FAST Member Interview- Beth of Jus Shar Designs

If you’re a member of FAST and would like to be featured in the weekly interview, visit this thread in the yahoo group to get the questions, then send your answers (and a picture or two if you’d like) to me at merigreenleaf[at]yahoo.com (or a convo to merigreenleaf). These will be posted in the order I receive them.

And now, without further ado, our first featured team member!

What is your name?
Beth Newbern-Hallam

What is your Etsy shop? Does your shop name have a meaning?
My Etsy shop ID is PSBBDesigns, but my business name is Jus Shar Designs. Jus is for my grandfather Justin, and Shar is for my mother Sharon. I mainly make knit and crochet items.

Besides your Etsy shop, do you sell anywhere else? Do you have a website or blog?
I used to sell for years (8 yrs) on eBay. I have a website (http://www.JusSharDesigns.com), and I have a blog (http://jusshardesigns.blogspot.com/).

How long have you been making art/crafting? What was the first thing you remember making?
Well, I started my online business in 1996, but I’ve been knitting and crocheting since I was 10/11. I’m 42 now.

What kind of fiber arts do you do? If different from the previous question, what was the first fiber art thing you made?
I sew, knit, and crochet. The first thing I remember making was a crocheted scarf for my grandmother one Christmas when I was 11. In actuality, it was probably more useful as a bookmark.

What’s your favorite thing to make?
The easiest are scarves, but I LOVE making sweaters and socks.

(Click the below link to read the rest of the interview)

What do you think is the strangest or most unusual fiber arts item you have made or been asked to make?
Nothing out of the ordinary. I feel a little left out.

Where is the craziest or most interesting place you’ve ever crocheted, knitted, felted, spun yarn, etc?
I don’t think it’s “odd”, but on an airplane.

What is your favorite place to work?
I have a special chair in my studio that is my designated “knitting chair”. No one else sits in it….like Archie Bunker’s chair.

What inspires you? Where does your inspiration come from?
I just want to keep this art alive. The fact that so many people find knitting and crocheting fascinating tells me that not enough people do it. That’s sad to me.

What is your favorite color? Do you tend to work with that color, or do you find yourself working with other colors?
I tend to gravitate towards earth tones and neutrals. I LOVE ombres and variegateds. I don’t know why….I just do.

Do you prefer a specific type of fiber?
I’d love to work with more wool and alpaca, but the opportunity rarely presents itself.

Is there any other kind of art (fiber-related or not) that you’d like to learn?
I’d like to become more proficient at smocking. I know how, just not as well as I’d like. Especially picture smocking.

Tell us a bit about yourself- where do you live, what’s your job, do you have a spouse/children/ pets, any other hobbies, that kind of thing.
I live in IL with my husband, three kids (12,16,17), and a beloved cat. I’m “from” Maine, and will return there to live someday soon. Even though I went to school to become a Computer Network Engineer, my job is being a wife and mother and running my business.

Tell us one quirky thing about you (or one thing no one knows about you).
Quirky? I’m not considered your “average” mom. My kids friends all adore me (they call me mom). They even request me at their school when a sub is needed. I’m a take-charge kind of person, don’t delegate well at all, and tend to what to take control of a situation to make sure it’s done right. I’m an ISTJ personality if that means anything to anyone.

Do you have any advice for other fiber artists? Have any craft room, storage, or other tips?
Plastic storage bins and shelving units have been an amazing help to me. Also, those HUGE zip-loc storage bags. I keep WIP in there, and hang them up. I also suggest cleaning and purging your work area/room at least twice a year.

Tags: etsyfast, member interview

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 at 4:11 pm and is filed under featured member. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.