Well hello there, Fiber Friends! My name is Sara - partner to Bob, mom to Eliana and Brita, and at the very core of my being – I am an artist. I live and work in Hastings, MN –  but my heart will always remain across the river in Northern Wisconsin where I spent most of my childhood. I always begin the story of my fiber arts journey here – where roots run deep in family tradition and the act of creating begins with necessity. You see, the tiny little town where I grew up was the very place my family settled when they came over from Sweden. Woven rugs warm chilly wood floors; sweaters, hats and mittens are handmade; and the finest celebration adornments are lovingly toiled over into the evening’s lamp light. The timeline between my great-grandmother’s lives and my own has turned the wheel from necessity to craft, but here is what I have learned to be true:

·       The act of creation is a necessity for many of us.
·       Human connection is priceless.
·       There is always room for growth.

I learned to crochet sitting on the floor in front of my Grandma Pete, watching her hands in the reflection of a mirror. I’m a leftie. She was a rightie. She was patient. That Christmas, I covered our tree with crocheted spiral ornaments – and I laugh today knowing my parents loved me enough to let me. Fast forward 10 years where I sat in college fine arts courses like painting, drawing, and printmaking . . . where the thread to my past pulled hard and I integrated sewing and fiber every chance I could get. Fiber Arts has always been fundamental and compelling to me. No matter the twist and turn of the path, I find my footing in fiber.

I am honored to live in a time that I can create out of love, for the sake of beauty, and always with storytelling and human connection in mind. I often wish my grandmother could see the gift she’s given me as it lives and breathes today. But isn’t that life? The small things we put out into the world can be far grander than we realize . . . so many of our grandest offerings are swallowed by the fast pace of life. Therein lies my favorite part of fiber. It is a slow and gloriously human process. A way for us to connect through process and purpose. An opportunity to run the thread and find ourselves connected with past and present.

All of these things are why MUSE exists today.  It’s not my story . . . but ours. You are here, my friend, because you love fiber just as much as I do. I find great comfort in that, and I am so glad that our paths are crossing. You are very welcome here, dearest fiber friend.

Peace, Love, & Fiber Arts.

Sara - MUSE