Open for business | Handmade In Albania

It's November!  It's almost Thanksgiving!! The mandarins are ripe, the lemons are ready and the grape leaves have almost completely fallen.  For me, though, this time of year also means the Handmade in Albania store is open for business.

This project has been near and dear to my heart since launching the project my first winter here, five years ago.  I love connecting my neighbors in Albania with my friends in America.  I get a thrill every time I find a notification in my e-mail box that something has sold.  I hold my breath until the day the shop closes, praying for new customers (because surely all my friends and family have so many scarves from years' past that they can't possibly have room for another), that our sales will be good, and that the women will get a decent compensation for their hard work.  You could say my faith grows with theirs as we see God's provision for their families.

These women do whatever they can throughout the year to help make ends meet.  The profits from these Christmas sales have helped them pay down debts, purchase rugs for their floors, pay for medicine for sick kids, heating oil for their homes.... and the list goes on.

This year God's provision has come in another form than 'just' sales... this year we have a new colleague, Tiffany, who has joined the project!  She has been invaluable to helping manage the inventory, posting it to the website, and helping in marketing.  That means that a project that used to consume ALL my time this month has been made much less burdensome.  It also means the women have another "ambassador" on their behalf.  Already Tiffany has connected us to a new Christmas market in Tirana next month.  We LOVE any opportunity we have to sell more here in Albania.

Tiffany and Linda numbering product after I photograph it on the model, Linda's daughter, Ami

Not only do the women find it a creative outlet to make these products, but I get to flex my creativity too through photography and marketing.  Their work is truly beautiful and I hope the images I take do it justice through the images captured and the promotions we send out.

For two of the knitters, we use their daughters as models... I love that it their daughters have involvement too (and it helps us remember which products were made by whom :-) )

Tiffany also got roped into modeling :-)  since Roshi's daughters are now married and living out of town.

We also have a number of baby items.  This piece is modeled by Arjana's 7-month old grandson, Noel.  He was as photogenic as his mama, my most experienced model.

It's gratifying when we get messages from clients in the States who tell us that they pray for Albania or they pray for the woman who made their piece whenever they wear it.  It also means so much too when others share the project with their friends and neighbors.  The only way we will be able to grow it to include more knitters is if we can 'expand our market.'

This year we had several pieces made from one of three different yarns.  We chose to put them in collections inspired by different regions in Albania.  The yarns are incredibly soft and wildly popular at the local craft fairs where we have shown them.  I made three brief Instagram-style promo videos highlighting the pieces... Give them a watch and do a bit of 'armchair' traveling to Albania!







If you have seen something you like, for yourself or someone else, we have a delivery going to the States in early December.  Just place your order by December 6!  Thanks for your support of HIA (Handmade In Albania!).  We hope that your purchase keeps you warm, inside and out, as you wear something cozy that has helped someone else.

www.HandmadeinAlbania.org