Karen Avena, the Arts Council of Scotland County’s March Artist of the Month, has turned her dining room table into a workspace for her creations. She sales her works through her “tiny business” Stitch and Stuff.
Stephanie Walcott | The Laurinburg Exchange
Karen Avena is the Arts Council of Scotland County’s March Artist of the Month. Her work will be on display at 131 S. Main through the end of March. ACSC is open for viewing Avena’s work Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Stephanie Walcott | The Laurinburg Exchange
LAURINBURG — Karen Avena, the Arts Council of Scotland County’s March Artist of the Month, practices an art form most of us can’t pronounce.
“Amigurumi is a traditional Japanese art form that involves crocheting or knitting small stuffed figures- typically animals or characters- with an emphasis on adorable, exaggerated features,” Avena explained.
Avena, who moved from Connecticut to Laurinburg four years ago, was inspired to start creating amigurumi two years ago “… after seeing the wonderful … creations my daughter had made.” Her daughter, who still lives in Connecticut, had learned to crochet as a youngster, taught by her paternal grandmother.
Avena, however, did not know how to crochet. Fortunately for her, the Laurel Hill Community Center was offering free crocheting classes.
“I bought some crochet hooks and went to a few of those classes and learned the basics. Then I continued on my own and consulted my daughter if I ran into a problem,” she said.
The Laurinburg resident soon became “hooked” on the craft.
“I was captivated by the creativity and craftsmanship,” Avena said. “Crocheting soon became more than just a hobby. It became a means of expressing my creativity and a therapeutic escape from the stresses of daily life. I often say that I crochet because it’s cheaper than therapy.”
Because she has a disability and cannot work, Avena decided to turn her hobby into a “tiny business” she calls Stitch and Stuff. Her workspace is set up in her dining room. She buys patterns and stores them on her phone and gets all her yarn from Joann’s. She often works 6 to 8 hours a day creating amigurumi. Some smaller pieces, like her jellyfish poppers, take only an hour to make, while bigger pieces like the lion might take a few days.
Avena said she tried more traditional crocheting projects like blankets but found them boring and time-consuming. She said she enjoys sharing her amigurumi with others and bringing joy to children and adults.
She is now an active participant in local craft events and has become well-known for her creations. The Suds and Swine festival just commissioned her to make 30 little pigs to be given to contestants in the BBQ contest, and she donated a crocheted flower bouquet to United Way to use as a prize for their Bags, Bottles, & Bingo fundraiser. She also sells her wares at the farmers’ market, Christmas on Main, Suds and Swine, and other local events. She also has a Facebook page for the business.
Olivia Fitzgerald of ACSC said, “Karen was chosen as Artist of the Month because we saw her work when she was a vendor for Christmas on Main and thought it was just beautiful. We noticed a lot of people gravitated towards her booth and really seemed to love her creations.”
Her work will be on display at 131 S. Main through the end of March. ACSC is open for viewing Avena’s work Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.