Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Griffiths
Hi Erin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
During the pandemic, I was fighting boredom, laziness, and negativity like most of the world. I decided I wanted to teach myself a new skill. On a whim, I went to the craft store and bought a couple skeins of yarn and a set of knitting needles. Through various YouTube videos I taught myself how to knit. I enjoyed making pieces for my family and friends who all kept telling me “you need to be selling this.” I was nervous about the idea of putting my work out there. What if people don’t like what I make? What if I don’t have any success? It took me a while to work on creating a brand, a logo, figuring out what to make and sell, but when I was ready, I launched Knit ‘Em Up Creations in February 2021. The support I received was astonishing! My favorite part about my business is meeting people. I’ve had so many people share their stories with me either about knitting, teaching, a family member who used to knit, etc., and that has been the most rewarding. I also love the flexibility of having my small business. While most of it is online, I also attend local festivals and fairs as a vendor. I thrive, mostly during the fall and winter seasons leaving me some much needed downtime for spring and summer. Teaching full-time, being on the executive board of my sorority, taking dance class, and being in grad school is a lot to manage. I’m happy that I can choose to fit my business in with everything else in my life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There is never a smooth road or one path to get to where you need to be. Journeys are supposed to be jagged, uneven, and filled with twists or turns. Some struggles that I faced are struggles that I face in everyday life. Fear and self-doubt got in my way, especially in the beginning. The problem was I was too caught up in the idea of what I thought a successful online business was supposed to like instead of focusing on what an online business looks like for “me.” I know that there is only one me and I needed to bring my strength and creativity to launch something I could be proud of. Once I was able to get out of my own way, it made everything else much easier. You have to accept that things may not go as planned, your vision will change, you will try many things, but small progress is still progress, and that deserves praise!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have always been someone who loves proving others wrong. This has become a continued part of my experience. When I was a junior in high school I did an internship at the local elementary school where I used to attend. I was helping out in kindergarten class and more particularly, helping a student who recently arrived from India and spoke no English. The teacher in the classroom was convinced that there wasn’t much we could do and that I was simply there to help him navigate the classroom/school, nothing more. I just couldn’t accept that. I knew that with more effort, something more could be done. After months of conversations, games, visual aids, etc. that student ended up slowly speaking English and feeling more confident about being in the classroom. I was happy that I proved the teacher wrong and more excited at how I made this student feel. At that moment, I knew I wanted to teach children and be part of their growth.
Presently, I’ve been teaching for about 8+ years now. I currently work at an independent private school as a fourth grade teacher. I just graduated with my Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia. I am working to make the transition to the administrative side of education. For me that looks like diving deeper into what is being taught and how it’s being taught to students. Through my experience in designing both History and Writing curriculums for middle school grades, I have gained a proven knowledge of instructional programming and student assessment/objectives.
I am most proud of my ability to see children as the complex little people they are. Teaching to the whole child is a philosophy I truly believe is needed for student success. This means student education and life outcomes are dependent upon their access to safe and welcoming learning environments and rich learning experiences in and out of school. As an educator I recognize that it’s my duty to provide this to my students.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happy is pouring into others around me and myself. Helping others in any way I can has always made me feel good whether it’s helping out a friend or doing volunteer work in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Knowing that my contributions are impactful fills my heart with gratitude. Pouring into myself is what I’ve most recently begun to master. Providing myself “me time” to rest and recharge makes all the difference in the many tasks I need to accomplish. I have taken the time to learn about what mindfulness means to me and what I can do to support my mental and physical health. With both of these, I am happy and can be the best version of myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://knitemup.bigcartel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knit.em.up/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knitemup/
Image Credits
Chazz Patterson (Sniper P Productions)