Today we’d like to introduce you to Khadijah Curry.
Hi, Khadijah; thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started tufting in 2020. I was scrolling through Facebook, and I saw this guy making a rug, and I thought it was super cool. I instantly dived deeply into many YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook videos to discover what he was doing. Shortly after, it led to a quick trip to Tampa to pick up my first kit, and from there, the rest was history! It wasn’t until spring 2023 that I decided to take what I was doing to the public. I started by doing different events throughout Florida, but one event that stuck with me was the Riverside Arts Market, known as R.A.M. I sold many of my rugs and had a lot of positive feedback. During that summer, I was asked something that set a light bulb off in my head. “Do you teach classes?” followed by many people walking by saying, “Although they look nice, I want to make my own. “That summer, I knew I had to open the shop and bring something I love to Jacksonville. At that moment, I set a two-month plan to open up a tufting shop, and in September 2023, we opened up Tuft Lyfe.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was a very rough start in the beginning. I found it hard to get the word out and fill classes. I also needed help to keep up with the demand for supplies. I like to buy the best quality for my rugs and those made in the workshop.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to become more familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
I make rugs through a process called tufting. We take a handling machine known as a tufting gun and follow various shapes and patterns we have drawn or traced. I can make many things with this machine, such as rugs, cup coasters, patches, pillows, etc. But I am mostly known for making my rugs in person at markets and the workshops to allow people to make their own.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is moving around from place to place. I grew up in a military household so that we would move every 3 to 5 years. I always thought it was so fun to get on flights, travel through airports, and get off the plane to see my new home. Only once we got there would I be exposed to a new culture and lifestyle I had only read about in the textbook. I also knew that once I was there, my mother always made it her mission for us to experience the land and everything the country had to offer. While most kids were upset they lost their cell phones, tablets, or TV; I was upset if I couldn’t go to the meet-up with the local kids. Or that I would miss the deep sea fishing trip for a chance to see the exotic fish that you only see in aquariums.
Pricing:
- Classes to make your own rug range between $80- 100
Contact Info:
- Website: tuftlyfe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tuft_lyfe/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TuftLyfe
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Tuft.Lyfe
