Feature Friday: Eric and Dustin of KnitsbyED

Eric  and Dustin of Knits by ED features fun knit toys along with a sampling of gorgeous vintage finds. Learn more about him below:
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1.Who are you and what do you sell?

We are Knits by ED; a small town business, producing hand-knit plushies and home décor made from recycled materials. We can recycle any blankets, clothes, knitted items, and even plastic bags. The items are cut into strips (or in the case of knitted items they are simply unraveled) and attached at the ends to create yarn; then we can turn that yarn into unique creations and critters.

2.What inspired you to get started in your craft?

We got a lot of our inspiration from our childhood memories with stuffed plushies, Beanie Babies, and the like. But we really wanted to start our business to help save our environment. Most of the materials used to make our items are recycled. We wanted to turn plastic bags, old sweaters and other knitted items, and even old t-shirts into something useful and memorable instead of them ending up hidden in the back of the closet, or stored away forever in the garage, or even worse, littering our precious Earth.

3.What is your favorite part of your process?

Our favorite part of our craft is seeing the joy that one Knits by Ed creation can bring to a person and knowing that we’re helping the environment in the process.

4.Handmade: What inspires you the most while you create?

We gain a lot of inspiration from nature and animals. We have two cats running around at home plus multiple aquatic critters. Whether it’s from the sea, the sky, or land, all of Earth’s creatures are beautiful and deserve to be recognized and kept safe.

5.If you could pick, what is your most favorite item in your Etsy shop?

Our favorite items to create are the octopi. We love them all too much to pick just one, though!

6.Got any social media links?

Please like us at www.facebook.com/knitsbyed.

7.Anything else that you want to share?

10% of all sales from Knits by Ed are donated to Oceana to help maintain our oceans. We’re just two guys running a small business in a very small town but we believe that everyone can make a difference when it comes to keeping our planet clean and beautiful!