Meet LinkaCreates
FOUNDED BY
THE INTERVIEW
Written by Boston Women’s Market & Paulina Migalska
Boston Women’s Market: Can you tell us a bit about what led you to begin your journey with LinkaCreates? Was there an aha! Moment?
Paulina Migalska: I purchased my first pair of crochet earrings over a decade ago. I loved it, but since it was made with cotton embroidery floss, it lasted a couple of years only. Although I was able to replicate it, I wasn’t feeling it. The cotton fibers warped and frayed easily.
Fast forward to the summer of 2021, while organizing my arts & crafts supplies, I found a few rolls of colorful nylon cord I got in South Africa in 2017. When I purchased them, it was with the idea that I’d use them as a base for beaded necklaces or bracelets.
But that afternoon, a thought popped into my head: “What if I tried to crochet with it?" I got to it right away with excitement. The nylon cord proved to be just perfect for the task at hand. I had discovered my “aha moment.” Three years later, I have crocheted and sold nearly a thousand pairs of crochet earrings. Meanwhile, I have yet to make a single bracelet or necklace. And I'm ok with that.
BWM: A mentor can play an integral role in someone’s career progression and personal growth. Did you have a mentor that influenced where you are today?
Paulina: I love this question because it gives the perfect opportunity to share the work of a wonderful jewelry maker from Lowell, MA. I met Melissa Mammino of Bohemian Beads and Bangles through a friend of a friend. I stopped by her pop-up once to show her my early earring pairs and to ask if she thought they were sellable. It did so with much trepidation and self-doubt. In fact, I almost didn’t go, but I also did not want to disappoint my dear friend who made the introduction. And I’m so glad I did.
Melissa not only reassured me that my earrings were beautiful but also asked if she could get a few pairs on commission to sell along with her jewelry. A year later in the summer of 2022, she encouraged me to do my first craft market. I kept making excuses as to why I wasn’t ready, but Melissa wouldn’t let me give up on myself. So here I am today. THANK YOU, Melissa!
Melissa Mammino of Bohemian Beads and Bangles — My Accidental Mentor.
Ani Wong of Humanity Style — A frequent collaborator of Melissa and a dear friend of my friend, who introduced me to Ani, who introduced me to Melissa :).
BWM: Do you have a favorite moment so far with LinkaCreates? Where you really felt like you were on the right path?
Paulina: I have many such moments. The artist community of Boston – the artists themselves and our customers, who appreciate our art – is incredibly kind, supportive, and welcoming. The community made it easy for me to embrace my artistic side and told me I was an artist before I was ready to embrace it myself.
When not crocheting, attending markets, or job hunting, I work part-time at The Local Hand Shop & Gallery in Dorchester’s Ashmont Hill neighborhood. I wrote about the moment I’d like to share here in an Instagram post from September 2023.
BWM: What is your go-to Podcast or book of the moment?
Paulina: I listen to many podcasts, especially when crocheting, sewing, or engaging in other crafts. Haptic & Hue's Tales of Textiles – recommended to me by one of LinkaCreates’ early customers – explores how cloth speaks to us and its impact on our lives. Although these days I’m most skilled in crocheting, I’m a multifaceted fiber artist who also enjoys sewing, knitting, and embroidery. The idea that one can take a simple string or a piece of cloth and turn it into a piece of art on the one hand or an everyday functional item on the other, fascinates me. We fiber artists have so many options to explore our creativity. Haptic & Hue's host has a unique and soothing voice and delves into how fabric traditions have grown, the innovations that underpin its creation, the skills that go into constructing it, and what it means to the people who use it.
GOODS WE LOVE
Strawberry Earrings
LIGHTWEIGHT. DURABLE. WILD.
Handmade Crochet Earrings by @LinkaCreates
