Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Bryant.
Hi Samantha, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I have loved crafts of all kinds or being in the creative realm and DIYing. I grew up in Rockwall and only left for college and then came back. My husband and I got married, quit our jobs, and moved to St. Louis within a 3 months’ time span. While very exciting to see a new city it was also lonely at times which is why I started playing around with macrame and weavings. I had spare time after my career job in commercial real estate and decided to teach myself. I watched videos upon videos and read tutorials on different knots and techniques and eventually made a few pieces for close friends. I realized I was pretty good at it and loved creating things for people.
Fast forward some months and I took the plunge and came up with my name of Knotsodope, got a creative friend to help me with branding and my logo, and started an Etsy shop. It has evolved in different ways and changed over time but that was in 2018 and I have been creating ever since! I love the feeling of creating something unique for a special place in someone’s home and them trusting me to do so. I have since moved back to Texas and am able to do more vendor fairs and interact with the people I make for, and I absolutely love it!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The beginning wasn’t necessarily a struggle but it was definitely a process in learning the actual techniques and how to do some of the knots. To be honest, I am still learning, there is so much in the fiber art world that you can keep expanding upon. However, just starting and putting myself out there was hard at first. Going for it and launching my brand, a new Instagram page, and an Etsy shop was really exciting and really nerve-racking but I am so glad I did it!
Today’s challenges are more of balancing it all. It is still my “side hustle” as I like to call it and I still work in commercial real estate full time. So, balancing what commissions you say yes to, which markets to sell at, and just my overall time is one of the main struggles. I have learned a lot about myself during the process though and having the demand is a great problem to have and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I like to call myself a fiber artist. I used to say macrame artist but I love all fiber mediums and like to create in multiple. I do custom weavings, and macrame wall hangings, and am starting to tuft which I hope will turn into selling beautiful rugs one day. I make small items like keychains, hat hangers, lanyards, earrings, plant hangers, and other items that would sell well at a market all the way to large-scale custom commission wall hangings for people’s homes or businesses.
I think I specialize in the people aspect of it all. I love creating and working with my hands but really getting to know a customer or client and creating that bond or friendship over something we both like is really special to me. I pride myself in making sure I create sustainable pieces and am quite the perfectionist as well. When someone asks me to make something custom for their home, I take that seriously and am passionate about getting it right.
I would say I am most proud of just going for it and starting something different than what others around me are doing. It has led to awesome friendships and projects along the way. My favorite being a piece for the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis out of ribbons that survivors, doctors, and loved ones had each written a message on. I was honored and humbled to be part of the project and the piece now hangs in the waiting room as a message of hope for all those who enter that treatment facility.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Specifically for learning macrame, I started with laundry rope until I got really good at the knots and was able to do repetitive patterns. I think this is a great way to learn without buying expensive cotton rope and wasting it. I also would recommend listening to business and entrepreneurial podcasts. It really flamed the fire for me and got me moving, creating, and pushed me to launch my brand. Later on, I did a lot of research on material suppliers and wish I would have known more about that at the beginning but there also weren’t a ton of people doing it or selling it at the time and it has grown so much since then.
Lastly, just enjoy the process. It’s fun stumbling your way through things and figuring it out on your own. It makes you feel that much more accomplished and it helps you have your own spin on things and not copying someone else’s style.
Contact Info:
- Email: knotsodope@gmail.com
- Website: https://knotsodope.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knotsodope/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knotsodope/
