Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Thiessen Howard.
Hi Hannah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started knitting at a very young age, around 8 years old, and fell in love with it as a hobby. It became more for me in college when I realized I wanted to have a career in the knitting and yarn space, but there weren’t really options within the degree for that. I ended up dropping out and began freelancing, and have been a truly remote worker for much of my 15 year career, working with a lot of different companies to create everything from marketing content through to the physical products. I love the yarn and fiber industry because it’s a tangible product you can trace from start to finish–literally from sheep to skein.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Dropping out of college and trying to pursue work in a niche space was not easy a lot of the time. I worked other part-time jobs while working my way up and through this space. The yarn and fiber industry is full of a lot of small businesses on equally small budgets. Working in fiber, I had to really figure out how to get creative for myself and my clients when it comes to deliverables, time management and financial constraints. I think this is good because it actually has prepared me for almost anything a start-up can throw at me!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In the midst of working on other people’s dreams within this space, I started to feel my own voice emerging and wanted to stretch my wings by writing a book. Slow Knitting, published in 2017, introduces readers to the stories and styles of small industry brands and designers. At the time, many of the companies were still up and coming and now have become anchor businesses in our industry. Through the writing of this book, I found that I really wanted to dedicate my work towards promoting and talking about smaller production fibers, farm fibers and thoughtfully designed and sustainably produced materials.
My second book, Seasonal Slow Knitting, came out in 2020 and is a walk through the year through the lens of knitting as a craft. The idea was to create a really beautiful, contemporary and secular take on the annual cycle of being a knitter. I’m really proud of this book because I designed all the patterns and really pushed myself as a writer to share my voice.
Now, I’m probably best known for publishing beautiful books and really capturing the visual and mood elements of crafting that are more intangible. I love highlighting these moments of awe and wonder that we experience through simple pleasures. My current projects include two new books (2026 and 2027) and a new book about SPAIN for my travel-and-craft series.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since working in this space is that many, many people never give themselves permission to rest or slow down. Our culture, especially in the United States, is hustle-forward and puts a lot of pressure on individuals to monetize their hobbies, expand their options for income and make more money. I think a lot of us as we age discover that not all wealth is financial, and having time to make something meaningful with your hands is a luxury. The idea of luxury has really changed for me through crafting and working in craft. Now the luxury is having time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.slow-knitting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahbelleknits
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hannahbelleknits
- Other: https://www.byhandserial.com
