The Road to The Hook Nook Collection with Jessica Carey | Podcast Episode #142

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If you’re about to give up on your dream, don’t.

More often than not, the difference between success and failure is refusing to give up. And if you’re scared? Kick fear in the face because fear is usually your best sign that you’re doing the right thing and that you really care about the outcome.

Special Guest

In this episode of The BHooked Podcast, you’ll hear Jessica Carey’s inspiring story of how she kicked fear in the face and went after her biggest dream. Through the ups and downs, she had to keep the excitement and fear to herself but when you’re hearing this, it’s no longer a secret. When we recorded this episode, however, it was well before the cat was out of the bag. I had no idea what the secret was or what we were going to talk about.

Episode Transcript

Brittany: Well, hello there and welcome to episode 142 of the B.Hooked podcast. I’m your host, Brittany, and I just want to say a big thank you to you for tuning in today.

I’ve got something a little different in store for you. I have to say, I have never gone into a podcast interview not having any idea what we were going to talk about. And that was the case for today’s episode. So I want to make sure that you’re aware of that, but I also want to let you know that this episode turned out way better than I could have ever imagined. I don’t think I could have planned a better chat.

Now, you are probably familiar with today’s guest if you have been a listener of the show for a while. This is now her third time being on the show, and every single time she always brings the goods. That’s why I was pretty confident knowing that even though I didn’t know what the secret was or what we were going to talk about, I knew it was going to be good and I could trust Jessica with that.

If you follow Jessica from The Hook Nook on Instagram, you already know what this secret is. But as you know, I record episodes a little bit in advance, so I had no idea about the secret. In fact, I was one of the first people to know, and that was such an honor and so very exciting to hear this for the first time.

But like I said, if you are following The Hook Nook on Instagram and just can’t miss what she’s doing, you already know what’s going on. Now, I don’t want to spoil the surprise if maybe you haven’t heard what this secret Jessica has, so I won’t give any clues as to what it is just yet.

But I do want to let you know that Jessica is hosting a giveaway for this episode. So make sure you listen all the way to the end of the episode. I’ll have the details for how you can enter and, of course, what you could possibly win.

All right, there are a couple of details that I will have listed for you on the show notes page, as well as how you can enter that giveaway. So it’s very important that you remember the show notes for today’s episode, and that is bhooked.com/142. Just type that into your browser, scroll down a little bit, and you’ll see the links and resources that we mentioned. I’m sure you’ll want to check those out.

Also on that page will be the information for how you can get in on this wonderful giveaway.

All right, I don’t want to delay anymore. Here’s my chat with Jessica from The Hook Nook.

Brittany: Jessica, welcome back to the B.Hooked Podcast. How are you doing today?

Jessica: I’m good. How are you?

Brittany: I am really good. I am so excited about this and I kind of just can’t wait. I know you’ve got this big secret and I’m dying to know what it is. What it is, I’m sort of hearing it for the first time. I literally have gone into this conversation knowing nothing about what we’re going to talk about and that has pretty much never happened for any of the episodes.

But I thought it to be very fitting because I had you on in episode 11. You were my second interview ever and I was a nervous wreck, and it turned out so well. That episode still today is one of the most frequently listened to. We talked about sort of like expressing yourself and your style through your craft, through crochet or through knitting.

And then I had you back on in episode 52. We talked a little bit more about garment making and that sort of thing. So I’ll have links to those. If you’re listening and you haven’t heard those, you should definitely check those out.

But I’m really just honored knowing that you’ve been a big part of the show here and having the opportunity to share in something. And you sort of thought of me when you wanted to share the secret. So I’m dying to know what it is.

Jessica: Yes. Well, by the time that this airs, it won’t be a secret anymore, but it’s super exciting to have you be literally the first person that I get to tell this about because we have this history. And I look to you as someone who inspires me. And you do so much for the community. And so it was just, to me, very fitting to be able to share this with you.

So I’m really grateful that you were even open to letting me kind of show up with you having no idea what I’m about to say. I’m putting a lot of faith in you.

Brittany: Girl, I know you won’t disappoint though.

Jessica: I hope not.

Brittany: Well, you know, the audience knows that these are recorded a little bit in advance. So that’s why it’s still a secret as of right now. But when you’re hearing this on the podcast, it’s no longer a secret. But I thought it would be really fun to sort of tee it up this way so that you can get my initial reaction because I really have no clue what this is, what you’ve been up to.

And yeah, what is it? Give it to me.

Jessica: So, I have been working with my team at American Crafts since last summer, and we have been spending the last—over a year—working on our brand new The Hook Nook product collection.

Yes, I can’t even—I’m just the third, the first time I can actually talk about it with someone. So I’m still like having to learn what it’s okay to talk about.

But I know American Crafts, in case you aren’t familiar, is the leading manufacturing company in the United States for craft products. And they work with a variety of different brands and different industries, but they have never worked in the fiber industry before.

I originally had an idea to create a certain product, the Yarn Passport, which is essentially a scrapbook of sorts, a textural journal, a space where makers and fiber lovers can keep track of special yarns that they’ve used.

And so it’s a very personal, textural amazingness that I felt like I could really benefit from, that I felt like others might be able to benefit from as well.

So I had been able to submit a proposal to American Crafts last summer to create this one product, but I also submitted ideas for additional products and they said yes.

Within two weeks, I found myself in Utah, visiting with them and meeting my new team and beginning the process of creating our The Hook Nook collection, which has products ranging from yarn and hooks and different accessories and all—like project bags, so many different things—that we built and created over the last, over a year now.

And Joann’s stores is actually the first craft store that has decided to pick it up, and so that’s very special to me because I’ve been able to, you know, first off, I’ve shopped at Joann stores my entire life for craft supplies. That’s been my go-to store since day one.

And then I’ve been able to work with Joann in different ways over the last handful of years. So to have them accept it and be excited about it and want to be the first people to help promote this and share it with their audiences and customer base—it is just so incredible. And I’m so excited.

And I literally can’t even believe the day is finally here because it’s been a secret for over a year.

Brittany:
Yeah, and it seems so crazy to think something like this hasn’t happened before. I’m really thrilled for you that you were able to make it happen and power through all the hard times that surely came with something of this magnitude. Like I said, it really brings things full circle. You come across as someone who’s very intentional about what you do, what you create, and what you say. And I know this project is an extension of that.

Creating with intention is something I’m trying to focus on more this year. Before, I’d make anything, with any yarn that caught my eye at the moment. But I noticed that sometimes I wouldn’t even use what I’d finished, or I didn’t have an outfit to match the wild scarf yarn I picked. I’m finding so much more peace and joy in the craft now that I’m more intentional about it. Honestly, I didn’t even realize I felt that way until I heard someone else talk about applying more intention to their life. That made me sit and think about it—why they said that, and how it might apply to me. I really like hearing how people think, plan, and find motivation.

So when I reflected on myself, I realized I do want to apply more intention to my projects. And that’s something you’ve always done really well. For people who might be in a similar spot—maybe they’re mid-project, working long hours but feeling uninspired, or maybe they finished something big but it no longer excites them—how do you come up with project ideas with intention? And what keeps you motivated through all the hard work and time you invest?

Jessica:
Yeah, I’ve been there. I just finished writing my first book, which is full of crochet projects. Being excited about something for a long time, then having that fire dim or life pull you in other directions, is really tough. But I find it helpful to remind myself why I love this craft—why it’s been important to me. If you’re mid-project, it’s okay to set it aside for a bit, take a break, or refocus on the why.

Because, honestly, it’s very personal. Even if you’re making things for others, it’s your time spent. If what you’re doing doesn’t make you feel fulfilled, then what’s the point? I want to be proud of myself each day and feel excited to create again tomorrow.

When creating new projects, I think about what I want to make, wear, or use. For me, texture is a big motivator. That’s why we created the yarn passport—it’s about more than just journaling; textures feed me creatively. So when I plan a project—like a beanie—I ask myself, what kind of beanie do I want to make right now? What yarn fits this moment? Something squishy? Jumbo yarn? Something detailed with thin yarn? It’s about having that conversation with myself and being intentional so that the hours I spend feel worthwhile.

I’ve definitely lost steam on projects before. It happens to everyone. The key is to take a step back, maybe take a break, or change your idea. Sometimes the yarn just isn’t right, or the hook size needs to change. Sometimes the whole concept needs to shift so you can finish feeling fulfilled. At the end of the day, I want to feel like I did something for myself, not just for others. Everyone else gets to enjoy the final product, but the time spent making it is mine. So I don’t want to waste my hours just to please someone else. We’re all humans behind the screens, and feeling connected to your projects is so important.

Brittany:
I always say time is our most valuable resource, and I’m the same as you—I really focus on how I spend mine. I check in with myself regularly to see if what I’m doing now feels as valuable as it did when I started. And it’s not just about projects. It could be any part of a maker business. Maybe you’re starting a blog or writing posts. That time has to do something for you.

For makers, it’s even more meaningful. Creating gives us joy, lets us share knowledge and inspiration, and sometimes we get to physically gift something to someone else. That’s what makes this craft so special, and why I love advocating for it. The feeling we get from these things is why I do what I do—it feels like my purpose right now.

Jessica:
Absolutely. Even before this became a business, just as a personal brand, I’ve learned so much about myself through all this. Funny story—I actually submitted a proposal to Joann’s several years ago for my own yarn brand. But I had no idea what I was doing! They told me I needed to work with a manufacturer and all that, but I just didn’t know how. So I let it go and the dream kind of festered.

But you learn as you go. You build on your foundation and get more experience. You become willing to reach out, risk rejection, and put yourself out there. It’s about giving your dreams space to grow. Through this whole process, I’ve learned that I’m capable of anything I set my mind to. I never thought my big, crazy dreams could come true, but they can. It’s about taking the steps that bring you closer, even if you don’t know exactly how to get there yet. Every yes or no decision can either move you forward or delay the journey—it’s so personal.

Brittany:
That reminds me of a quote I love from Picasso: “Everything you can imagine is real.” I keep it on my computer screen to remind me daily. When I have an idea, I like to sit on it and see if it still excites me a week later or even a month from now. Sometimes ideas need time to develop, especially big ones like submitting a proposal for a product line. That’s a pretty big deal.

Once you’ve done that self-check and you know, yes, this is something that lights you up, that gets you excited, that gives you purpose in your community—then you just make it happen. Do whatever it takes to make it happen. For you, it was emailing someone you didn’t even have contact with before. Like you said, you don’t know what you don’t know.

I say that a lot because it’s so true. It’s often uncomfortable to send that email to a brand or a business when you don’t know everything. It feels a little icky to admit what you don’t know. But it’s totally human, and it’s really the first step. Now, depending on your idea—like if you want to write a book—you first come up with the idea, then email publishers. You might know someone or you might have to send a bunch of cold emails. But that’s really the first step to building something like that.

Jessica:
For sure. The way I was able to send in my proposal was because Jen Evans, my main assistant since January 2017, also works as the marketing specialist for Heidi Swapp, a paper crafting brand owned by American Crafts. She’s worked with them for years, and also with Craft Warehouse and other craft industry brands.

So I had this idea to create the yarn passport, something I personally wanted and wanted to share with others because we all get so many yarns and fibers we hesitate to use. I talked to Jen, asking how I could create this product myself. She explained the typical ways it’s done, but warned it would be expensive. I definitely didn’t have the funds for that, so I dropped the dream.

Then Jen offered to put her name on the line and approach her boss at American Crafts to ask if I could send in a proposal. Her boss said yes, which made me about pee my pants! I spent a week trying to figure out what a proposal even looked like, what to include, how to do it professionally, because it was a big deal and I wanted to do it right.

Jessica:
Again, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. So I spent a lot of time talking to Jen and researching. After a week of work, I submitted the proposal. It took a month to hear back. When I did, it felt like the skies opened. I couldn’t believe that by putting myself on the line and pushing through the fear, I was able to work with the most ideal team of people.

I cried for a long time because I was so grateful and happy. It was a lot of hard work and time, and I didn’t know much about making products or the right answers. But they said, “Jessica, we’ve never worked in the fiber industry, so you get to take the lead.” That was a lot of pressure.

But I learned to dig deep inside myself, decide what was important, and hold onto my vision—not just for myself but for the community and the longevity of the craft industry. I don’t want craft stores to close. Crafting is so healing and therapeutic. So even if I had everything to lose, I decided to put it all out there and do my best.

I couldn’t be prouder of everything we created. I’m so excited for you and everyone to see it because it expresses who I am as a maker and what I hear from the community. The whole collection feels like a fresh breath of air for an industry that hasn’t had much refreshment in a while. I’m really proud I was willing to be uncomfortable for a season to make these big things happen.

Brittany:
I think the resounding message here is to let your fear empower you, not hold you back. You kicked fear in the face and said, “This is what I want to do because it’s what the industry needs.” Kudos to you for powering through the anxieties and uncomfortable moments. I’m really excited for you.

I can’t wait to get these products in my hands to really connect this conversation to something tangible. I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.

Before we wrap up, can you tell us where people can find these products? You mentioned they’ll be at Joann’s stores—any details on when and where?

Jessica:
Yes! The collection will be available in select Joann’s stores and on their website for online purchase if a store near you doesn’t have it. Accessibility was really important to me—everyone should be able to get it.

I’ll have a store list on my website and a blog post showing all the products in the collection and the specific stores carrying them.

Brittany:
Wonderful! I’ll link that blog post in the show notes so listeners can check it out. And I’m sure you’ll have some sneak peek pictures on Instagram too. What’s your handle for people to follow?

Jessica:
My Instagram is @the.hook.nook. I’ve already posted some teasers and I can’t wait to share more.

Brittany:
Awesome! Jessica, thank you so much for joining me today. This was such an inspirational conversation. The big takeaway is definitely to kick fear in the face and use it as motivation. Go after what you want and make it your personal mission to make it happen.

Just remember, if you don’t try and don’t believe, you won’t accomplish anything. Also, don’t compare yourself too much—everyone’s journey is different. Just because someone else has something you don’t yet means they set that as their goal and worked for it first.

Jessica’s story is a beautiful example of that. That wraps up today’s episode of the Be Hooked podcast. Thanks so much for tuning in—I really appreciate it. See you next week! Bye-bye.

On the show, Brittany aims to inspire you and help you grow in your craft. Through her own stories and the stories of special guests, you’ll discover tips and tricks to improve your crochet and knitting skills and find inspiration to make something that makes you happy.

When you want to kick back and learn from yarn industry experts, grab some yarn, your favorite cozy beverage and turn on The BHooked Podcast. There’s never a shortage of all things crochet, knitting or yarn. Listen & subscribe on your favorite podcast player!

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