Ama Nomad

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I am an ardent traveler and explorer – always seeking out another adventure, new places and new people to visit - a true nomad at heart. And, for as long as I can remember, I have had a pair of knitting needles in my hands. Throughout my career I have worked passionately to weave these two interests into a successful career. 

In 1980, as a young 20 year old, I moved to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to teach 3rd grade in the American school. That next summer, with free time and most of my savings in hand, I set off to backpack through Peru. When I reached Lima I met a group of women who made their living knitting – and they invited me to spend the afternoon with them. An afternoon stretched into four days of working along side them – and learning about their lives and how they worked. This chance meeting would change my life and launch my career.

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Before continuing on with my travels, I sketched the design for my first sweater on a piece of scrap paper and asked the women if they could make it. They laughed shyly but agreed.  Astonishingly the sweater was finished with a few tweaks close to perfection when I returned a month later from a backpacking trip to Argentina. By the end of that summer, I knew I wanted to design my own sweaters for the U.S market and produce them working with the amazing knitters I had befriended in Peru.

I began small by designing children's sweaters that I would bring back and sell in New England.

Fast forward thirty years - and many growing pains and very happy memories - later. The six knitters (who are still with me today) grew to over 200 knitters and a team of great yarn manufacturers. My women's and children's knitwear were sold in over 1200 speciality stores as well as a many well known catalogs and private label clients in the United States, Germany, Finland and Sweden.

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Ama Nomad is my newest business venture.  A smile comes to my face when I think about surrounding myself in a world of continual creation. My one size fits all garments and accessories have made the manufacturing life more streamline. Our one-of-a-kind “up-cycled” earrings are fun and fresh and embrace the beautiful colors and fabric designs I have found in Peru, Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia.

I work from my studio on Martha’s Vineyard in the Summer and Fall and bring my work on the road with me as I travel in the winter months while working with the artisans. I have a wonderful team I work with - for whom I am forever grateful. I continue to work with wholesale and private label clients.

I share my life with my amazing son whose love is tuna fishing off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and my gregarious, patient, partner of over 30 years who continues to support me in my nomadic life.