I’m Fatou, the creator and half of KonaThreadsCo. I am a teacher by day, a crocheter by night, and a full-time lover of food. I love crocheting and am so happy to have the opportunity to share one of my passions with the whole world. I run our shop with Hatou, my little sister and right-hand chick, and together we create home goods, such as decorative pillows, throws, and blankets, that are inspired by our Soninke culture and our childhood.
Hatou is an academic enthusiast who is currently completing her Master's degree in Public Administration. Crochet has always interested her, and in recent years, she has mixed that interest with our Soninke culture, drawing inspiration from textiles and indigo dyeing. Hatou is our designer extraordinaire and creates a few pieces in our shop.
What do you make?
We make crocheted home goods, more specifically blankets and pillows. My sister and I have crocheted for most of our life, but we just opened our Etsy shop in March 2021.
What are your hobbies?
Outside of running the Etsy store, teaching full-time (Fatou), and completing a Master's degree (Hatou), we love to exercise, read, hike, enjoy food (lots of it) and spend time with family.
What is the hardest part of running your own business? We're not big social media users, but we know how useful social media can be in terms of marketing and presence. We are learning as we go, and we are trying to be comfortable with being uncomfortable #luvvieajayi!
What advice would your current self give your beginner self?
Stick with it, and ask for help.
You have 100$ to spend at the art supply store. What's in your basket?
All the yarn in the world!
Which of the pieces you've created is your favorite?
Hatou makes these beautiful and bold pillows that I just adore.
What are your go to snacks while creating?
Chips all the way. Miss Vicky's are the best ones out there!
Have you taken classes or are you self taught?
Our mother first introduced us to textile, more specifically the Soninke tradition of indigo dyeing. We tried it, but we sucked so she did what her grandmother did with her, which was to teach us crocheting.
Where do you find inspiration?
Inspired by our West African heritage, more specifically our Soninke background, and united by our craft, we create cozy, one-of-a-kind home accessories to brighten your life.
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