Spotlight: ThreadRare

With wedding planning season in full effect, I thought it was the perfect time to share today's Spotlight artist with you, Jill of ThreadRare! She's fairly new to the Etsy scene and I'm sure you will fall in love with her gorgeous work just as quickly as I did. Her romantic accessories are created by hand with luxury fabrics and sweet, vintage accents and are perfect for weddings, formal events or everyday glamour!

Read on to learn more about how she got started, what she's learned in her six months on Etsy and what guilty pleasures she partakes in. You can also enter to win a beautiful silk lily clip!

Where are you from - originally and currently live?
I'm a Midwestern girl - Born in Minnesota, raised in South Dakota, and a resident of Nebraska for the last 10 years.

How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I began selling in November of 2009.

Do you sell on Etsy full time or do you have a day job?
I wouldn't call it a "full time" job, as I spend most of my time with my 19 month old son, but I work on my shop as much as I can in my free time. It's the only job I work on outside of the "stay at home mom" thing.

What, if any, formal training have you had in your craft?
I have a bachelor's degree in Textile and Apparel Design from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL). Beyond that, my experience in fashion and design includes an internship in Brooklyn, NY with a (now defunct) indie label, 2.5 years of managing a vintage costume collection for a university, and a business I owned for a couple years designing and sewing custom formal and wedding dresses.

What made you decide to open up shop on Etsy?
I decided to open a shop on Etsy because I was drawn to the idea of an online handmade marketplace. I'd never seen anything like it before, and after making a couple purchases I was hooked! I wanted to be a part of it and felt I had something to offer that fit the spirit of a handmade community. Plus, it gives me an excuse to accumulate a whole rainbow of silks!

Where did your shop name come from?
I enjoy a good play on words and I wanted to communicate a sense of uniqueness without actually using the word "unique" (I kind of hate that word). I literally looked up the word "unique" in a thesaurus and came up with "rare." I then brainstormed sewing/design/textile terms, came up with "threadbare," changed "bare" to "rare" and ThreadRare was born!

What inspires you?
I love love love antiques and vintage pieces, I've even considered going back to school to get a masters degree to become a curator for a textile museum (the Costume Institute in NYC would be a dream!). My parents have always collected antiques, so maybe it's genetic. I can find something to love in almost any era, so my style can be a little eclectic that way. I'm also drawn to very sculptural, architectural design, which I think comes through in my work. I'm not really a frilly person so I design for women who appreciate clean lines and simplicity.

What do you like least about your craft?
Since each piece I make takes quite a bit of time, it drives me crazy when something doesn't turn out. My tool is a sewing machine and sometimes it can be difficult to control. That and the fact that everything in sewing takes so much more time than you think it will!

Do you have any advice for other sellers on Etsy or those thinking about pursuing their craft?
I could write a book about what I have learned, and I've only been at it six months! My advice would be don't be afraid to put yourself out there and give it a shot, and don't be afraid to evolve. Your favorite thing may not be the big seller, and maybe it won't sell at all! If you truly want to have a business, you need to create for yourself AND your customer. That, and do your research! I read so many Etsy articles, blog posts, forum threads, etc. on selling advice and how-tos before I listed anything. I knew my photos had to be good, I needed content in my shop, and learned the power of social networking long before I ever had a sale! I felt a little more prepared and had a bit of a support system in place, which helped me survive as a newbie seller.

Favorite item you have bought from Etsy
I bought this Dachschund Wall Clock for my husband as a Father's Day gift (from our son) last year. It hangs in our dining room. I'm really not sure why everyone doesn't have one.

Five things you love
my boys (husband, son, and our dogs)
cupcakes (baking, decorating, eating)
vintage jewelry
blizzards (the storms, although ice cream is good, too)
New York City

Five things you don't
cooking
trashy reality shows
ignorance
waiting
broccoli

What is your favorite leisure time activity?
Reading and watching movies. I love to go to the movies in the theater!

Share some of your guilty pleasures
The Twilight Series (the books), ghost story TV shows, Sex and the City

Share some of your favorite music
If you're looking for something modern or different, you're asking the wrong person. I like Dave Matthews Band, Taylor Swift, some Lady Gaga... I have a pretty pedestrian taste in music.

What makes you angry?
People who think they have the right to be hateful because of their beliefs (religious or otherwise).

What would you like to learn to do?
So many things! Speak new languages, learn new musical instruments, learn how to cook really well...

What does the future hold for you and your shop?
I actually have some big changes in store for my shop. Fingers crossed that all goes well, but I'm hoping to introduce a line of short, modern wedding dresses to the shop, and possible some bridesmaid dresses as well. All custom and made to order, and in fabrics like cotton sateen and silk cotton blends. Sort of an off-beat look. And accessories to match, of course.

You can keep up with Jill and new happenings in her shop by visiting her blog or following her on twitter or facebook.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Jill is offering one lucky winner a small lily hair pin or clip in the color of their choice.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:
Please leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from ThreadRare AND ALSO answer the question, what is the best/most interesting wedding color palette you've seen?

You can enter once per day and YOU MUST INCLUDE your first name -AND- etsy username or email address with every entry. (If you are worried about email spam, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.)

Receive additional entries (one each) if you:

Follow or subscribe to this Blog, my Facebook or my Twitter

Follow or subscribe to Jill's Blog, Facebook or Twitter

(You DO NOT need to leave separate comments)

You have until Sunday, May 9 at 10 pm (est) to enter and I will announce the winner Monday morning. Good luck!