Meet the Maker of One Big Happy

Jenny Fish, Knitter at One Big Happy

When and how did you first start knitting?
Almost 20 years ago, I had a Lucy moment and convinced my best friend Becca to go a knitting class. The class was a disaster.  I don’t think we ever got past the cast on row. Looking back, it was quite hilarious, but at the time I was so frustrated!!! After that we stuck to books from the library and local yarn shops for tips and tricks. 

What advice would you give to someone who just started knitting?
Be Patient and Persistent. Knitting is a labor of love. It takes time to master. But if you keep at it, soon you’ll be able to knit up some beautiful works of art and we all have to start somewhere. 

What are your must-have tools in your studio?
BAGS! I love all the bags. I have so many! Seriously. I have a thing for my knitting bags. I also love the clicking row counter and my locking stitch makers. The markers help keep me on track especially when my babies need me. 

What inspires you and gets your creativity flowing?
I’m inspired by the yarn. It’s almost like the yarn tells me what it wants to be. I soak in the color, fiber content and how its spun. Then I vision the fabric it will make, from that something usually pops into my head.. like, this texture would make a good scarf. Ok, this yarn wants to be a scarf. 

How did you become the face of One Big Happy?
Everyone that knows me knows I love to knit. Fortunately for me, when MSQC decided to start selling yarn, I already worked for the company. I’m local, a part of the family and have a passion for knitting and sharing my knowledge of the craft. We did a test run and so far it seems to be working. Being the face of the company just kind of happened.

Explore One Big Happy Today! >

Take Your Work on the Go!

Spring is here and summer is on its way and with them comes beautiful, warm weather! It’s getting harder and harder to want to spend your days completely indoors when you could be out soaking up the sun.

With hand work, you’re never confined to any specific space – the world is yours for the taking (and making!). Get outside and create to your heart’s content!

Quilt-As-You-Go (QAYG) and English Paper-Piecing

Both QAYG and English Paper-Piecing are perfect ways to continue stitching up beautiful projects wherever you roam! Take your pieces on the go, all you need are your materials, a needle and thread, and your hands and you’re all set to create some magic!

Quilt As You Go QAYG Hexagon Quilt by the Missouri Star Quilt Company.
QAYG Hexagon Quilt by the Missouri Star Quilt Company.

Hand Binding

Finish off your quilts with a little personal touch – by hand stitching your binding closed! With hand binding, you can take your project outside or on the road easily – all you need is a needle, some thread, and your project, ready to be bound! Finishing your quilt can be one of the toughest parts of the process, especially when you’re so eager to have the beautiful finished project adorning your spaces. Luckily, binding is something that you can do wherever you are – take that project with you and you’ll have that binding stitched up in no time!

Embroidery

Embroidery floss

Do you embroider? It’s the perfect “on-the-go” project for people of all ages! No matter your experience level, it’s a great way to keep your hands busy and the outcome is a beautiful work of art! There are no limits when it comes to embroidery – if you can sketch or trace it out, you can embroider it!

Embroidery project by Jenny Doan.
Jenny works on an embroidering a cute puppy!

Knitting and Crocheting

If you knit and crochet then you already know how mobile of a craft it is! Grab your yarn and needles or crochet hook and the world is your oyster – outside, on the go, snuggled up in a quilt on the couch – there’s no bad place to whip up something beautiful!

One Big Happy Cowl Knit-Along.
Join the One Big Happy Cowl knit-along!

If you haven’t yet taken a dive into the knitting or crocheting world, have no fear! Our sister company, One Big Happy, can show you the ropes and have you whipping up projects in no time. There are tutorials and patterns and all the supplies you’ll need to get started and keep going here.

How do you create when you’re on the go, away from your sewing machine? Do you ever take your work outside with you? Let us know below!