The Etsy Market Maker: Amara of Lonely Mountain Embroidery

November 9, 2020

Hello! My name is Amara and I am the creator behind Lonely Mountain Embroidery.

My grandmother taught me basic embroidery skills when I was a wee child, and I took the hobby back up in my teens. I mostly embroider while watching TV or films (It’s hard for me to sit still) and am at my happiest working with all sorts of colours and styles. I live with my wife and our chunky orange cat and spend a decent amount of time in the kitchen.

How do you stay creative?

It can definitely be a challenge to feel creative! I find a lot of inspiration from pop culture as well as embroidery patterns from the 50’s and 60’s that my grandmother has given me. I do go through slumps where I don’t feel creative or motivated to work on anything, and I have learned to embrace those times instead of dread them.

Is this your full time gig? If not, what is your day job?

By day I work in a city public library system as a library technician. Most of my job revolves around researching information on all sorts of topics, providing community resources, and assisting with hands-on technology help. Of course, I also do readers advisory and try to push graphic novels on as many patrons as I can.

Were you born and raised in the Vancouver area or do you come from afar?

I was born in Vancouver and spent a lot of my childhood moving around the Lower Mainland. I work in Vancouver but call New Westminster home.

Tell us about your favorite customer?

My favourite customer, really, is anyone who is interested in and loves what I make. It does make it easier when a customer has a general idea of what they want, but leaves me with some wiggle room to be creative with their idea.

Tell us about how your product is made. What is your favourite part?

My favourite part of the embroidery process is when I can get down to stitching. Once I can get my needle threaded and start sewing, that is the best part.

What’s the most challenging part of your business?

My least favourite part of the process is creating patterns and putting them onto the fabric. It can be tedious, time consuming, and doesn’t always work out the way I want it to.

What do you wish customers knew about you or your business?

There are times where I really wish expectations of me and my skills can be managed better. As much as it pains me to admit, there are some things that I can’t do. Whether it be because I don’t have the skills or something just cannot be done, sometimes the idea in your head can’t be exactly brought out onto the fabric and thread. I will always work with an idea and make the best of it, but some things won’t work out.

Is your workshop / creative space neat & tidy or a beautiful mess?

My materials are all neat and tidy! Everything has a specific box or drawer. I need to be especially careful with stray threads and a cat who might try to gobble them up.

 

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