We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful April Tippitt. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with April below.
April, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Creating is my therapy. I love learning new things. All of my passions in life are connected to the creative side of my mind. The feeling of making something you’ve never made before is so satisfying and invigorating! Everytime we learn something new, new synapses and connections are created in the brain. So being a newbie is the best creative space to be in. No matter your level there’s always something new you can learn. We tend to be the nicest to ourselves when we’re new at something. Just the act of creating keeps the creativity ALIVE !!!!!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is April, and I love designing clothes out of quilts, vintage textiles, and clothes that no one wants anymore. I take these items and turn them into one of a kind, wearable, sharable art. My grandmother taught me to sew at a very young age, giving me the ability to expand my style since we were not wealthy and couldnt afford the namebrand (which was clutch in the 80s when i was in Jr High)…lol. I have always enjoyed making clothes my own. It has been my dream since childhood to design and produce my own brand. Many of these ideas have been in my brain since I was a teenager. A few years ago I began doing resale, fed up with fast fashion and cheap materials that are bad for the body in so many ways I began searching out vintage clothing to avoid plastics and chemicals in my clothes. In sourcing I came across a mind blowing amount of good condition items that were headed for…long story short…landfills. So ofcourse I came across alot of things that weren’t my size but to amazing to pass up and so began my reselling business. One short year later out comes the old sewing machine to fix flaws and before you know it all my designs began to flood my mind and Chopshop was born. The Chopshop line is designed to expand your wardrobe. Each piece is made to last, designed to be timeless and can stand on its own or be incorporated into your current and future styles. Open sizing allows for fluctuations in your size and sharing with friends and family. My patterns are hand drawn so all pieces are truly one of a kind. Attention to quality means you can pass it down or give it to friends, creating less waste. The latest edition to Chopshop is the Busy Girl line that includes Busy Girl Blanket Pants and travel sets. In a busy world a busy girl deserves both comfort and style 😉 I love where I’m at. I feel knowledgeable in my craft while at the same time there’s so much to learn. No limits, no judgement, just possibilities.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Don’t compare your work or yourself to others. Everyone is at a different level and there will always be someone more knowledgeable than you and there will always be someone who sees you as their goal. Embrace the process, learn from others willing to share and share what you know with those that need it. Welcome the fails as wins because without them their is no movement. My biggest accomplishments are results of my biggest fails. Those moments where you just go for it, no fear, no what ifs, just the joy of creating.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed in my personal life, on any level, my therapy is creating and pouring myself into my current inspiration. When I’m overwhelmed with my craft for me I know it’s time to take a step back, slow down and take in all that I have accomplished big or small. Sometimes when you’re in the groove creating multiple pieces it’s easy to forget to stop and be present in appreciating what you’ve achieved up to this point. Then when I feel that glow of inspiration coming back I jump right back in.
Contact Info:
- Instagram:Â fashionaddictzzbyapril
- Other:Â https://shoprestatement.com/seller/chopshop/
