Meet Carin Brophy | Sewist and Fabric Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carin Brophy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carin, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
Being uncomfortable is a necessary part of growth; it  means you are learning. I always heard of getting out of your comfort zone, and the greatest progress I’ve had personally and professionally is when I was tackling something new. With my previous career and running my own business, if I didn’t put myself out there and be vulnerable to uncertainty, I could never thrive. When I’m anxious about taking a risk, I ask myself “what is the absolute worst thing that will happen if I do?” The answer is usually so minor, it makes me wonder why I even questioned myself in the first place.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have a degree in Fashion Merchandising and a minor in Business Management and Marketing, which I used during my twenty-five plus years in Retail Management and Merchandising. I worked for Polo Ralph Lauren for half of that time and met so many amazing and creative people. It was an environment where you were encouraged to think outside of the box. It really taught me how to analyze every aspect of running a store to optimize productivity. Four years ago, I left retail and changed careers to finance. I learned quickly that I longed for the creative world retail brought and the people connection was a big part of it. In late 2019 I was diagnosed with cancer-being in treatment in 2020 along with a global pandemic forced me to re-evaluate what made me happy. I missed the people and creativity the retail world provided. My daughter had just graduated from college with a BFA in Art and we both decided to join forces to create an online fabric business where we could combine our talents. For the first time in my professional career, I had an idea that wasn’t fully planned out. Being in the business world you set goals, make plans, and strategize every small detail. This was a business I knew about as a consumer but not as a fabric shop owner. I did a lot of research but at some point, we decided to just dive in and let it become what it will be as we learn together. I look at our business as an evolution. We currently carry curated fabrics, notions and patterns for the quilter and sewer, but are looking to evolve with original and artisan goods in the near future.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Southwest Colorado is incredible, and my favorite drive is the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. We would start in Cortez, spend a day at Mesa Verde National Park and then drive to Durango. I totally recommend staying the night at the General Palmer hotel, a fun historic hotel close to great restaurants and breweries like Ska Brewing Company, Steamworks Brewing company, and Carver and Animas Brewing company. All have great food too so it would be a food and brewery tour. Walk down Main Ave for shopping and end the day at the Strater Hotel for live music and desert. For a bit of an adventure the Durango- Silverton Railroad takes you on a steam train up to Silverton for amazing views or depending on the time of year you can white water raft the Animas. We would definitely hit the newly remodeled Durango Hot Springs, formally Trimble Hot Springs. Next stop on the tour would be Silverton and Ouray. Over the pass to Ouray we would have several stops to take in the views and if it’s Summer would camp at Molas Lake. Once in Ouray we would hike the Upper Box Canyon Falls trail and then go to Wiesbaden Hot Springs or Ouray Hot Springs Pool; both are wonderful. We would eat at the Brickyard 737 or Bon Ton Restaurant for dinner. No stop to Ouray is complete without a visit to Ouray Brewing, I recommend sitting outside on the upper deck. Leaving Ouray to Telluride we would make a stop at the True Grit Cafe in Ridgway for lunch, fun history and even a few shops within walking distance. The drive from Ridgway to Telluride is spectacular and views of Mt Sneffels are epic. We would hit Telluride for a bit to shop and eat where there is no shortage of amazing restaurants and then head back on the road toward Dolores. The drive has more incredible views so pulling over a few times is necessary for some great photos. Dolores is our last stop where we would end at the Dolores River Brewery for beer, pizza and maybe some live music.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My dad is who has inspired me and who I dedicate my shoutout to. He is an inventor, entrepreneur and owned several types of businesses over my lifetime. He is a risk taker and showed me how to be curious, you never know what could lead to new opportunities! He is close to eighty years old now and is still working on projects. He has supported me in every endeavor and shares in my excitement when I reach a new milestone.

Website: www.faithandquinn.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithandquinn/

Linkedin: Carin Brophy

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