Meet an Awesome New Artisan: Katie of KtOriginals

Katie, the owner of KtOriginals, is an awesome lady! Meet her today, and check out her shop.

Who are you? Describe yourself. 

    My name is Katie and grew up, and currently live in the Greater Cleveland area. I love to sew and I love creating bags and purses. I love those "must have" items that make you feel great, and I like to think I capture some of that in my handmade goods.

Floral Hobo Bag
 
What do you create, and possibly a few words to describe your art?

    I create anything that I can figure out how to make!  But sewing is my true love. I never went to school for fashion design, and the only sewing knowledge I have is from 8th grade, home, etc. So, I've learned from a lot from trial and error. I still don't have clothing conquered yet, but I have the purses and wallets down!


What inspires you, or turns on that creative light inside of you?

    I'm very easily inspired by friends, nature, fashion, and even my mistakes! I'm always brainstorming with friends on ideas that they think would be good for a bag. For example, after a long night of laughing and hanging out with my best friend, we may have been a little delirious, and we came up with the idea for the angry turtle. His face has popped up on a few wallets, zipper handle bags, even a few hoodies and a pair of pants!


Tell us about your style?

    I'd like to think that my style is girly and natural. I use a lot of earth tone fabrics and earthy themes, but still like to keep things girly and cute.

Mint Green and White Handbag

Is everyone in your family artistic?

    Both of my parents are very artistic. I was always drawing and doodling throughout elementary school and high school. Once I hit high school and had a little sewing experience from Home Ec., I started making purses and things out of old jeans. I would always sew on and off, but art was always my main focus. It wasn't until my first year of college that I realized fine art was not the way I wanted to go. I still kept sewing here and there, but I wasn't very serious about it. A friend of mine had asked if I knew anyone that was good with a sewing machine who would be willing to make purse and pouches for his store. I mentioned that I could sew but I was not a professional by any means! He gladly took my poorly made bags (poorly made at first, they very quickly improved!), and little by little, they started to sell. That was just the kind of motivation I needed and now I'm making things that I never thought I would be able to make.


What is unique about your products?

    Most bags that I make don't have a pattern to them (some do, like my tote bags and my zipper handle bags). With those bags, every one is different, so you're getting your own unique design. Some of the patchwork I do has no pattern to it, so each one of those are one of a kind.

Flying Bat Wallet

How did you come up with your shop name?

    Well, my niece use to live with me until she was about 3, and she would run around the house yelling "KAAAATTTTTTTTIIIEE!!!" at the top of her lungs, over pronouncing the "T" in my name. My sister started doing that to me all the time, and that turned into me putting K.t. on all of my price tags when I was vending at shows. Etsy doesn't let you use punctuation in you shop name, so the name somehow turned into KtOriginals.


What is your real world job? 
      SEWING!  =D


What are a few of your favorite pieces?

    One of my favorite wallets that I've ever made (was a) Hand Drawn Vintage Octopus Wallet. A friend asked if  I could make him an octopus wallet and it turned out to be one of my favorite designs!

    The Angry cloud tote is another one of my favorites. Angry Cloud Lightening Bolt Tote My best friend and I came up with the idea for it at 2 am during a thunderstorm where there was no rain. I free hand the cloud and lightening bolt, so no two angry clouds are the same.  


What has been your biggest challenge in developing your business?

    Staying on top of things and on track. I'm bad a sticking to my own schedules, so there are many days that I don't get anything done when I should. It's hard to stay motivated when you work from home and there's so many other things around to distract you.


Where do you see your work going in the next year?

    For now, I just take it day by day, trying to finish more items and list as many things on Etsy as possible. I want to have so many things made that I won't know what to do with it all, besides sell it!


What is your one tip for being successful at your work?

    Be confident in yourself and what you make. If you don't believe that your work is awesome, your customers won't either!


What is your one marketing tip for Etsy?

    TAKE GOOD PHOTOS!! I always try to keep in mind that my customer can't pick up my items and turn it around to see all angles, pockets and zippers.


I'm Seeing Stars Zipper Handle Bag


What are some other sites to find out more about you and your art?

    I have FaceBook with pictures of just about everything I've made and links to my Etsy. I also have a blog that I just started and am still getting use to.


What other interests do you have?

    I LOOOOOOOVE to cook! I love talking about food, making food and eating it.


Is there anything that you would like our readers to know about you, or that you would like to brag about?
    I am awesome.

What was you worst crafting disaster?

    I think when I tried knitting again (I haven't done it since I was about 5). I think I might be the only person in the world that can actually get anxiety from knitting!


What “super” power would you like to have and why?

    To fly, duh! Who wouldn't want to do that? 


What was an embarrassing moment in your life?

    Well this will be hard to pick since I embarrass myself everyday...

Girlie Pink and Black Spider Wallet 
Where would you go if you had a time machine and why?

    I would go back to when my parents were about 19- 21 (1960's- 1970's). I heard that they were hippies back in the day and I would love to see what they were like back then! And maybe steal some of my mom's clothes!


What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
    I've gone skinny dipping in my best friend's kiddie pool a couple of summers ago. That was just hilarious. I don't even think the water reached our knees.


What makes you laugh?
    Everything! I'm amused but little things all the time.


Take a minute and check out Katie's shop on Etsy, and browse through her sold items also, you will be glad that you did!