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This week, we feature crafter and author Abby Glassenberg, who blogs at While She Naps. Abby blogs about her process of sewing stuffed animals and running a creative business. In addition to blogging, Abby has written two craft-themed books, The Artful Bird: Feathered Friends To Make and Sew and Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction. She also has an Etsy shop by the same name as her blog, where she sells sewing patterns, DIY softie kits, and fabric. We asked Abby some questions and here is what she had to say.
Can you tell us a little bit about your blog and when you started it?
I started my blog, While She Naps, in May of 2005. I had just had my first child and left my job as a middle school history teacher. I'd always been crafty and liked to sew, but up until that point I didn't really have the time and energy to devote to it. When I realized that blogging was a thing, I knew I needed one right away. I named my blog While She Naps because at that time I was doing all sorts of crafty and creative things while my baby daughter napped. Over time, I focused in on designing and sewing stuffed animals and dolls. In the last two years I've branched out to writing about running a creative business as well.
What is one of your favorite projects you've ever made?
For a few years I was working exclusively on sewing soft sculpture birds. That led up to my first book, The Artful Bird: Feathered Friends to Make and Sew, which was published by Interweave Books in 2011. During that intense bird-making time I sewed a bird entirely from tags cut from my clothing. I spent a crazy afternoon cutting all of the care tags out of my sweaters and shirts, and even my bras, and then stitching them together into a piece of usable fabric. Then I cut it apart again and sewed it into a bird. She came out really cool and I still love that project, although I didn't know how to wash my sweaters for a few years afterwards.
When I'm not crafting, I can be found...
I'm a mom to three girls, ages 9, 7 and 3, so when I'm not crafting or running my business I'm usually helping oversee homework and piano practice, cooking, doing laundry, reading and playing with blocks. I love the balance of having two very busy jobs!
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