AnsuDesign

I was taught the basics of knitting, crocheting, sewing etc. by my mom when I was a kid, as she has always been making tons of stuff by hands - growing up basically everything us three kids would wear was made by mom. But I was never too much into that stuff myself, until around my twenties I ended up at job that run in three shifts, with long slow periods when nothing happened around yet you'd still have to be there. I've never been a person who can just sit on her butt doing nothing so then once I decided to bring a ball of yarn and a pair of knitting needles to work, so I could be productive in some way at least. And THAT was where it all started. I'd keep myself awake in the middle of the night standing (yes, standing) by the window knitting, keeping an eye out for possible customers walking up whilst. Tens of beanies were made during those late hours.

Obviously I didn't need that many pieces myself so I figured I'd try to sell them, but thought something was missing in my product. It didn't look professional enough to sell. That's where I came up with the label, and by crafting the first one out by painting my nickname on a piece of trimming lace and stitching it up on a beanie I was way happier with it and - have to say - proud. It actually looked like a real product. Of course, looking back at my very first creations now they look anything but professional haha. But one does get better with practice, and believe me I've practiced. **That's the way I'm still making my labels today by the way, they're each individually painted by me. That way, I think, I get to actually sign each piece of a beanie that I make and thus add some uniqueness to them. It's certainly not the most efficient way to work, but so far I've wanted to stick to it. And my nickname still gives the name to my brand.**

Then you might ask, why beanies specifically? I've asked that myself. :D And I think the answer is because you can make single pieces - unlike mittens or socks, no pairs are needed - thus you can always start something anew & fresh after one is finished. It's an ongoing process of creating, over and over. Secondly, beanies build up rather quickly. I'm patient with most everything else in life but my knit work, so once I start something new I wanna see it finished up like.. immediately. So sweaters and such are not my cup of tea really. I've made a few along the way, for my own use only, but it's a years' process to get one ready as I just get so bored working on it that I start 101 other projects on a side.

For years I've been selling my hats only on christmas markets and different market sales in Finland, a little here and there. But as the product has developed along the way (I only recently started adding the linings in the winter hats!) and I've got so much good feed back from people about it that I've gotten more and more excited about this thing, wanting to put more effort & time in my business and get it out more, have them products available internationally as well. So late 2016 I decided to upload my beanies in a shop in Etsy, and that's how I'm here. Wanting to create unique pieces and see people wearing them looking happy & cozy with my product on. <3 Quality counts & hand made = pure love. I'm literally hooked & happy.

(As side note, I LOVE painting as well, but that's a whole another story...)