WHGH

I first started making mittens from my grandfather's old green cardigan.  He had passed away and I would wear it occasionally, but I found by making mittens, I could wear them more often than the sweater and feel close to him whenever I wore them.  I made some for friends and family after that and then tried a small craft sale.  People seemed to like them, and I've been making mittens ever since-10 years now!  I expanded my sweater idea to other upcycled materials like flannel shirts, wool blankets, and winter coats.  However, one of my favorite materials is hockey socks.  I make mittens out of hockey socks for numerous high schools, and teams throughout MN, and look forward to expanding that part of the business! In the past few years, my family and I have taken our business to select elementary schools to talk to 3rd graders about starting a small business and how we make mittens.  Every student makes their own pair of mittens--picking out a sweater outer, a colorful fleece liner, and decorative buttons.  Last year we donated over 300 pair of mittens to 3rd graders and hope to expand this program in the years to come!