Hi, I'm Becky and Welcome to my very first blog post for Pretty Prairie Strings! You'll often find me drinking a coffee in my sewing room.
I just love to read about small businesses and how they got started so I thought that I would start my very first post off with how Pretty Prairie Strings came to be.
Here is a few fun facts about me to start off with:
1) My real name is Rebecca
2) I grew up in Ontario but currently live in Manitoba
3) I have 3 daughters (We are done -- no boys for us)
4) I married my husband after dating 6 months, and we were only engaged for
1.5 months
5) I like to put gold fish in my tomato soup
6) I have one sister, 3 sister in-laws & 3 brother in-laws
7) I have always loved photography, my mom bought me my first camera when I was like 10? (can't remember exactly, I am 30 now, that was pretty much forever ago!!)
8) I work 4 days a week at a fabric store in administration & so do a lot of my sewing for this biz on the weekends
9) I would have a barn full of bottle babies of all kinds, if I could!
10) I LOVE bedtime. I like to go to bed early & wake up early. (like i could go to bed at 8:30pm if I could, and sometimes I do) ;)
ok, now that you have learned 10 random facts about me, let's get into it!
I have always been a sucker for a good DIY project, if I could make it instead of buying it, I was all in!
This business actually started out as a crochet business, I taught myself how to crochet from watching youtube videos so I could make scarves for my daughters daycare teachers in 2013. I made hats and scarves mostly, and then my mother in law taught me how to sew after a new fabric store had opened up in town & I never looked back. I wanted to learn how to make everything!!! I started out with sewing beanies, scarves, headbands, purses, wallets and then i dove feet first into my first quilt. (of course it was a rainbow pattern) There was this whole world of sewing out there that I never knew existed. I was immediately drawn to the sewing community because I feel like everyone raises each other up, rather than tearing them down.
This is my first ever Quilt Block -- My points were off, every piece was a slightly different size & I had no clue where my 1/4" seam actually was -- But I did it & I loved it!
You can find the Rainbow Falls Patten HERE
My whole mentality with this business is "Community over Competition", I really do love supporting small businesses, & seeing all of the amazing things that other people create, and putting their own unique twist on things. Having a small business is no small feat, there is so much that goes into the behind the scenes and I have so much respect for each and every maker that puts their heart into their products. IT'S THE BEST! That is one great thing that has come from the pandemic is that people are choosing to support local business rather than the big box stores, and that makes my heart so happy! <3 Like seriously, so happy!
I started sewing at my kitchen table, it was always covered in fabric, thread and anything sewing related -- We never ate actual food at the table.. thats just CRAZY! anyways after Jon finally had enough of that he helped me set up a cute little corner in the basement, which worked for a while...but It was quite dark down there & I never seemed to actually get down there to sew.
I then had a bright idea to move all of the girls bedrooms down to the basement and WA-LA I got a main floor sewing room!!!! We ripped up the pink stained carpet, put down some new flooring & a fresh coat of paint and I was the happiest girl in all of the land, or at least in Manitoba!
. 
My Sewing room has changed a little bit since these pictures, It's a smaller room so I have to make the most out of every inch of space, but it is still my happy place.
About 2 years ago I really started struggling with anxiety and 1 year ago, I had my first panic attack. I didn't want to go anywhere, see anybody or do anything really. When I say my sewing room is my happy place, i mean it. I can go in there, and put my headphones on and turn on an audio book and just forget about the world. It's so relaxing for me. Sewing helped bring joy back into my life.
I got my embroidery machine a few months ago, I have been wanting one for quite a while. I mostly just wanted the capabilities to personalize ALL THE THINGS!!!
I love having all girls -- I get to teach them to sew & bring them along to all the fabric stores. They have recently shown an interest in sewing, and I bought them a little Janome Sewing machine last year & I love watching them try new things & cut up fabric and just sew to see what it turns into! It's such a great outlet.
Anyways all this to say - I'm glad you are here and I look forward to growing this little business of mine and making new connections along the way! <3
Thankyou for following along.
-- Becky
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