Latest / The Hands That Make / S1 E2: Tobey, High Country Women ~ When You Know, You Know; Building a Business Around Family Vision
Transcript
- Casey: Hi, and welcome to the Hands Up Make, a podcast for conversations about making things, running businesses, and raising our kids all at the same time. For this episode, I'm joined by Toby of High Country Women. Toby runs High Country Women alongside her good friend Katie, and together they write beautiful and timeless garment sewing patterns, curate heirloom fabric collections, and host in-person sewing workshops in the cutest little Wyoming town. Toby has so much insight and heart to share about balancing part time stay at home motherhood and part time business ownership, and I can't wait to share our conversation with you. yeah. Who who are you? What makes you you? I guess outside of your your business. So like what tell us more about Toby. Tobey: Yeah. Yeah, so I move I well like I guess I should start and just say that I live in a small town in Wyoming. I'm originally from the Midwest, as we were just talking about, but I live in a small town in Wyoming and I moved here after college. and I live here with my husband and my one-year-old daughter, and we have two cats and ten chickens. And I sort of moved here for a job after college. I just didn't know that knew that I didn't want to live in a big city anymore. I was living in Tucson, Arizona for school. and not sure I was ready to move home to the Midwest yet and found a job here and I met my husband the first night that I moved to town. So yeah, it was it was kind of meant to be and so We've been here since and in my free time I love to make anything and everything. So I really love to sew. I knit. I love to bake. And then my husband and I love to hunt together or rock climb or bike. So yeah, it's hard living away from family. Both of us live away from family because he's from the East Coast, but we love where we live, so Yeah. Casey: That's really cool. I've never been to Wyoming but it's definitely on my list. Like like Jackson Hole is something I f I feel like Tobey: Yeah. Casey: maybe it's on lots of people's lists, but definitely somewhere my husband and I have talked about. This is this is somewhere we Tobey: Yeah. Casey: need to check out at least one time. Tobey: Totally. It's so beautiful. Like there are so many places just the access to mountain to like the mountains that we have here are are crazy. And we de we're like two and a half hours from Jackson. but we just feel like we found this little like the town we live in is called Lander and we feel like we found this little like dream town where sometimes we're like is this place real? It's like when you watch a movie and everyone's just like you know the mailman is waving and you know everybody at the grocery store like it is definitely like that and there are for sure cons. to living in a very small town but for the most part it is like it is pretty magical and we have an awesome community here of young people and like so many of our friends here right now have kids the same age and so it's just it's really fun. Casey: Yeah, that is that's something that's just so valuable. Like having friends in the same stage as you and your kids are in the same stage. We just had friends Tobey: my gosh, yeah. Casey: over for my son's birthday party last night and it's just so special. It's you can't you can't put a value on that. Having community for you as adults and having just wholesome community for your kids. Top notch. Tobey: For sure. Yeah. It's like especially I think living not for us not living close to family. It's like we want to like I grew up so close to my cousins, you know? And I think we're probably not gonna have that for our kids because we're like we want to stay here and we're always trying to convince our our siblings to move out here, but probably that's important. But Casey: Yeah. Tobey: it's like, yeah, so important to have friends who feel like family. And yeah, just for you to be like, okay, is this happening with your kid right now? Because it's happening with my, you know, just like having Casey: Yeah. Tobey: that as a parent is also so nice. Yeah. Casey: Definitely. Yeah. Definitely. That's yeah, I can't I can't even just like put words to how special that is and how how valuable that is to have and especially Tobey: Yeah. Yeah. Casey: somewhere where you're not somewhere you found yourselves, not where Tobey: Yeah. Casey: family brought you or yeah, that's that's really cool. Tobey: Yeah, it's like having chosen chosen family, pretty much. Yeah. Casey: Yes, definitely. So yeah, tell us then more about your business. I it sounds like it's been yeah, I'd I'd I'd let you talk 'cause I've read a little bit of your the about your story on your website, but I'd love to Tobey: Mm. Casey: hear more from you. Tobey: Yeah, so I'm the co-owner of High Country Women, which is a company we do sewing patterns, so digital sewing patterns is kind of what we started with. And we've recently started selling fabric and we've done one workshop so far. But so pretty much I started this with my friend Katie. she's a really good friend of mine who also lives here in Lander. She's also from the Midwest. Casey: Very cool. Tobey: Yeah, and so we sort of bonded, Katie and I bonded here like I don't know maybe five years ago or something and became friends and then just a couple years ago we got a lot closer. We sort of like met up to sew together and we were like one winter we were like, let's make quilt coats. And so we like got together a handful of times and just like made these quilt codes together. And and yeah we sort of got to talking and wanted to both of us were in positions to like want to to kind of move on from what We were doing, and we're kind of trying to figure out what's next. and we decided to work together, and it's been like the best decision I ever made working with her specifically and just having a business partner. so it's been really fun. And actually, speaking of like having friends, you know, who have kids the same age, her and I decided in December of 2024 is when we were like, let's work together, let's start a business, let's Casey: Yeah. Tobey: and by January. both of us were pregnant with our first kid. So we actually went through pregnancy together. Casey: Amazing. Tobey: Yeah, it was amazing. Especially 'cause it was it was both of our first times. And, you know, there's like it's so new. Like and so it was so nice having a best friend to go through pregnancy with all the same things, you know. And then our babies were born a week apart. So it's been really fun. Casey: Man Tobey: Going through that journey together of parenthood and then also like business and what it's like to start a business and and do all those things. So so yeah, kind of sewing patterns have have been our like bread and butter. That's sort of what we started with. And then this summer is when we started stocking and selling fabric. and yeah, we've done one workshop. with our eventual goal is we'd like to have in our town, we'd like to have sort of like a storefront on Main Street and and be like a full full fledged fabric shop and maybe even yarn. We talked about stocking yarn as well. and hosting workshops. We we love to teach people how to sew. That's like definitely our passion. so we love to teach people how to sew and we'd love to teach kids. We have like all our friends are always like, Can you teach our kids how to sew? So we definitely want to include that as part of it. But yeah, so that's kind of like the gist of our of our business. Casey: No, that's so special. I feel there are so many things already in Tobey: Good. Casey: just the little amount of your story that you've shared that just feel they were so meant to be. And just watching everything fall into place. I'm sure that was such a surreal experience. I don't know, just watch everything. Yeah. Tobey: It for sure was. It's so funny because I for years, so I've like had like a handful of different jobs. And my most recent job before this, I worked for a nonprofit, like a statewide nonprofit, and I loved working there. My boss was like a good, good, good friend of mine. She actually married my husband and I. So it's just like And she I I went into that job knowing that like I want to be a business owner and she knew that too. So like I just had the support from her to start a business. And for years I was a leather bag maker. That's like what this machine is. It's like a leather leather Casey: Yes. Wow. Tobey: machine. and so I made like big leather tote bags, I made like small leather wallets, like laptop cases, I made belts, all these things. And so that was kind of what my business was for years and I had a really hard time with it. Like I knew deep down for a long time that like I'm gonna be a business owner. And I was trying to make that work as my business. And I think deep down I knew that that wasn't it and that I I also really wanted a business partner. And I Casey: Yeah. Tobey: for years was like, I just need to find the right like person. And I knew it was gonna be another woman and I was just like, I just need to find the right friend. And I have so many great friends, but you know, it's like you can't you're not gonna start a business with anyone and everyone. It has to be like a very specific like personality and and so I just like knew that one day I was gonna like find this person who's gonna be my business owner because I was like trying to make my husband not really but like my husband was kind of just you know, because he loved me, he was like kind of becoming a business partner in that like I just I needed help making decisions and like in the evenings Casey: Yeah. Tobey: I would went like before launches, it was like crunch time and he would help me and like he's just the best, but like he has a full time job and like he didn't want this to be his his business either. But he was also Casey: Yeah, yeah. Tobey: like kind of enjoy so he was actually making leather goods too. and at some point last year I Just realized that like I think that the constant making, you know, like pattern making is so different because you like make a pattern once and then you sell that thing, and you're not like right, like you're not. I don't know actually. Are you producing quilts? Like you do do custom quilts, is that right? Casey: On like a really small scale, 'cause I think I kind of went maybe through a similar thought process as you were Tobey: Yeah. Casey: with the bags to the patterns, definitely. Tobey: Yes. Where it's like it's really fun to make to make a leather bag or two, but then like making like fifty of them and just doing the same exact thing. I'm like, I'm kind of losing my love for sewing or my love for making. Cause it's basically just like now you're just a you know, like in production, just making the same thing over and over and over. And it kind of wasn't Casey: Yeah. Yeah. Tobey: fun and I kind of like lost my creativity a little bit. And so, and I just didn't like working by myself. but so that's when at some point when Katie and I like met and started talking more. I was like, she could be my business partner. Like, I don't know what our business is, but she could Yes. Totally, yeah. Casey: From like from the jump. You were like, This could be it. I love it. Tobey: And so when we like started sewing together more, I was just like, I want to work with her, but like I don't really know what would our business be. Casey: Yeah. Tobey: And then there was like one day where we were hanging out and she was actually in a pattern making course at the time like a technical pattern making class because so Katie for years has worked in like the venture capital world basically like evaluating the potential of startup businesses which like that's perfect and so Casey: Yeah, seriously. Tobey: Yeah, so she loved her job doing that, but it was like a really volatile industry, because it's like, you know, you may or may not get funding. And so she got laid off a few different times just because that's the the nature of that of that industry, and she was kind of like sick of that, sick of the volatility, wanted something more stable, and she also knew she wanted to be a business owner. and she was really interested in pattern making. And so yeah, there was just one day where we were like, wait, we could do this. together. And you know, we were both dreaming about how cool it would be to have a storefront in our town and and all Casey: Yes. Tobey: these things. so it kind of just like blossomed from that and yeah I do feel like it was very meant to be Casey: Yeah. Yeah, no, that's amazing. And yeah, I definitely relate to the the production part of things where it's like you feel a little bit like a one woman sweatshop and you're just really, really going for it. But Tobey: Exato be Casey: and yeah, so I kind of scaled down from I I originally started as just custom quilts and then transitioned into patterns 'cause kind of was feeling the same thing of I want to make something for my own daughter and I want to be able to, Tobey: Yeah. Casey: yeah, make things on my own schedule. And so yeah, it's been fun to experiment with patterns and to write them and get them out there and for for other people to use too. And I feel like that is something Tobey: Yeah. Casey: also that's been so special is to see people use your patterns and I'm sure you feel the same way like watching somebody else Tobey: Yeah, for sure. Casey: bring that to life in ways that I never would have. And it's so beautiful and it's it's really cool. Tobey: Yeah, that is so true. Like if you just made the thing for them and you watch them use it, it's like okay, that's cool. But if they You know, like you were to make a quilt for them and they use it, cool. But way cooler when somebody gets to like you watch them use your pattern but pick their own fabrics and put their own creative spin on it is like it is really, really a cool feeling. And yeah, I think like I feel the same where I was like, I want to keep sewing for myself and when I'm like just like the one woman sweatshop essentially, it's like Casey: Yeah. Tobey: feels really hard to want to like after bedtime after my kids' bedtime. it feels really hard to like want to get in there and and sew so it feels like yeah so much better to just like sell I feel like people always are asking us like people who aren't aren't in the sewing community or don't sew are like when are you gonna start like selling clothes and we're like probably never sorry yeah Casey: Yeah. It's just too much. It's yeah, it's yeah, the amount of time and yeah, the amount of time and effort that goes into making a single garment. It's you can't you can't mass produce that. It's it's impossible. Tobey: Yeah. No, yeah. Exactly. It's like I feel like that's the same with knitting. People who are really into knitting, yeah, like their family and friends are always like, You should sell those on Etsy. You know, it's like the thing. It's like I'd have to sell Casey: Yeah. Yes, seriously. Tobey: this for like seven hundred dollars or to me. It's Casey: Yeah, seriously. Mm-hmm. Tobey: like that's why this is a hobby. It's just fun for me. Yeah. Yeah. Casey: Definitely. So I feel like maybe just I I appreciate the that like train of thought because I feel like for me as a creative person, maybe before I started this business, there was a lot of things where I tried and I liked it and I thought maybe I should turn this into a business. being a creative person too, how did that journey go for you? And I was really interested seeing that you had a previous business and then transitioned to a high country women. What and you probably touched on this little already but what felt different from that previous business and then moving into this and I feel a lot of it just felt like it was meant to be but maybe Tobey: Yeah. Casey: I'm just trying to put words for my for my own self to the feeling Tobey: Yeah. Casey: of like I don't know I feel like this could be it I but I can't put words to that Tobey: Yeah. Totally. I think there was a few things, I think, well, first of all, I would say I'm a Capricorn and I think Capricorns have this tendency to be like, I'm good at this thing. I'm gonna turn it into a business and make money in it. Like I think that's Casey: Yes. Tobey: something that I learned in my twenties. I'm 30 now. I think that's something that I learned in my twenties where I was just like, anything that I would do, I would be because I think for a while, like I am definitely destined to be a business owner, but for a while I didn't know like what that business was gonna be. I was always like I know I'm gonna be a business owner someday. Right now I have to work at a normal job for this company that I love, but like Casey: Yeah, mm-hmm. Tobey: I had to have to do this until I figure out what my business is gonna be. Casey: Yeah. Tobey: And I was just like, it felt like I was kind of throwing spaghetti at the wall and like seeing what stuff. And I think what feels different about this is with my leather bag business. I was always like kind of trying to like figure out what the future looked like. And that business felt really hard to scale. And so when Katie and I met up and started talking about our current business, I was like, this business is so scalable in a way where we can scale it and still be like present moms, like with our kids. Like if we want to be, like our dream has always been like. part-time stay-at-home mom, part-time business owner and with with my bag business, I was like, if I want to scale this and make more money than I'm making, you know, because it was always kind of like a side hustle. I was never making enough to like quit my job. but I was like, if I want to scale this, what do I do? I have to make more bags. And I'm like, I don't have time for that. Like I have to spend more time in here. I have to cut more bags out. I have to sew more bags or I have to like hire an employee to d make bags. And that sounded like really daunting. And so I think like I it just felt like it didn't fit into what I want my what in what I wanted my life to sort of look like. Like when I and this was even before I had kids where I was like, I know I want kids someday and I want a like family business, right? Like I want this like business where like my kids can be around with it, where I can take them with. It's not like a separation from my family life. And the leather bag business felt like it would sort of have to be like that, where it's just like nobody else can make these leather bags. I have to be the one to make them and if I want to scale this business, I just have to make more. Aired, I can't I like had thought about like maybe patterns but I'm like how many people are buying leather bag patterns like you have to have like a setup for for making leather bags Casey: Yeah, yeah. Tobey: not just like a home sewing machine so I'm like that Casey: Yeah. Tobey: doesn't really work and like a course on like how to make leather bags like it's just such a small niche and so when Katie and I started talking about like sewing patterns and fabric shop and you like I was like this This like fits into like what my vision for my life is. Like I can see I remember like early on when we were talking about it, we saw this picture. I think that do you know merchant you know merchant mills, you sell some of their Yeah. Casey: Yes, yeah, yeah. Tobey: they they posted this photo, I think it was them, and which they're like our dream shop, you know. We're always like, we're gonna take a business trip there one day and visit the Casey: Yes. Yes, yeah. Tobey: but they posted a picture and it was like a baby like crawling over like all their fabric, like in their shop, like it was just like a baby crawling on their fabric. And Katie and I were like, that's gonna be us one day. Like we're gonna have our fabric shop and our babies are just gonna be like crawling on the fabric. And so I think like there were just so many things about this current business that just felt like it it like worked and yeah. Yeah, I don't I you're I think you're right. Like I don't really know how to describe the feeling other than like it's sort of Casey: Yeah. Tobey: like when people say like I met my my spouse like when you know you know it's like it's kind of the same feeling Casey: Yes. Tobey: for your business where you're like especially coming from somebody who's tried lots of businesses I'm like Casey: Mm-hmm. Tobey: when you know you know it's like this is the one this is gonna work Casey: Yeah, no, and I can't quantify it. I just I feel there was one moment where I was talking with my husband and we both just stopped and were thinking this could be different. Like this might Tobey: Yeah. Casey: this could turn into something and we should just give it a shot and just see what happens. Tobey: Yeah. Casey: And and maybe it's not, but maybe it is and maybe it could change our lives and yeah, and I'm sure it just yeah. It was just something Tobey: Yeah. Totally. Yeah. Casey: we decided. to give a try and yeah, it's it's it's really cool to see when you Tobey: That is so cool. Casey: follow that, like, maybe I'll just give it a chance and see yeah, see what can happen and Tobey: Yeah, yeah, for sure. And I feel like I also like I when I realized that like, this might be it, I felt like deep down I was like telling myself like, this is like this is gonna be my career someday. So like just be chill about it. Like don't go you know, Casey: Yeah. Tobey: like that was also like where I when I knew that it was it, where I'm like, okay. Casey: Yeah. Tobey: Like Take it slow, be chill, Casey: Yeah. Tobey: because like this is definitely it. Like this is gonna be this is gonna become your career, you know? And I was like, that's how which is like very similar to like when I met Charlie, my husband. I was like, Casey: Yes. Tobey: this is the not like this is the first time I'm gonna marry. So like you don't have to try really you know, like you don't have to like like this is this is gonna be it. We can just take it in a ball. Exactly, yeah. Yeah. Casey: Yep. Yeah. It's It's gonna fall into place. It's gonna work out. Yeah. I just love that. Man. The first night in your town and you meet your husband, that's just that's you can't write it better. You can't. And then the first day you meet Tobey: I know. I know. Casey: your friend, you're like, This is my business partner. This is gonna be it. I just man, that's yeah, that's so special. So Tobey: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It is pretty cool. Yeah. Casey: Taking it back then a long ways, how did you first how when did you first learn to sew? Tobey: I learned to sew when I so I guess I was eight when I started. my Nana, who is my mom's mom, she was a big sewist. she made like, she wasn't like, I feel like she didn't make a lot of clothes for herself. She loved to make clothes for her grandkids. And she made clothes for like the hospital for like premies. Or yeah, like things. She's like so sweet. She she just like loved to make things for other people. So she made lots of clothes for other people. And then she made a ton of baby blankets. and she sewed her whole life. My great grandmother was also a big sewist. and so we got into 4-H when I was eight. me and my sister, and then three of my girl cousins, all five of us were in 4-H and were in sewing. We could like do other things. Like my sister did like cake decorating in 4 H too. So fun. Casey: Yeah. So fun. Tobey: so many good memories from 4-H. And so yeah, we I think it's it starts when you're eight. Yeah, because I did it from eight to 18. So I did it every single year. yeah and it was like I think it was kind of like my our parents sort of like forced us to do it. Like you're doing sewage 4 H and you're doing sewing. and like you're gonna do one sewing project a year because like growing up I wouldn't say I loved sewing like I loved spending time with my cousins and my grandma but they also like separated us so like all of us had a project and my now used to have like okay I'll take two of you at a time and we'll work on a sewing project but then it was like my cousin and I would just get into like you know we would just be like having too much fun and we'd be like pranking. I remember like pranking my nail like my partner Casey: Yeah. Tobey: Anna, like she was the best. and so then eventually we had we like split up and it was like, yeah, every summer we'd spend, you know, like weekends, a handful of hours with my Nana. She lived close by, and we'd go over there and work on our sewing project. And so I got to like pick the project every year, what I wanted to do, and then she would basically walk us through it. So that's kind of how I started, and then I remember in college I So I like didn't sew for the first few years in college and then it was like was that? I graduated in 2018. So it's probably like 2017. and I just started like I don't know if I saw a pattern somewhere or I just like was like, I want to start sewing again and I wanna sew up, but I think I like sort of that's when I sort of started learning about the like indie pattern making world. I didn't still didn't know a ton about it because truly it wasn't until I met Katie that I like really knew found out about the indie pattern making world because I grew up just going to Joanne's and just like buying Casey: Right. Tobey: patterns from like the big five, you know. and Katie had such a different experience because she learned to sew as an adult and so she was and just all she knew was the independent pattern making world. and so anyway and then when I was in college I started picking it up again and then I was like whoa I actually really love this and like I remember a lot of it like I thought I was gonna be starting from scratch as an adult. I was like, wait, I actually I remember this. I guess I was paying attention a little bit as a kid. but yeah, so it was kind of something that I was like like made to do as a kid and didn't wouldn't say I like enjoyed or thought that I that I would love and now as an adult I'm like wow I'm so lucky that I had that and not to say that you can't if someone didn't have that experience as a kid. Like I'm like Katie learned at, you know, 20 something and like she's like she's got way more skills than I do. And I've I've known it I've known how to do it for way longer. So it's yeah. Casey: No, but I think that's so special just to just to I don't know, pass that skill down and to have that special time with your grandma to learn that skill Tobey: Yeah. Casey: and for her to pass that down and then even to see that skill Tobey: Mm-hmm. Casey: traced back through generations of your family. That's so that's that's incredible. And then too, so then maybe even Tobey: Totally. Yeah, it Casey: thinking of that, like how are you giving even I know your daughter's one, but how are you giving her opportunities to be creative? And what are like what are your goals into teaching her and maybe someday teaching her how to sew? And I know you said you wanted to do kids workshops Tobey: Yeah. Yeah. Casey: and yeah, that's Tobey: Yeah. I feel like I am trying to this like goes along with my like what my vision for having this business was was I feel like it's so fun like having her in the sewing room. I just feel like she's gonna grow up like seeing me in here creating a lot. and just like No, being like this is what mom does. She like makes things and she and so I do feel like once she's old enough, like actually I would say a couple years ago I volunteered at we had like a Christmas event here at our Pioneer Museum. It's like called like the old fashioned Christmas. It's like so cute. And they have there's like a in the old school house, they like do in all the buildings like little events and in the old school house they do arts and crafts. And so I volunteered to lead that event. Few years ago, and have been doing it, and so I teach kids how to we make like fabric ornaments, and I had never worked with kids sewing before, other than like my own experience as a kid, but like I'm like, how old do kids need to be to like start sewing? I don't know. And I had like real needles and thread, you know, and we were just like sewing up an ornament. Like, I had cut out little like fabric trees, and we were just sewing up ornaments and stuffing them, and I was like shocked the first time that I did it at how young the kids. were and how quickly they picked up picked it up like six and seven year olds were like I want to learn how to sew and I remember people being like are you allowed like I don't know like it's even Casey: Yeah. Tobey: me that could really hurt you I don't and I like taught them but Casey: Yeah, she's Tobey: they were like they're just like doing it and I was like wow that is like so cool that kids are just so smart and so I definitely want once she's old enough to like teach her how to do that stuff and then also teach her how to knit I'm like really inspired by people who learned how to knit when they were you know, like in first grade, like the Waldorf stu you know, I have a friend who like grew up in a Waldorf school and she's like, yeah, knitting was like part of our curriculum in the first grade. And I'm like, that's awesome. I wish I knew that. so yeah, definitely wanting to like I would say now the ways that I'm involving her are like occasionally she will sit on my lap while I sew. and it's so cute. I'm like this is truly my dream. It's really adorable. And it doesn't last for very long. Like she's Casey: Mm-hmm. That's so special. Yes, seriously. No, but Tobey: interested in it and then she like kind of gets you know bit distracted by something else. but yeah I do remember when I was doing leather bags like before I had kids I remember even thinking like this is gonna be a really hard craft to have around kids because it's so loud like you're always like constantly banging Casey: Yeah. Yeah. Tobey: things and so I'm like this is great the sewing is so much quieter and it's like manageable with little kids. yeah. Casey: Yeah, no, that's yeah. Definitely I feel something I try to be so intentional about and this is like this is my daughter's craft station here and my son has made his way through, which is why it's like kind of a mountain of just things right now. But I really try to keep stuff Tobey: Yeah. So cute. Casey: next to my machine for her and she's got those Tobey: Yeah. Casey: like melt those beads that melt and like bracelet crafts and painting and and stuff and she loves it and she Tobey: Yeah. Yeah. Casey: lo it's just so special to have she's four so she can just sit next to me and work on a craft while I sew and it's yeah, it's such special time to have together and Tobey: Yeah. Casey: yeah, something I just I'm I'm such a sucker for all crafts, so anytime she's I wanna try that, I'm like, yes, let's we need to try it Tobey: I love that. That's so cute. Yeah, something I I feel like I have admired from women in my life who are have kids who are like older than me or have multiple kids is and something that I want to try and do is like, you know, kids are always like wanting to like like let mom play with me or do this. And it's like a friend said that she'll be like, okay, I don't want to play. you know, dolls, but I'll sit next to you and I'll play with what I wanna play with, which is like my knitting or my sewing. You it's like this idea of like, I'll do my thing and you do your your thing. And I think that's so special for kids to be like, that's what that's what mom's playing is and to Casey: Yeah. Tobey: like for them to grow up being like, my mom has these like hobbies and like it's important that we do them and that we carve out time for them 'cause that's like what makes you you and Like s just showing your kids that that's, you know, kind of like what you enjoy doing versus just like, when mom has free time she scrolls on her phone or she, you know, Casey: Yeah. Tobey: whatever. It's like so important for them to see us having our own hobbies or making things and yeah. That's like so sweet that she has her own little station in there. I don't need to copy that. That's adorable. Casey: Yeah, it's really special. Yes, it's it's so handy, and especially now that she's not really napping, and so if my son's taking a nap, we'll come down and she'll she'll ask to do a crafty craft and like come down and we'll go and show us work on our crafts together, and it's it's such a sweet time, Tobey: That is so cute. Casey: and yeah. Yeah, it's it's so special and I I remember so my mom worked part time and then we would go do daycare at my cousins and the two girl cousins that we spent the most time with were just insanely creative and so we spent so much time doing friendship bracelets and crafting and like making everything and anything out of everything and anything. I have core memories of using egg cartons and coloring them and painting in them to make them houses for our toys and I feel like that was just such I feel like that really was formative for me and then on Tobey: Yeah. Casey: to to make other things and to try other crafts and taking a friendship bracelet everywhere and I have those like embroidery floss ones. I don't know if you ever made them, but I would Tobey: Yes. Casey: carry my my friendship bracelet around with a safety pin and I'd like safety pin it to my pants and be tying all the knots in the car and stuff. And it's just I want I so want to give my daughter those opportunities to just Tobey: The mace. For sure. Yeah, that is so important. 'Cause I think like that age is like what, you know, like what just like a la like allowing them to like be in their own creativity and feel like they're making I think that's what's so special about like crafts is like they're making their own decisions and that gives them the confidence to trust their own creativity. And that's like something you learn as a kid, I think. And I think there are some adults who maybe didn't have that and like struggle with that where they're like, I don't know, I couldn't do this because I I don't know that I'm very creative or I don't know that I have that. But and I think definitely some people are just like naturally more creative than others. But I do think if you're given that opportunity as a kid to like feel confident in your creative decisions, then like that's Casey: Yeah. Tobey: what makes a creative adult. Casey: Mm hmm. Yeah. 'Cause I don't think I ever really like, especially as a kid, I don't ever think I thought, Wow, I'm a really creative person. It's just like it's just like Tobey: Yeah, it's yeah, same. Yeah, it's just like this is what we do. Casey: Seriously, like we just take stuff Tobey: Yeah. Casey: and we turn it into what we want it to be. And I make friendship bracelets for all my friends and it's just what we do and it's yeah, it's Tobey: Yeah, yes, yeah, yeah. Casey: it's really it's cool to have that so ingrained in who you were as a kid and then yeah, to to want that for our kids is yeah. It's special. Tobey: Yes. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. Yeah. Casey: So what does your in your current stage of life, you have one little at home, what does what does being a part time business owner and a part time mom look for you? What are your daily rhythms and Tobey: Yeah. It's sort of like I feel like it's always evolving as of course, like as you know, I feel like the first year of a baby's life is like it's so different. And so Casey: Yeah. Tobey: like for a while she was taking two pretty good naps. And so I was trying to work while she was sleeping during those naps would kind of be like my work times. And recently She's dropped one of her naps, and so now she's napping just once a day, which is harder to like get work done during the day, but also like so great for Casey: Yeah. Tobey: bedtime. Like, like, wow, we I have an evening now. you're Casey: Yeah. Tobey: going to bed at seven, so that's great. But it's definitely like evolved and changed, and I think lately Katie and I have both been feeling this, and like we are first-time moms, first-time business owners, so we are figuring it out, and I think reasonably. Casey: Yeah. Tobey: her and I have been lamenting and we actually because of this we started doing like a childcare swap so like we try to like you know a couple times a week like I will take her baby for a couple hours and me and the babies will go we'll hang out we'll go for a walk we'll eat snacks whatever and then on another day she'll take both of the babies and that like allows us both to have Casey: Yeah. Tobey: Some dedicated work time because I think one thing that we've been struggling with both of us is this feeling of like as they get older and they're like more mobile and they're not napping as much and whatever. It's like this feeling of like you know, trying to work when we're with them, but feeling like, okay, now we're not being like the most present moms, but we're also not getting a lot of work done. And so we're like this constant Casey: Yeah. Tobey: feeling of like trying to do both and doing a bad job at both of them, you know? Or like trying to be present with my daughter, but then also feeling like in my head like my gosh, I have so much work to do. Like how when am I gonna get it done? And then feeling frustrated or like trying to do something, but then she once took me to play with her and then being frustrated. And I'm like, this is so like I feel like I'm doing both, but I'm doing horrible at both. And like I'm spending all day trying to do them both. And then it feels like at the end of the day, I'm like, cool, I didn't get any work done. And like Casey: Ha. Tobey: Mabel and I didn't like go do anything fun. Like what it and so that's something that we've both been learning and trying to be better at. And I think that has been like game changing, like the last week where I have been like, okay, in the mornings before her nap No work like I'm not gonna do work. It's just gonna be like Me and her time and like doing things around the house with her, you know, like if I need to clean, great, we'll do that, because that's easy to do with her around, whatever. But like working on my computer, not easy to do with her. You know, like first of all, I don't want her to like always just see me on my computer, but also she's like, if I pull my computer out, she's like, I want to press all the buttons, you know? And Casey: Yes. Tobey: it's like I can do sewing around her usually. Like if I have work to do that's sewing, I can do that. But I like also a lot of the work, you know, like owning a business that is sewing, it's like some of it is sewing, which is great, but some of it is also just like computer work or social media work or whatever. Casey: Yeah. Yes. Yep. Tobey: And I don't like doing that around her. And so recently, I actually I think in the next few weeks, Katie and I are gonna, we have a friend who's like starting an in-home daycare. and her and I are gonna like split apart. Type spot. So essentially, like a couple days a week, my daughter will go there for a few hours in the afternoon, and then a couple days a week, her son will go there for a few days in the afternoon, which is amazing that her and I get to like split that. Casey: Yes. Yeah. Tobey: And we're finally at the point in our business where we're like, you know, we started getting ourselves a paycheck this summer, and which felt amazing. We're like, wow, this is like we're this is a real job now, we're paying ourselves. Casey: Seriously? Tobey: This is so cool. Casey: That's amazing. Tobey: And so it feels like now we can actually justify, like, okay, we can. And I think that will be like neither of us have family close by, you know? And if we did, like, like my parents have been in town for the last couple weeks, and so my mom's been like taking her in the afternoon, and I'm like, wow, this is amazing. Like, this is gonna be what the routine is like, where in the mornings I'm like, what do we want to do? Should we go to the library? Should we go for a walk? And I can just like fully focus. On being a mom, or like you know, like let's go grocery shopping, let's do the things we need to do, and then she takes a nap, I do some work, and then she'll go hang out with my mom, or she'll, you know, like well, I'll have this a couple days a week. She'll go to our friend's house and hang out with the other babies there, and I'm like, and now I can focus on work for a few hours. And I don't have to like feel like I'm doing them both at the same time because I think there's Casey: Mm-hmm. Tobey: like a in this world of like owning a business or crafting or being a content creator online, there are lots of people who are like, you know, I think it is amazing that there are lots of businesses you can do as a stay at home mom from your house. And that is like so amazing and such a blessing. But I also think like sometimes people think it's just like I can do both. And it's like those are those are very real jobs. You know, like starting a business, a very real job. Being Casey: Yes. Yeah. Tobey: like a content creator, a very real job. And so it's like y it is hard to to do like you're definitely gonna have to do some work in front of your kids if you are a full time stay at home. And so that's something that I've been like learning because we haven't had childcare this whole last year, which has been amazing. I feel super lucky. but I'm like, I can actually say yes to like a few days of childcare a week and now feel like when I'm with her, I can just be fully present. And so I think that's kind of where we're at now, which has felt amazing this past week. Casey: Yes, yeah, no, it's it's so it's such a good I feel like there's a lot of wisdom in that in like not trying to half heartedly do both at the same time. And I I think sometimes at least for me Tobey: Yeah, yeah. Casey: there's times where it's inevitable and I have to be doing something with my kids around and it just is what Tobey: Totally, it's like yeah. Casey: it is and we we figure it out. But we we also have just a dear, dear friend come over to our house a couple of days a week and she plays with the kids and they love her and she loves them and just having somebody who just adores your kids come and play with them so you can get some work done is is a gift and yeah we every day my and my husband works full time too and he we are just we feel so fortunate to have that available to us and I'm sure it feels sa like similar for you to s have your daughter go to a friend's house to play with probably other friends' kids. It's yeah that's the sweetest Tobey: Yeah, for sure. Yeah. It's so lucky. And I feel like I do recognize too that like things are always going to be evolving. Like I think right now, I think with older kids, like it will be easier to be like, Okay, mom's gotta do a little bit of work. What can I set you guys up to play with? But like a twelve month old is like, I can't really do that. Like she's she's like Casey: Yeah. Yeah. Tobey: bored of all her toys that we have and it's like she doesn't have a sibling, so it's like she can't so it's a lot harder To be like, like, okay, mom's gonna do some work. She's like, she doesn't understand that, you know? And so I feel like that's Casey: Seriously she's like, Okay, Tobey: yeah. So I feel like things will totally always be evolving, of like, yeah, how and like I am excited to like bring them to bring kids to like work one day, like if we have a storefront and and that sort of thing. but yeah, I think that is something that I've definitely learned is that. And this is a friend said this to me when I was pregnant, was like, you know, the seasons in motherhood are so short that like once you get used to a routine, it's like Just wait because in a few months, for better or worse, it's going to change. Like if something's really good right now, like it's probably Casey: Yeah, you're gonna be on the next. Tobey: gonna change. And if something's really hard right now, that's also probably gonna change. And so it's like, okay, I think we found what's working for us right now. And I'm sure in a few months it'll be different. But yeah. Yeah. Casey: Yeah, yeah, seriously. Yeah. I was talking with one of my friends' moms and just like the conversation was just, you know, you you never really figure it out. And it's always changing and her children are all adults Tobey: Mm, yeah. Yeah. Casey: and off having their own children and it's she's like, You just figure it out. You just everybody's winging it, even us. Like Tobey: Yeah, yeah. That's comforting. Yeah. That is that is comforting to be like, okay, yeah, that that part doesn't change. Like you are always just kind of figuring it out. Yeah. That's the one co I guess that's something someone said Casey: Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. So then what is some yeah. Tobey: that's the one constant about motherhood is that it's always changing. Yeah. Yeah. Casey: Mm-hmm. Yeah, and I guess apparently you never like one thousand percent figure it out, which is probably good. So then what is something someone else has shared with you that has made a lasting or weighty impact on you or encouraged you as you step into the season of business owning and motherhood and Tobey: I think the idea of like picking up a project, being comfortable with picking up a project and putting it down. And so like I think for a lot of us creatives, it's like to fill our cup, we need something that's like not business, that's like not work, that's not motherhood, that's like just for us. And I think If you were to wait until you had like two or three uninterrupted hours to work on that thing, like you would never do it because like how often do you get that, you know? and so I think like the idea of like being comfortable, being like, okay, my husband is doing bath time. I have 20 minutes, I'm gonna go work on this like sewing project for myself for 20 minutes. And I yeah, I might get cut off at 20, 15, 20 minutes, but like that's okay. At least I went like did it and every day if you can do twenty thirty minutes or even less I don't know you know like if that's Casey: Yeah. Tobey: all you have like if every day you can do that like eventually you're going to finish a project and it's going to like fill back those twenty minutes can fill your cup and I think like early on in motherhood I struggled with that with like getting like like I just got started on this thing and now I have to go do and like what's the Casey: Yeah. Tobey: point? And I'm like, okay, no. I need to just like be okay with that because otherwise you'll never get that time. And so I think that's been really valuable. And I think I'm lucky to have like a space. I think for somebody who doesn't have like a dedicated space that's harder to like leave a project. You know, if you set up your sewing machine on your dining room table, that's that's hard. but like having some corner in your house where you can like kind of keep things and come back to it. But knitting's great for that too, I think. Because it's very like mobile. Casey: Right? Yeah, I was just gonna ask, do you have any any projects that you're working on that you can take to go? 'Cause I feel that's something I really want is something that I can work on that's not on my machine. And I handbind all my quilts so Tobey: Yeah. Yes. Casey: I and I love it and I love being able to just work on it anywhere, but I'm not always have I don't always have a quilt on hand that's ready to be handbound. So it's like what what's something else that I can have just to yeah, like work on in those fifteen minute spaces of time. Tobey: Yeah. Yeah for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like knitting has been that for me. and I just picked it back up like a few months ago. I feel like I didn't knit all summer and now I'm like, okay, it's the season to knit. And Casey: Yeah. Yes. Tobey: so that's been that for me. Or like even like last weekend, like Katie and I went with a couple other friends to the park with all of our babies and just like sat and knit and I was like, this is like so nice to or like sometimes in the mornings when my daughter's playing, I'll just like, you know, she wants me to be like sitting there with her. And I'm like, I can sit down with you here and knit. And this is like perfect. Now I feel like I'm here with you, but I'm also like filling my cup. so yeah, that's definitely that project for me. I'm knitting a hat for her right now, and then I'm gonna start knitting a sweater for myself. My first sweater. I know I've never Casey: So cute. That is exciting. Tobey: knit a sweater before, but I feel committed. And this winter, I'm like, I really my goal is to knit a sweater. So I texted a month ago, I texted like I don't know, seven or eight friends here in Lander who I know who knit and I said, like, I'm s knitting a sweater this winter. Let me know if any of you want to also knit a sweater and we can all we can Casey: Yeah. Tobey: all hold each other accountable. And so all of them are like, we want to knit a sweater. So there's like now Casey: Amazing. Tobey: like ten of us, I think, here who are gonna knit sweaters this and for most of us it's our first sweater. So we're actually meeting up on Sunday. and all gonna like it's I think we're all doing like different patterns and different yarn and whatever, but we're just gonna do like monthly knitting meetups and kind of like keep each other accountable to it. so yeah, that's fun. And then another project that I'm working on actually is I'm going to qu I've I've decided that for Christmas I want to quilt make a quilt for my daughter. So I'm really, really excited Casey: Yes. Tobey: to use your Frankie pattern. And I was just actually the other night pulling out all my fabric and trying to like I think I have a hard time imagining what things will look like together. That I wonder how you do that, because like I've been picking all these fabrics that I like out. Like I have such a big stash that I'm like, okay, I don't think I need to buy fabric. But I'm like, what will these look like together? I Casey: Yeah. Tobey: have a hard time visualizing it. Yeah. Casey: Yeah. I feel like for me a lot of it is just like on a wing in a prayer. It's like I just pull it together and I'm like, Wow, this I'm just gonna it's gonna look great. I don't know. But Tobey: Yeah. That's that's really what I should just do. Yeah. Casey: But I also recently, like a couple months ago, found this website called Quilt Inc. And pattern designers will upload their patterns and then you can just it's like a digital coloring sheet. You can you can use your Tobey: Hello? Casey: own fabrics and you can put them in there and then design your quilt beforehand. The only quilt pattern I don't have on there yet is the Frankie pattern, so I'll have to get that on there. But Tobey: That's okay. I picked I'm like I picked out three different colors of fabric that is like they're sitting right here so I keep looking over but I picked picked out three and I'm like I think these are I think they're these are the ones and I'm just gonna go for it. So Casey: Yeah. I feel there is something special about that too. Then when you finally see it come together and you Tobey: Yeah. Casey: start piecing the rows together and everything is it yeah, the quilt top is actually coming together. It's so magical to see it actually worked out and it looks beautiful and it's I feel it's super satisfying. Tobey: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's cool. That's that I'm gonna go for it. Yeah. Casey: Yeah, yeah. Well awesome. I guess I just have a couple closing questions. I already asked you about Tobey: Yeah. Casey: your personal works and projects. So you're working on a sweater and a quilt and that'll be that'll be so fun to see. Tobey: Yeah. Casey: And but what has been inspiring you lately as an artist and where do new ideas come from for you? Tobey: feel like for me, honestly the season changes. Like the the whatever season we're in, I get super inspired. so like I yeah, I guess as the weather has changed, I've been like really inspired to pick up knitting again and think Cozy warm things. And so I do Casey: Yes. Tobey: I think I often get like quilting. I think like whenever spring and summer rolls around, I'm more inspired to make like start sewing dresses and linen pants and things like that. So I think definitely like the season, like, you know, you and I both live in places where we get Casey: Yeah. Tobey: to experience all four seasons. And so I think because we also feel those seasons so dramatically, the season changes definitely gives me like inspiration. and then also I would say I draw inspiration from like friends around me. or like I one of my favorite things to do, I thrift a lot of fabric and like go to like garage sales and estate sales. And so I have a big wardrobe in my living room that opens and has just like so much fabric and it's a little messy and overwhelming. But I also feel like I love to like if I have like 30 minutes to myself, I love to just like go in there and open it up and just like pull fabric. Fabric out, be like, okay, what could this be? And just like imagine things. I do get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest too, but I'm I'm trying really hard actually to like use Pinterest and social media less for inspiration because I think sometimes it can do the opposite, where like I it may it like gives me tunnel vision almost where like I see something and I'm like, I want to do that. And I'm like, I want to do exactly that. You know, like I need to and like Casey: Yeah, yeah. Tobey: versus when you're not looking, you're kind of like using your own imagination more. Someone told me years ago that there was like a study done where they like put people in a room and it was like it was like two different groups, a group who used Pinterest or like inspiration for magazines or something, and a group who didn't, and the group who didn't have things was actually more creative. And that has like stuck with me because I'm like, that kind of makes sense. Cause when you like when I try and pull inspiration, it's like then the only stuff I can think of is like what I'm seeing versus like what I could just come up with looking at fabric. So yeah, anyways, that's kind of where I feel like I'm trying to like just get inspiration from like my own fabric stash and like things in person or in my home Casey: Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Tobey: or something like that. Casey: Yeah. I Tobey: Yeah. Casey: feel Pinterest, I have so many mixed feelings on it. I feel it's so valuable as a business owner, Tobey: Yeah. Casey: maybe just like people discovering your patterns. Tobey: Totally. Yes. Casey: and yeah, sometimes I feel I find good ideas there, but if I really want to make something that feels truly unique, I just I stay away from Pinterest because Tobey: Yeah. Casey: Yeah, the I feel like the best ideas don't for me don't come from there. But I Tobey: Yeah. Casey: do I do really enjoy getting library books of like Tobey: Mm. Casey: I I have one somewhere, but just like vintage quilts and I feel there's so many good ideas there Tobey: Yeah. Casey: and I feel it doesn't hit for me the same way as Pinterest does where there's like I should make Tobey: Yeah. Casey: exactly that. It's like there's it just feels like a yeah, I don't know, a different kind of inspiration where Tobey: Yeah. Casey: Yeah, I can make something similar or maybe using a similar fabric or a different or a similar Tobey: Yeah. Casey: block or or something, but it just it feels I don't know, feels different. Tobey: Yeah. I agree. It's I agree. It's just like I have a bunch of like old like I don't know even the title of them, but like old like interior design books or like country home magazines or whatever, you know? Casey: Yes. Yes. Tobey: And I'm like I love looking through those and it just it does hit different than going through like Pinterest looking at home stuff. It's just feels like yeah, it feels different. So that's really fun. Casey: Yeah. Yeah. I feel maybe like reading through a book with ideas, I I feel drawn to make something with a similar feeling versus the same exact thing if that makes sense. Like the the country Tobey: Yeah. Casey: home. It's like, I want to create a room in my home that feels like that. But it's not gonna look like that. There's I feel like there's so many Tobey: Yes yeah. Yeah yeah yeah Casey: unique items in there. Like I can't I'm not gonna go to Target and just buy something from better homes Tobey: Yeah. Casey: or those vintage magazines, but then I could go and Tobey: Yeah. Casey: thrift something that feels similar then then I can curate my own pieces that would make my own space cozy and and fun. Tobey: For sure. Yeah. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Casey: So this is a spur of the moment question. I did not ask you this ahead of time, but is there a recipe that your family has been like is there a go-to recipe you have? I feel we are always in like a rut of like we make the same things over and over and we're like, I don't know what to make and I don't know Tobey: Yeah. Casey: what yeah. So is there I'm always looking to expand our our family library of recipes. So do Tobey: Yeah. Casey: you have any go-tos? Tobey: Gosh, I would say I feel like we I have a handful of go-tos. One of them is, well, this one's not very exciting, but this is one that we always fall back to, and it's just tacos. Like we eat Casey: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Tobey: tacos, I mean, we're not they're not in our current rotation, but usually we eat tacos like once a week because it's just like such easy go to thing and we have somebody here in town who makes tortillas and sells them and I feel like a good tortilla makes all the difference and Casey: Beautiful. Such a difference, yeah. Tobey: yes and so I'm like I don't think if we didn't have those tortillas and we had to buy the tortillas from the regular grocery store, I don't know that tacos would be on our on our rotation every week. But that is something and then one that we've really really loved this past winter, which like this one I'm not sure will be for everyone, but it's salmon soup. And if I feel like if you like salmon, this salmon soup, I I'll send you the recipe after this because it is so Casey: Yes, please do. Tobey: so good. And like It's really I don't like things that are super rich and it's not rich. It's really flavorful. It's just like easy. My husband and I loved it and we usually do like three month rotations and sometimes there will there are foods where we're like, we kinda got sick of that one. Salmon soup we did not get sick of, believe it or not. Yeah. Casey: Yeah. Amazing. Yeah. Tobey: So it's got like really thinly sliced potatoes in there. It's yeah. It's delicious. Casey: Yeah, no, definitely send me that recipe 'cause we'll have to give that a try. Yes, definitely. Tobey: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's good good wintertime soup. Casey: Yeah, I feel definitely it feels like there's such a change with the seasons and what we're eating. Like the weather Tobey: Yeah. Casey: starts getting and maybe that might be just obvious statement of the year, like everybody wants to eat soup when it's fall, but it just there's something about it, yeah. Tobey: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Casey: Yeah, well then my last question is just where can people find you? What's your social media, your website, anything else and I'll I'll share that. Tobey: Yeah, my social media on my business is High Country Women and then my personal is Toby Rowe. And yeah, we have a High Country Women has a YouTube where you can find like all of our sewing patterns. well our our yeah we have we have a tutorial for each of our patterns. and then our website is highcountrywomen.com. You can also buy our patterns on Etsy. but yeah, each of we it was very important to us that each of our patterns had a sew along tutorial. So those are on YouTube. And then I have a personal YouTube as well. so yeah. Yeah. Casey: Yeah, that's exciting. Well, thanks so much for for chatting for an hour. That was really special and I loved hearing so much about your story and I just yeah, Tobey: Yeah, my gosh, thank you. huh. Casey: I really do love that everything about it just felt so meant to be from the very beginning Tobey: Yeah. Casey: to where you guys are headed. It's I'm excited and I'm excited to to see your Someday storefront and we'll have to make a trip out to Wyoming so we can come and check it out 'cause that would be so fun. Tobey: Thanks. my god, that would be fun. That would be so fun. And next time I'm in Milwaukee, I'm like a hundred percent gonna reach out to you because that would be really, really fun to meet up. Yeah. Yeah. We we'll Casey: Yes. Yes, definitely. That would be so fun. Yeah. Yeah. Tobey: see. We I don't know what we're doing for Christmas this year, but we might come up there. So yeah, we'll see. But yeah. Yeah. All right. I can't Casey: Yeah, definitely be in touch. Yeah, that'd be so special. Tobey: wait to start on the the Frankie quilt. So Casey: Yes, I can't wait to see how you how you pull it together and yeah, the fabrics you chose and Tobey: Yeah. Yeah, cool. Casey: Thanks for listening to the handset make. If you enjoyed today's episode, follow along, leave a rating or review, and send it to a fellow mom or maker who might love it as well. You can find me on Instagram at summerflora.co and you can shop quilt patterns fabric and notions anytime at Summerfloralinen dot com. See you in the next one.