This is a photo of my Mother, Willis Ruby Williams probably taken in the 40's to send to my father during WWII. Isn't she beautiful?
It's still hard to believe that we lost her 25 years ago in March. Mother's Day is sad without her & tomorrow would have been her 88th birthday so it brings back so many memories of her. Some years her birthday would fall on Mother's Day but regardless, every year I made sure to do something separate for each occasion. Of course, all she really wanted was my company & my happiness. I am very blessed to have had such a wonderful woman as my Mother. I just wish I could have had her longer.
She was born in a small NC mountain town called Todd. Her father was killed in a traffic accident when she was 4 & her mother was pregnant with her brother. My grandmother remarried a man who lost his wife & had 4 small children to raise. Together, they had 3 more children. They were poor & farmed for a living so the more children, the better - 9 children are a lot of free farm labor.
You ate what you grew or raised. Chicken on Sundays & an orange for Christmas if you were lucky. They made all their clothes & of course, there were lots of hand-me-downs. Much of that hard learned knowledge is what she pased along to me although I didn't appreciate it so much as the time.
My mother taught me to crochet as a child, using string & my finger. I'm a leftie so I learned sitting across from her & watching her movements. She also taught me embroidery, sewing, cooking & canning. Her name was Willis Ruby & my company, Willie Ru Designs, is named for her.
Here is one of the few photographs I have of my Mother & I together. Neither of us really liked to have out picture taken. I'm guessing it's from the late 70's or early 80's based on the length of my hair.
I love to crochet! I find it relaxing & stimulating at the same time. I can't wait to finish a project just to see what it looks like. Often, the idea I start with isn't the same one I end with. Many of my creations have a Plan B, Plan C and sometimes it goes on and on until I like what I see. I rarely use patterns because I change my mind as I go along. I tend to jot down my own design instructions on little pieces of scrap paper or old envelopes that I may never find again, or if I do, have no idea what they mean.
Yarn is my biggest vice. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to buy much recently but luckily, I have quite a collection or stash, as we adicts refer to it. I also have a large stash of fabrics...
I have a weakness for the unique & one-of-a-kind & handmade. Always have. This also translates into my yarns. I love handspun & hand dyed yarns. I love supporting other women owned small businesses who make a living spinning & dying yarn. It may cost a little more but we all need to support each other.
I love vivid, intense colors & texture. I love the unexpected. I like high quality materials to work with which doesn't necessarily mean expensive but it needs to hold up with wear & time. I love fun & functional accessories & that's what my creations are all about.
I sell most of my work on Etsy - mostly scarves & cowls. Here's a link to my Etsy shop.
Willie Ru Designs
Here are a few of my favorites available now in my Etsy shop.
Many thanks & Happy Mother's Day!