It all started with a simple thought “I wonder what my journey would have looked like if I had been formally introduced to fashion design at a young age.” As a child, I loved drawing comic book figures, especially the female characters from the Archie comics. What excited me most was changing their outfits; creating new styles and imagining different looks. I spent a lot of my down time in doodling dresses and other clothing items in school. At the time, I had no idea that what I was doing was, in fact, fashion design. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I was formally introduced to the world of design.

Creativity was not something that was encouraged in me as a child. Although my father was a tailor, he did not want me involved in sewing or making clothing. Instead, I was encouraged to pursue business and subjects that would lead to a government job. But fashion had already awakened in me. I watched my father sew, observing every stitch and technique, and that’s how I learned. Even though I wasn’t guided toward it, my love for design never faded; it was always there, waiting for its moment.

In early 2024, a story about creativity and discovery took root in my mind. It was there, waiting for the right moment to be told. Then, I started having conversations with the kids in my life, and I was surprised to hear that many of them did not enjoy reading. They saw it as a chore rather than an adventure. That struck a chord with me because I knew how much reading had shaped my world. I shared with them how books had opened my mind, expanded my vocabulary, and helped me excel in school. Even when I did not know how to pronounce a word, I could still understand its meaning, and knew how to spell it all because I read it in a book. Reading had been my escape, my teachers, my window into endless possibilities; and I wanted them to experience that same magic.

Then, as life often does, it threw an unexpected challenge my way. I received some difficult news regarding my health, and in my search for comfort and distraction, I turned to writing. The story that had been sitting quietly in the background of my mind suddenly had a purpose. Pouring my emotions into creating this book became a form of healing, a way to channel my thoughts into something meaningful. I wanted to craft a narrative that wasn’t just a book but a spark; one that could ignite curiosity and joy in young readers.

As I continued writing, I kept thinking about the kids in my life. How could I make this story truly engaging for them to want to read? How could I encourage them to come back to it, to see books as more than just words on a page? That’s when I decided to illustrate the book myself and self-publish it. It was a deeply personal project, and by creating the visuals alongside the story, I could infuse even more of myself into it. Every stroke of color, every character design; it all came from the heart.

Then, an idea struck me. What if there was something extra, something fun that would keep kids connected to the book even after they finished reading it? That’s how the coloring book section was born. I wanted children to not only enjoy the story but also engage with it in a hands-on way. By giving them an activity to come back to, I hoped to create an experience; one where they could revisit the book, remember the story, and find new meaning in it each time.

Writing One Stitch at a Time was never just about putting words on paper; it was about creating something that could touch lives. It was about giving children a reason to fall in love with books, to see the magic within their pages. More than anything, it was my way of sharing a piece of myself, hoping that somewhere, a young reader would pick up this book, smile, and discover the joy of stories; again and again.

The Journey Behind My Book: One Stitch at a Time