Dannevirke: Sharyn takes craft to next level

Hayley Crosse with the woollen beads her mother turns into jewellery.

Sharyn Crosse has ditched the docking on the family farm to develop a craft business in Kinuck Kreations. But her passion for wool ensures she uses 100 per cent New Zealand merino and other wools as well as silk to create felted bags, scarves and jewellery.

And husband and sheep and beef farmer Bob is thrilled with his wife's growing business.

"It's great she's finding a use for wool. It's what we need," he said.

Sharyn has always been a keen crafter and has won all the major handicraft prizes at the Dannevirke and Districts A&P Show.

"I'm a hands on person who would rather knit than read," she said. "I did craft work when I lived in Canada where a friend talked me into having a stand at a Christmas market. I started making polar fleece blankets and quillos (blankets with pillows) then slowly moved from making baby stuff to jewellery."

Wool has always been a passion but it's not just sheep which inspire Sharyn. "I've four alpacas and make things from their fleece too," she said.

And Sharyn says taking the steps from being a farmer's wife to becoming a businesswoman has been quite hard.

"It's been hard work to learn to be a businesswoman and get out there and market my products," she said.

"But, hopefully, the products I'm making now will be my bread and butter. I've been playing at this for a long time and now it's time to crank it up."

Doing the rounds of the craft markets has its ups and downs and Sharyn says when the sales don't come, she has to be realistic and not get down-hearted.

"This is my passion, but I do work around family and farm," she said. "I've all sorts of ideas and would like to do more but life gets in the way."

Sharyn's crafting has taken over her house and a workshop will be a must-have as sales grow.

With daughter Hayley spending her school holidays working on a Facebook page for the business, Sharyn is looking at options to take her business to the next level.

"I want to make kits for others who would like to make their own products, but that's on the back-burner at the moment, as I concentrate on building my stock," she said.

"I'm excited by the prospects for the future and I've just got to find the right outlets for what I make."