Bio
Knitagains are plush dolls, animals and monsters made from recycled knit sweaters and t-shirts. Once they were knitwear. Now they are "knit again", hand-cut, assembled, embroidered, and stuffed with knit scraps and poly fiberfill. Most are weighted with a small bag of pebbles to give them a satisfying heft. Knitagains are Heidi's most popular product. They come in a variety of sizes with larger pieces having a greater complexity and more detailed embellishment. Characters include monsters, devils, rabbits, cats, fish, squid, birds and bugs. Shoppers of all ages are attracted to their simple expressions and often choose their favorite based on a perceived resemblance to a friend, loved one or family member. Knitagains are also often purchased in sets, either to make up a family or just so they won't be lonely.
Heidi Wineland is a multi-discipline craft artist and instructor who specializes in making fun and useful objects using re-purposed, non-traditional and scrap materials. She takes special pleasure in teaching others to create their own treasures through her many craft classes and programs. Her KittyAllen brand name products can be purchased in shops around Kentucky and West Virginia, as well as online at KittyAllen.etsy.com and have been featured in local and national media.
Heidi considers her magnum opus the Academy Award Action Figures. These miniature recreations of designer red-carpet fashions are part of a project two decades in the making. The collection currently consists of about 120 12 inch dolls with more being added every year. The Action Figures occasionally go on public exhibit or receive press coverage, but mostly they stay with Heidi for her own personal amusement.