FPK: A History Lesson

  I know it's been a while since I've had much of a presence online, and it's time that all changes (I hope).

I think we'll kick this post off with a little FPK history lesson.  Here it goes:

Back in 2009, I discovered Etsy. I was fascinated by the idea of being able to create and be a part of a community of makers.  I've always enjoyed 'doing'- making things with my hands and having a tangible product for my work.  I love to be able to stand back at the end of a day and have a sense of pride in the work I can clearly see before me.

Although I had a full time career at the time, I still had time on my hands.  I was looking for the creative outlet that my job lacked in providing me, and I found it in Etsy.  I opened my shop and started designing some simple chunky knits that were easy to get on and off the needles.  I poured myself into branding my products and loved the rush of a sale (even if they were very few and far between).

A couple months after opening the Etsy store I started experimenting a bit with felting.  I had felted before, but I had a pair of ballet flats that I had a vision for.  I was hoping for a pair of slippers that looked just like them- basic flat, single strap with button across the toe.  The French Press Felted Slippers were born and soon selling like hotcakes.

It was fun for a while, but our house kind of turned into a slipper factory.  My husband and I both worked full time jobs and would come home every night to 'knitting time'.  I'm pretty sure I had us on some kind of quota to meet.  Oh yeah-  Did I mention that Joe had to learn to knit so I could meet this slipper quota?

It wasn't long before knitters started contacting me about the slipper pattern.  They all seemed to suggest that I get on Ravelry and offer the pattern up for sale.  At this point, I had heard of Ravelry, and had actually logged on... and quickly turned away because I thought there would be too much of a learning curve.  I was busy enough between my job and this Etsy world, right?!

Wrong!  (You knew that was coming, right?!)  I started by posting some FO's.  Many were projects I had whipped together for the Etsy shop, slippers included.  The love from knitters started pouring in. Again, I was asked to write up the pattern and decided it was time to go for it.

So, that being said, let' talk a little about my French Press Felted Slipper Pattern.  Can I admit that it's not your typical knitting pattern?  I wrote this pattern long before I knew about tech editors and test knitters.  My confidence in publishing came from the fact that I had knit about 200 pairs and could orally recite the pattern to you if I needed to.  It doesn't look like a standard knitting pattern, and more like a step to step guide to making felted slippers, with many pictures along the way.  Updating the pattern has always been on my 'to-do' list, but I don't want to completely lose what it is.

  Anyway, soon after publishing my first couple patterns, I started to immerse myself in the world of Ravelry and it literally changed my life.  Knitting became my passion, and the knowledge I acquired from forums, patterns, and conversations with other knitters taught me so much about this new obesession.  

I stayed active with the blog and knitting, but 2010 brought more change for our family.  2010 was the year we became parents.  

At first, things were no big adjustment.  I was on maternity leave and my very cooperative little one would sleep most of the day and I knit like the wind.  But before too long, I was back to work.  

And then soon after that, Elise was on the move.  And somehow, we managed to have 3 kids in 3.5 years.

If all this wasn't crazy enough, there were even more changes coming for the Bernardi family.  For the past 10+ years, my husband and I have worked with the high school youth group at our church.  Through these interactions with students, my husband decided to go back to school to become a teacher.  He left his family company, where he has worked his whole adult life to gain experience in a school system and then enrolled as a full time graduate student.

So the big question over the past few years has been: Where does FPK fit in to our lives?!

To be continued...

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