Spotlight On ...

Sedruola of Sedruola Maruska's Yarn Obsession!

1. Tell us a little bit about who you are and your life up to this point in time.
I am a First generation, Haitian-American Black woman who is a daughter, wife, mother and friend (among other things). My "day job" is as an Executive Assistant, however, my work is to be my own boss. My life has been filled with a big extended family that I love dearly and the simple things in life. I love a friend or family gathering. I love reading (when I can). I love traveling and learning about other cultures and I love ever improving on the woman I've become.

2. Besides your fantasy creative life, what else are you doing currently?
Besides working with my yarn and expanding into craft shows, consignments and wholesale, I'm working to raise $40,000 for the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation (http://www.haitihealth.org) in honor of my 40th birthday on Sept. 25th of this year. I have been blessed with so much in my life, that I feel if there is something I can do to share that blessing, I will do my best to do it. Right now, those two things take up most of the "extra", if I can call it that, time I have in my life.

3. What do you offer in your Etsy Shop?
I offer knit and crochet accessories as well as vintage buttons. I love to play with yarn and having the shop and doing shows gives me a reason and an opportunity to play with yarn as much as I'd like.

4. Where do you create?
Wherever I am. Because my craft is so portable, I only think of what project I want to carry and wherever I have a few moments I pull out my work and create. My dream is to have a home where I have a room or space where all my supplies are gathered and I have a cushy chair to work in. Until then, I do what I do, wherever I can.

5. Where do you get your inspiration?
Fashion. I look around and all types of fashions and I get inspiration all the time. Unfortunately, my mind and hands can't keep up with my inspiration, but steady as we go, I know I'll soon be offering more than accessories in my shop and around the world.

6. How did you learn how to do your craft?
I met my husband's grandmother in 2001. She was in her late 70's then and she knits, crochets, paints, quilts, beads and makes jewelry. After meeting her I told my husband (then my boyfriend) that we needed to stop at a craft store so I could buy some yarn, a hook and a book because if his 70+ year old grandma can do all those crafts and she raised 8 children, I can certainly learn one. I learned to crochet that year, then in 2002 I decided to learn to knit. I've been doing both ever since!

7. How do you promote your wares?
I'm still a novice, but I have started taking advantage of gift bags that other artists have advertised and sending business cards, I have a blog yarnobsession-2.blogspot.com, I've recently purchase bookmarks that I've created crochet tassles for and will be giving those away at shows, I'm part of two really great street teams, EAOC and Boston Handmade and I talk about what I do as much as I can. Slowly, I think friends, family and those I meet are getting the message.

8. What has been the most important lesson you've learned since you started selling your own creations?
To be true to yourself. As in all things that you do, I've learned that in making an item, it's better to start over as many times as necessary to make it just the way you want it to be, rather than send shabby work. It will always show. Make sure you have integrity when working and giving your word to others and beleive that your work is worth your energy.

9. Is there any advice you can give others who are just starting out?
I can only say that information gathering, whether it be reading, talking, or sharing is the best way to gain more resources, information and positive motivation to get through.

10. Do you have any favorite Etsy artists you'd like to promote here?
I have a lot of Etsy artists that I truly admire so it is very difficult to promote only one. For that very reason I work on promoting one Etsy artist a week on my blog.