About

Hi, I'm Lori. 

I grew up in a time when we made most of what was needed. While my family didn’t have a lot of money, I was surrounded by the wealth of creative and industrious people who knew how to make ends meet.

My grandparents were caring and nurturing in their approach as they provided for their family. My grandfather grew most of our vegetables, we all picked berries, and my father fished and hunted wild game. Food was prepared, bottled, canned and frozen to stow away for later. As a very young child, I remember taking a bucket of kitchen scraps down to the garden to be put back into the soil. I was taught to respect Mother Nature as a living and viable source of life.

My mother and grandmother were seamstresses at a local business. At home our clothes and blankets were mended and passed down to be used by someone else. I sat next to my grandmother at her Singer foot-peddle sewing machine watching as she snipped and tucked fabrics to be re-sewn. It is with this same sense of practicality and purpose that I make for Wooly Tops. I aim to make things respectfully that will be passed from one generation to the next. I want my customers to love what they buy and appreciate the process and intention of creating it. 

I prefer to use fibers that are more natural and durable. Once I have the material in my hands and get to feel them, I get a sense of what I can make. Like my mother, who had to use what was on hand, I try to incorporate even the smallest bits of fabric and fiber to make something purposeful. While I am not as limited in supplies, I am mindful of using up what I have. This process of creating is much slower, but it is calming and meaningful for me. It is what feels right and connects me to my childhood. 

My business name Wooly Tops is a fond reminder of those early days, when Wooly was my high school nickname.