My name is Brooke, and this is Tower Swamp.

I’ve been crafting as long as I can remember.

I have memories of stitching on a little cross-stitch kit during recess in elementary school. I was an introverted kid and very artistic, so hand-crafts felt natural to me.

I made my first dress from a pattern when I was 12. My mom made me redo the pockets because I had sewn them in inside out, and I find I tend to redo, redo, redo until I think it’s perfect. Or at least close enough to perfect.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I gift something like a hand-crafted item to a family member or friend, and it either gets abused (like finding a hand-knit glove amongst McDonald’s trash and discarded what-not when trying to find something in a friend’s car), or it’s put on a pedestal so high it never gets used. It’s just a sweater for goodness sake. Wear it! Don’t preserve it! It’s just stockinette!!! I know :) I’m a little contradictory.

My nephews are my biggest fans. So if they want sweaters in fingering yarn, damn it, I’m going to knit them sweaters!

I am trying to craft more for myself this year. I know I’ll love, respect, and use items that I make, so why not make more for me??

I started Tower Swamp as a way to share my crafting journey, as well as my patterns for free, to help others craft for themselves, friends, and family, or even to sell at craft shows or online. I think all of us need a creative outlet, and hand-crafts are a path many people can use to feel calmer, composed, artistic, and useful.

I hope this site helps you calm the creative chaos inside, as it does for me.