How The Hole Thing ® Started

Until January '07 I worked as a knitwear technician in the sweater design department at Susan Bristol Inc. for 16 years. I knitted swatches illustrating design ideas to be shown at design meetings, used as sales tools, and factory prototypes for producing sweaters. I also added embroidery and other embellishments to the swatches to further express my love of color. Though I liked my job very much, something was missing in my creative expression. You could say there was a hole there.

Personal projects rounded out my expressions in wool, such as the quilt I designed and made from old wool sweaters that once belonged to my kids, husband, and other family members. I felted the sweaters and cut them into squares, creating a quilt of memories. It was while making this quilt that I had what one might call a “sweater epiphany.” The felted wool, my fondness for playful circles, dots, and pearl edgings came together. And that’s how The Hole Thing ® started.

The beauty of my sweaters (and now many accessories and housewares) is that they are all made from recycled wool and are environmentally friendly. They are also warm, whimsical, and very fun to wear.