Stick to Your Knittin’ Kitten
Maker: Amy Rickles

Where did your brand name come from?
I was knitting at a family picnic, and my great-uncle walked over and said to me, “Stick to your knittin’ kitten. That’s what we used to tell the ladies.” He meant that they said it to women when they wanted them to mind their own business and stick to “womanly” things. I thought the saying itself was cute (ignoring the connotations), and I liked turning it into something empowering by using it as the name of a woman-owned business.

What prompted you to craft professionally?
I’ve always made things, and my grandma sold things she made at craft shows for many years, so I was somewhat familiar with that. When I started knitting I became a bit obsessed and started making so many things that I had no idea what I was going to do with all of them. So I decided to start selling what I made.

Describe your design philosophy in 3 words.
Function, form, color

What is the one tool you would buy if you had an unlimited budget?
A Fricke S-160-DT double treadle spinning wheel

What is your favorite motif or theme currently?
I don’t currently have a specific favorite theme, but I have been making a lot of things from my own self-striping handspun yarn, so lots of my recent items have been striped.

What do you think sets crafting apart from other forms of artistic or professional endeavors?
I think that crafting is a way to make something that is both functional and artistic. I also think that the craft community is very supportive.

Oddest injury you’ve ever received while crafting?
Amazingly, considering how clumsy I can be, I can’t think of any odd crafting injuries I’ve received. I’ve had the typical glue gun burns and sewing needle stabbings. But luckily I’ve never stabbed myself with a knitting needle!

And finally, What advice do you have for anyone just starting out?
Do research on shows. If you can, go to a show before vending in it or talk to other crafters to get the scoop on the show. That helps you avoid doing shows that aren’t really right for your products or that don’t have good attendance.