"Auntie Jill" is a company with just one employee: me. I design
every pattern from scratch, cut out each piece by hand, sew each animal together on a sewing machine one by one, and then
stuff them by hand, lift the fur out of every seam with a little tool, and last but not least: add a cute face freehand with
a needle and embroidery thread. So although I always strive for perfection and consistency, you are purchasing a completely
handmade item and each one is a little bit unique. I spent a lot of time finding the absolutely softest brands of minky
fabric and fiberfill. I make sure they are all machine washable and can even go in the dryer on cool settings.
My nieces and nephews have dozens of my creations, so I've learned over the years just where I need to put in a double
or triple seam to make sure each animal is super strong, no matter how rough play gets. And of course, I'm happy
to do custom requests - whether its a new color or an entirely new creation.
I
have always loved working with children and learning about their development both in the classroom and by direct experience.
In college I received a degree in Art, but balanced it with all the psychology classes that I could that related to children
and development. The two ideas compliment each other quite well, and the art training not only developed my sense of
color and design, but also fined-tuned my abilities in observation, so that I've been able to see some pretty subtle preferences
with children. The Snuggle Bunny was my first toy, created for children I knew, and based on what babies like.
I can't tell you why the Snuggle Bunny makes them laugh, but I know that it does
and that it has become the best pal of a lot of children. I know many adults who have bought them for themselves as
well!
I currently live in Pittsford, Vermont, and love it here! As I mentioned,
I received a degree in Art from UW Madison in 2002 and my focus was on oil painting. You can see my original oil paintings
at: http://www.MSeefeltGallery.etsy.com I also added a lot of childcare certification and crises training for various jobs I've had working with kids over
the years. I still work with kids as a private nanny too.
However, I come from a long line of women who found their voices in creating quilts, costumes,
and clothing for their families and have always tried to respect this heritage. They taught me that sewing is an art
of dignity, delicacy, and self expression. I learned to sew at the age of 4, and in college I began by sewing on my
oil paintings and eventually evolved into my fabric paintings that leave the paint behind.
Then I became an Auntie and found a whole new kind of inspiration in the laughter and silliness of my nieces and
nephews. For them, I began to create snuggly little toys with happy faces that would bring laughter and joy wherever they
went in the world. I hope they bring you just as much joy.
More places you can see my work:
