We were lucky to catch up with Brittany Stempien recently and have shared our conversation below.

Brittany, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Learning the art of crochet holds a very special memory for me. I grew up in Florida and one of my favorite memories there was when I was 11. My mother took out a beautiful blue & purple multicolored yarn (blue being my favorite color & purple being hers), and a couple of crochet hooks, and began to teach me the art of crochet. We would have little lessons until I was able to make a tiny flower out of chain stitches. That was the first and last thing I ever crocheted….. for 10 years.

Fast forward 10 years, I was 22. We were living in Virginia and I had graduated college there with a degree in Psychology. I was feeling a little unsure in the direction I was going to go. One day, I asked my mom to teach me how to crochet again. It was the best thing I never knew I needed – to stimulate creativity within myself again! So, once again, we would have little lessons until I realized that this is something I actually loved to do. Not only was I bonding with my mother, who also loved crocheting, but I actually found it quite enjoyable to do as well. Being creative in this way was a whole new form of fulfillment for me. Looking back on it, I didn’t realize how rare it was that she was left-handed whereas I was right-handed. It didn’t stop us at all from being able to crochet together. And that’s what we continue to do, to this day. I didn’t realize that I could actually make money from crocheting until a couple of years later….

I was happily sitting in my house, creating away. After just having re-learned how to crochet, my mind was full of ideas. I began with making beanie hats for my friends and family, market bags, and tiny plush kittens. I began to grow quite a yarn collection and a finished product collection! Hats, bags, and kittens were being stuffed into the bookshelf and other places around our house. At that time my partner said something eye-opening to me, “You know, you could sell these things.” It meant a lot to me that he thought my creations were worth selling. So I kept his encouragement in mind when I moved back to Florida.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Brittany, I’m 33 years old, and I’ve been attending markets around the state since I moved here at age 25. Crocheting is a big passion of mine but I also enjoy traveling, running, cycling, listening to music (especially hard rock and metal), watching baseball, playing video games, and of course spending time with my puppy and boyfriend of 10 years.

Honestly the way I got into this industry was just by trying something new. In 2015, I moved back to my home state of Florida at age 25. I saw that there was a holiday market in the area that was still accepting vendors and so I applied on a whim. This was the 1st Annual Winter Haven Holiday Market. And…. I was accepted! I couldn’t believe it! Then the nerves began to set in…. I had never done something like this before. At the start of the market, I arrived with my container of hats, bags, and kittens. Yes, a very small inventory. At the end of the market, I had only a handful of items remaining. I couldn’t believe that people liked my creations so much. I couldn’t believe how many smiling faces left my booth with their new handmade item. Reflecting on the day made me realize how much joy I brought to so many people, and that I knew I had to continue doing markets like this for that reason.

It has been 8 years since that day, and I have attended the annual Winter Haven Holiday Market every year since. (My inventory has vastly expanded from hats, bags, and kittens!) Not only that, but for the past 8 years, I have been doing a different event every weekend, and often, 3 different events per weekend, all over the great state of Florida, mostly in the Tampa Bay area. I never imagined that it would become my full-time job last year, in 2022, when I was 32 years old. It brings me unparalleled joy to be able to create things that I love, and that others love as well. Being able to do this full-time is my best accomplishment in life, and although it comes with its struggles, I would choose this over any other job, hands-down.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

This is an easy question for me. The fact that my creations spark joy in others is the most rewarding aspect of being a crochet artist. There’s nothing like the feeling of seeing someone’s eyes light up when they are looking at one of your handmade creations.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Accepting every opportunity. I’ve learned that in order to be successful, I can’t just say yes to everything and become burnt-out because I’m doing too much. Examples include my saying no to a custom piece or to an event at a location that would require too much travel and make me too exhausted. I remind myself now that there will always be more opportunities that will be a better fit for me down the line.

I hope these answers have inspired other creatives to follow their dreams as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know my story.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etsy.com/shop/spiderswebcrochet
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/spiderswebcrochet
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/spiderswebcrochet
• Other: [email protected]