Hello! I’m Gianna,

the artist behind GEMmade Designs. I am a Guelph, Ontario born artist that creates landscapes made entirely from wool. I frame my pieces in unique way by restoring and repurposing antique window frames collected from across Ontario.

My artistic goal is to create a style of artwork full of colour, texture and movement that can add life to any room. I believes a handcrafted piece of art can transform any space into feeling more inviting and special because it brings a high level of craftsmanship and most importantly, a story. 

The roots of my journey as an artist began with my nonno, my beloved grandfather. Nonno was an inspiring model of creativity, from his love of the earth which was in full expression through his impressive vegetable and flower gardens, fruit trees and beautifully manicured lawn to his fondness for drawing simple pictures just for the joy of it. It’s the treasured memories of my time in the garden and countless blissful hours spent sitting at the kitchen table with nonno encouraging me and giving me some drawing instruction that the first seeds of my love of the arts were planted. I’ve been an avid illustrator ever since those early years.

I’m Pam, the creative mind behind Firefly Haven Fibre, located in Southern Ontario, Canada. My journey into the world of yarn and fibre arts began years ago with a simple knitting project, and it quickly grew into a passion for all things fibre.

I love exploring the art of hand-dyeing yarn, creating unique blends of vibrant hues and rich tones inspired by nature and cozy moments. When I’m not dyeing yarn or knitting, you can find me spinning, sewing, designing, teaching, or spending time with my family, usually with a cup of coffee to hand. I’m also an employee and Classes Coordinator at The Little Red Mitten in St. Thomas Ontario. I’m grateful to share my passion with you and be part of this creative community.

Aleks Byrd is a knitwear designer and illustrator whose work reflects a rich blend of heritage and creativity. With roots in the USA, Estonia, and Canada, Aleks draws inspiration from all three cultures, though her Estonian heritage remains a central influence in her designs. She skillfully integrates traditional Estonian knitting techniques into contemporary patterns, creating pieces that are both modern and connected to the past. As a self-proclaimed ambassador for Estonian knitting, Aleks is passionate about preserving these little-known techniques, giving them a fresh, wearable twist that resonates with knitters today. 

In addition to her design work, Aleks shares her expertise through popular workshops, where she teaches these unique methods to knitters of all levels. Her background in illustration adds a distinct visual flair to her knitwear, with a playful use of colour and pattern that makes her designs both enjoyable and rewarding to knit. Her portfolio of designs includes individual patterns as well as those published in The Knitter magazine and Laine Magazine as well as books like her llatest book Traditions Revisited – Modern Estonian Knits. Whether through her patterns or her workshops, Aleks brings a vibrant and accessible approach to traditional knitting, making it exciting for a new generation of makers.

As a former superintendent of schools, Director of Research & Technology,
teacher, principal, and librarian, Jane thornley has lived many lives in her first set
of careers. Now she has graduated (in other words, she’s retired) into her best life
and flying free.
She has lead an online knitting community called the Inspired Knitters Club for a
decade as well as taken knitting groups on evocative knitting tours worldwide. She
calls her knitting style ‘free-range’ because her patterns are more like recipes than
traditional patterns and she encourages knitters to explore outside the lines using
a mixture of yarns and textures.
These days, she mostly writes novels. Her historical mystery thriller novels
featuring an art historian who also knits has become so popular that it has
absorbed her full-time.

Originally coming to Mongolia as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2010, Jon Hetts founded ULA+LIA to provide products made fully of Mongolian raw materials produced 100% in Mongolia. The incredible fibers harvested from free-range animals raised by traditional herders in the countryside to the workmanship of the industrial sector in Mongolia create unique and high-quality items specific to the country. Currently providing a range of knitting yarns, we have ambitions to also provide bespoke ready-to-wear items in the future.