i don’t remember learning how to knit- my mum says i was probably about six. but i had the attention span of a hyper six year old and never finished any of the many projects i started, no matter how i promised to. still, my mum continued to give me wool, needles, fabric, and endless hours of patience and lessons to encourage me. my english mum is a talented and skilled crafter, knitter, and seamstress and I grew up wearing all handmade clothes, smocked dresses, and hand knit sweaters- she even went through a phase of making my underpants which I thought was perhaps taking it too far! she made my favorite doll and all of her clothes too. i learned to appreciate the time and love that goes into handmade things.
i got my first sewing machine in college and started making clothes for myself- the wackier the better. it wasn’t until after i was married that i started to knit again- and actually started to finish projects. for several years i limited myself to sewing and knitting and enjoyed making things for my husband and my three children. when my oldest child joined a waldorf playgroup I discovered a whole new world of crafts, materials and philosophies. i fell into a wonderful community of like-minded women and found inspiration, encouragement, and friendship. i fell in love with the magic of wool in all its many forms and now enjoy needle felting and wet felting, embroidery, knitting, crochet, doll making and many other crafts.
much of my inspiration comes from my Indian heritage, especially in the textiles, patterns, and embroidery of gujarat, where my dad is from and where I spent many summer vacations with my grandparents. i grew up in a house filled with rich and beautiful indian fabrics, wall hangings, and handicrafts. i like to use Indian style embroidery and traditional patterns and motifs in unexpected combinations with fabrics like wool and canvas. my children are a continuous inspiration for me. they remind me of the magic and wonder in the everyday. i love to make things for them to use, to wear, and to play with.
i also make baby slings and carriers. i am a big advocate of baby wearing as a way of not only carrying, but also bonding with my children. i wear my children in slings from birth through age two- fortunately my kids are small! i encourage other moms to wear their babies, and have been making slings for gifts and sale for several years now.
i know my children benefit from being surrounded by lovely handmade things but most of all i look forward to them learning to recognize the value of creative process and its unique and beautiful results in the way i did.
