Woven Wonders

Krysta Anderson, Outlook Writer jamaica news
Administrative assistant by day, devoted mother and wife by night. But in-between, Michelle Witter is an avid crochet jewellery maker. She has woven her crochet hobby into a true work of art and now has her own crochet fashion line.
"I used to crochet to just pass the time because it is so therapeutic and soothing and, to be honest, I was not so good at it at first. I got by and then it became more natural to me. God has truly increased my talents, and I have exceeded my own expectations," Witter told Outlook.
Her insatiable appetite for crochet started a little over a year ago, and she has been enjoying every minute of it ever since.

"I did not think I would be able to make such beautiful things. But, once I got started and saw the fruits of my labour, I just could not stop," she confessed.
She attributed the decision to transform her hobby into a profitable venture to a suggestion by a friend. She told Outlook that her family has been very supportive of her new business venture.
"They have been extremely encouraging, staying up and burning the midnight oil with me." Her husband, she admits, is in charge of quality assurance, while her children assist her with the designs.
Witter's most popular creations are her earrings in various shapes, sizes, styles, and colours, designed to complement any outfit.
"I have the roots wear and the Jamaica wear, which comprises of matching red, green and gold, and black, green and gold earrings, chains and bracelets. I also have an earth-tone line, and I use any colour you can think of under the sun to make jewellery. It is all about fulfilling that design or colour scheme which speaks to me or my customers."
She also designs headbands, handbags, pouches, purses, belts, and incorporates just about anything, including gems and stones.
For Child Month, Witter has designed the most adorable line of baby accessories - shoes, hats, sandals and headbands. "It's brought me great joy to create a baby accessory line geared towards accentuating a child's natural beauty. I absolutely love babies, and having had a daughter and gone through the whole shopping experience, I wanted to provide a more affordable, economical and suitable option for mothers. The items are smaller and the material is a lot lighter. Plus, babies are fun and cute, so why not doll them up and make their accessories fun and cute?"
For summer, Witter also has a line of very attractive barefoot sandals, designed to take an ordinary swimsuit outfit to a whole new level.
"The barefoot sandals line is ideal for women going out for a day at the beach or attending a beach, pool or water party, who want to jazz up their swimwear by focusing on their feet. They can be worn with either plain sandals or by themselves."
Her crochet has also crossed over into household items in the form of coasters. "You know how most coasters are either made out of glass, plastic or board, and they do not really absorb water? Well, the crocheted coasters soak up the excess liquid from the glasses and mugs. They also keep the glasses or mugs in place, so there is no more shifting, and you can just wash and reuse as you please."
Witter's pieces are done to order and she also does custom designs. "I just want to continue to hone my craft and satisfy my customers at the same time," she ended.
Witter can be contacted at 377-9705, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EarringAndAccessories.