Hey everyone! We're new to the blogging world so we thought we'd take a moment to introduce ourselves, how we came up with the crazy name of our business, and our thoughts on embroidery, fiber arts, and creativity.
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Meet Bonnie
Hey there, I'm Bonnie, also known as the Introverted Artist, and I'm thrilled to share a bit about myself and my creative journey with you. Art has been my lifelong passion, starting from those early days when I couldn't resist doodling on anything within reach. This love for creativity led me to pursue a BFA in Fashion Design at Parsons School of Design in NYC.
After graduating, I embarked on a fulfilling 10-year career in fashion illustration, working with esteemed publications like McCall, Butterick, and Vogue Patterns. Along the way, I discovered a joy in experimenting with various art mediums and techniques. Now, I'm excited to delve into the captivating world of fiber arts and share my expertise with others.
Some of my favorite areas of fiber arts are hand embroidery, fabric design, and needle felting. I also enjoy visible mending because it incorporates many of my favorite fiber techniques. It's also so satisfying and fun to mend and breathe new life into clothes that would likely end up in the trash.
In addition to teaching fiber arts through BonnaH Co, I am also a part-time instructor at One River School, where I have the pleasure of teaching digital and studio art to kids, teens, and adults. I'm so grateful for the chance to foster their creativity and nurture their artistic talents.
Meet Hannah
I'm Hannah, also known as the Outgoing Sewist, and I'm excited to share my story with you as well. Creativity runs deep in my family, with a lineage of talented women who have passed down their passion for fiber arts through the generations.
Growing up surrounded by sewing, knitting, crocheting, embroidering, and weaving, I learned the profound value of using my hands to create something meaningful. I indulge my creative spirit by sewing clothes for myself, finding joy in the process of bringing fabric to life with my own two hands. I am also passionate about teaching sewing and mending to people of all ages. Sewing is such a great life skill and helping others, especially kids, learn to do it is SEW rewarding.
I am also a brain nerd! I love learning about how our brains work. I channel this interest and my passion for teaching into my role as an executive function coach for Beyond BookSmart. I help college students and adults harness their potential and thrive academically, in the workplace, or just in life! I also host a podcast all about executive function skills called Focus Forward: An Executive Function Podcast.
The How and Why of BonnaH Co
Together, as the dynamic duo behind BonnaH Co, we're passionate about sharing our love for fiber arts with kids and adults alike. We started BonnaH Co as a 50/50 partnership, so we wanted our name to reflect that! BON is half of Bonnie and NAH is half of Hannah...put them together and you get BonnaH Co! (And HANNIE just didn't sound right.)
From in-person classes at afterschool and library programs to our virtual adult Holiday Hoop Art class, we're dedicated to fostering creativity and sustainability in everything we do. We believe creativity is a personal journey, and there's no right or wrong way to do it. Whether you prefer using knots or no knots in your embroidery, whether you call your embroidery stitches by different names (we love making up new names!), or you are new to the world of fiber arts and don't have any opinions about anything yet, it's all about finding joy in the process and creating something handmade.
If you've ever joined us for one of our adult classes or used our kit videos, you'll know that our teaching philosophy is all about empowering you to embrace your unique embroidery practice. While we'll guide you through our techniques, we encourage you to experiment and find what works best for you. We teach our in-person and virtual classes in a way that supports people however they need in the moment. We provide extra support with tutorial stitch videos and at the same time encourage expansion of skills by showing different options for stitches.
In our kids' classes, we teach with real tools so that kids learn real skills safely and in a comfortable environment. We encourage creativity while we teach specific skills that build on each other. Kids have "sew much fun" while learning to use their hands, trust their creativity, and practice patience and perseverance.
Sustainability Practice
At BonnaH Co, we believe that even small steps toward sustainability can make a big difference. That's why we're committed to using materials we already have on hand, reusing, repurposing, and recycling wherever possible. Every stitch, every project, is a step forward on our journey toward a more sustainable future. We also believe that creativity can be found on any size budget. We keep this in mind when creating our projects and teaching our classes.
Where To Find Us
We are totally new to blogging, having spent the last nearly five years creating content for our Instagram and Facebook accounts and YouTube channel. We both love writing, so this will be a fun journey for us. The learning curve has been steep, though. Who knew there were so many things involved behind-the-scenes in the blogging world! We plan to share projects, crafty adventures, and other fun stuff with you. If you're new to us, we are excited to share our content with you. If you've been our friend for years, welcome to the new BonnaH Co Blog!
Find us here:
So, whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned stitcher, we invite you to join us on this creative adventure. Take that first step forward, and together, let's explore the endless possibilities of fiber arts!
With love and stitches, Bonnie & Hannah, the BonnaH Co team 🧵🎨