Interview With Moop Shop
Wendy who runs Moop Shop is pretty incredible. She took her hobby of sewing and managed to turn it into a very successful business. I finally had the chance to meet with her at a recent gathering where I had the opportunity to chat about Moop and how she ended up here in Pittsburgh. She took some time out from her busy schedule do to an interview with Steeltown. So take a peek:
All photos are taken by Terra McBride
How was Moop born: Moop began in a converted mill building in Western Massachusetts. I had been studying photography for many years and was always drawn to exploring textiles through photographs. I was particularly interested in garment construction, textile labor practices and the representation of textiles /clothing /garments / women through images. I had been sewing dresses out of non-traditional textile materials such as paper bags, handmade pom pons, tyvek and various other things to use as props in photographs.
Out of a purely utilitarian need I sewed a few pieces of fabric together to make a tote bag for school. I received many compliments on it but never took it seriously as something that I would do for other people. About a year later – after our relocation to Massachusetts from Ohio – I was completely unemployable with two degrees in photography and searching for ways to make my practice as an artist make sense with my need to support myself and my family. It was out of this need that I began to reconsider what my studio practice was. I set up shop online and started Moop. At the time I was not even completely sure what Moop would be and my self taught sewing skills were rather rudimentary. But, Moop grew…a lot! So, I started investing in proper equipment, honed my skills and started learning how to really run a business and build a brand.
How do you like living and owning your business here in Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh is a great place to run a small business. Space is available and there is a lot of support for creatively driven lifestyles.
You have been featured in several publications and blogs, how did you start getting out the word about Moop: Through… well… blogs! Blogs are internet-word-of-mouth. We feel very grateful that so many people have taken an interest in what we’re doing and love working with bloggers.
When creating a bag, what is your process: I’m continually building upon what I already know. Elements from each design carry over into new designs, as well as techniques and construction methods. I also listen to what my customers are asking for and try to work in highly requested features or styles.
Tell us some of your favorite objects in your studio: I firmly believe in investing in the proper tools. The most used (and loved) piece of equipment in our studio (aside from our sewing machines) is our cutting table. It is a table that was designed and built by my husband. It has a large 4 foot by 8 foot cutting surface with a rack system to hang 60″ wide bolts of fabric from (which can weigh up to 80 pounds!). This allows us to roll out and cut fabric directly from the bolt which makes the cutting process easier and helps to eliminate fabric waste.
Name 5 albums you listen to while you create:
We have a bunch of people working in the studio at any given time – all with different ideas of what the audible environment should be so I have given the listening choices over to my assistants and generally do not intervene in what they would like to have as their sound landscape. I have tried to make a space that allows them to indulge in the things that interest them while they are working. Production sewing can often feel like tedious work so if it can be balanced with listening that empowers you to learn something new or be entertained in a positive way or to just take your mind off what you’re doing then the production side of things becomes much more enjoyable. We have an account with Audible.com and listen to lots and lots of audio books and lots of NPR (excited to have the new Essential Public Radio as part of the Pittsburgh radio community!!)
I want to sincerely thank Wendy for taking the time to do an interview with Steeltown! Funny fact is we both realized we lived in Western Massachusetts at the same exact time! She lived in Eastworks where I would visit different artists all the time. It makes you realize that this world can be small!
