comes from everywhere, sometimes magazines or patterns, though I seldom make something exactly as it's printed. Sometimes yarn seems to "talk" to me and tells me what it should be -- a scarf or a hat, something simple or something fancy. In the winter if my feet get cold, that's enough inspiration to make another pair of super warm slippers. Sometimes I just want to pick up needles and do something quickly, so I'll make a coffee cozy, or a dishcloth, or a necklace/scarf. I'll open up the drawers of yarn and pick out something I feel like working with at that particular time.

Is there a piece in your shop that was hard for you to part with?

Something hard to part with, not really, because I love my things to have good homes. I just believe that if someone is going to pay for something I've made, they're going to have to love it and will treat it as it should be treated. I did have an Icelandic sweater I made that didn't sell after 8 months on Etsy, and one of my daughters tried it on and it fit her perfectly. I wouldn't reduce the price on it to try to get it sold on Etsy, but I was really happy to give it to her. It's in a good home, that's really what counts.

Care to share an idea or item you hope to have in your shop in the future?

I have so many beautiful yarns currently. I've just started a lovely lavender shrug that has a soft silver thread in it. I'm similar yarns in light moss green and beige. I'm anxious to get them made up into sweaters or shrugs that will be specialty items. I just don't have enough time to make all the things I'd love to make. I have a beautiful 3-color mohair sweater about 1/3 done I hope to finish, and a magnificent wool multicolored jacket-sweater just started. Those are two very time-intensive projects which often are put on the back-burner. Some day ....

What’s the most important piece of advice you can give to other shop owners?

I'm relatively new -- will celebrate my first anniversary next month, but I've found the best thing to do is get involved in teams and forum threads. It's a great way to meet other crafters, to share ideas, to get exposure, but most of all to get encouragement to continue when sales aren't as quick as you wish they would be.

I just listed a sweater that I've worked on for quite a while. I loved doing it, since it is my own design, the pattern and the use of three different designer yarns. I am so thrilled with the results, I hope there's someone out there who will see it and know it was made just for them. There'll never be another one like it!

If you would like to be featured on my blog, contact me on Etsy!