Adventure begins with the freedom to be yourself!
My story…
It begins with the first thirty years of my life on Long Island, New York. The son of Polish immigrants, my childhood was deeply influenced by my family and culture, their work ethic and perseverance an inspiration to me. My days were filled with tasks like gardening, sewing, cleaning, cooking, and baking, essentially a busy time and a time of constant learning, yet this was very rewarding.
The concept of sitting behind a desk to make a living was foreign to my family and I saw how important it was for them to be creative and satisfied with a good day's work. It became important to me to honor them by becoming the first in my family to earn both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree.
My professional journey began in publishing and graphic design which naturally led me to a career in Information Technology (IT). That path briefly intersected with corporate America before a move to New Orleans in 2000. This new place marked a new chapter in my life. It was there I found love as well as the freedom to embrace my vibrant and colorful true self. I continued with IT consulting work, shared my knowledge as an adjunct instructor at Tulane University, and pursued my passion for professional photography. Taking photos evolved from a hobby to a career, and felt like a calling. I went on to win national awards for both portraiture and landscapes.
Despite all of these rewarding pursuits, I still yearned for something more, a deeper connection to my creative roots, specifically my passion for textiles, sewing, and tactile artistry. Quilting and machine embroidery became a joyful outlet for me, allowing me to craft beautiful quilts and bond with my mother, a skilled quilter and seamstress. Her influence was woven into my life from an early age; my mind filled with memories of joining her on many fabric store trips and always staying close by her side at the sewing machine.
Rick Najdzion, owner
In 2012, I discovered the fun and fascinating world of knitting. I quickly became immersed in the diverse community of video podcasters and knitting vlogs. Learning from talented creators, I soon started attending fiber festivals, taking knitting classes, and participating in knitting retreats. My first retreat, held in Eastern Tennessee, was an unforgettable early autumn weekend where I was the sole man among 99 women!
In the fall of 2014, I began sewing simple drawstring knitting project bags and opened an Etsy shop. By May 2015 I officially launched WhimzeeStitches Designs and introduced my original and innovative clear-vinyl drawstring project bags with a 360-degree window. In June 2016 I set up my first booth at a fiber festival in Mississippi and fully dedicated myself to crafting project bags in my New Orleans home studio. The summer of 2019 brought another exciting step in my journey with the launch of my hand-dyed yarns. Seeing others utilize my yarn to create beauty has been a highlight of this venture.
Today my business offers an extensive selection of handcrafted project bags for knitting, crochet, and needlepoint enthusiasts, along with small-batch, hand-dyed yarns in a variety of bases. My collection is complemented by a range of curated knitting and crochet accessories. As a solopreneur, my days are filled with creativity and delight —whether I’m sewing, dyeing yarn, baking, or perfecting the art of home-brewed lattes. My love for this business grows with each passing day, and I enjoy finding inspiration from the vivid world of fabrics, fiber arts, photography, and travel. I hope my journey inspires you too!
My creative spaces…
Every morning, I take ten steps from my bedroom to my in-home studio, a space that has evolved over the past decade. It began modestly with a used sewing cabinet from a quilting friend and a plastic folding table for cutting. Several years ago, I decided to revamp the room completely, installing new flooring, shelving, cabinets and drawers to organize everything. This dedicated and organized creative space has been instrumental in building my business to its current success. My day typically starts and ends in this studio space checking emails, making my to-do lists and creating many project bags. My first creative love has always been fabric and sewing, this probably explains my obsession with acquiring more fabric than one human can possibly cut and sew into bags within my lifespan. I thoroughly enjoy pulling fabrics from my wall, laying it out on the cutting table and imagining the new bags I can create from each pattern.
Additionally, I have a dedicated undyed yarn storage and yarn dyeing space. This allows me to keep the sewing and finished goods areas separated. It has worked out very well and allows me to keep tasks separated for the different aspects of my business. Hand dyeing yarn is a creative outlet for me, inspired by the bold and vibrant colors of nature, travel and whimsical fantasy. Most of my hand dyed yarns are dyed in small batches - 10 to 30 skeins per batch, sometimes larger batches are dyed for show colorways or collections.
