The Iselin resident and grandmother turned knit one, purl two into a successful Internet business.
Mickey Finzel snuffed out her last cigarette many years ago by picking up a pair of knitting needles - a decision that would later become the inspiration for an Internet business that continues to flourish today.
"My sister taught me how to knit when I stopped smoking about 20 years ago," said Finzel who later created her website, sistersplus1.com. "By then, my house was filled with knitting. I had one small grandson at that time. I knitted for him."
Finzel's sister, Patricia Finzel knitted items for a local church, St. Thomas the Apostle Byzantine Catholic Church in Rahway. Together the pair began to knit baby blankets, newborn caps and other clothing for relatives and church members. For Finzel, the desire start knitting and start a new business was not so much motivated by health concerns as it was for the love of her longtime companion Sonny.
"(Sonny) died in February 2001," said Finzel who divorced and returned to using her maiden name before meeting Sonny. "That's why I started knitting. I was taking care of him. He had cancer."
What was once a way to kick a bad habit soon blossomed into a business for Finzel, who has worked as a telecommunications officer for the Middlesex County Sheriff's Department for the past 30 years. Her dedication to all things woolly and warm caught the attention of coworker and local Iselin artist Don Tywoniw who helped the two gals turn their hobby into a successful online business more than a decade ago. Tywoniw sells art on his website. See www.2dgraphics.biz for more information on Tywoniw's art.
"The Internet was taking off. Don, a friend and coworker, set up the website for me about 12 years ago," Minzel said about 2sistersplus1.com, a business consisting of owners Mickey and Patricia "plus one," another Sheriff's Department coworker named Patricia Ricardo. A former student of Minzel, Ricardo has since become an employee.
More recently, Minzel started an instructional class for novice knitters. She owns a home-based business but wants to teach larger groups of students. To achieve that goal, she approached business owners about renting a booth at their establishments but the costs were too prohibitive to make it financially possible for her to do.
"I teach classes (at home) but I need a location for students to meet," Minzel said. "But places like (restaurants) charge fees."
The knitting Granny has transformed her hobby into a web-based business handcrafting everything from doggie daywear to finely crafted afghans and pocketbooks. She uses both wool and acrylic yarn for her items which range in price from about $10 to $250. Together, the three ladies have knitted pieces for customers throughout the U.S. and Canada.
"Most of my customers are local," Finzel said. "They hear about me through word of mouth. Sometimes they find me on etsy.com."
Etsy.com is an e-commerce website created in 2005. Artists sell crafts, clothing, jewelry and other types of handcrafted artwork. Minzel, like other etsy artists, sells items to both U.S. and overseas customers.
The grandmother and Internet business owner continues to keep busy by working full shifts at the Sheriff's department on weekends. She said anyone can learn how to knit; a skill that is not so much about talent as it is about patience.
"To those who tried and failed. Don't give up," Finzel said. "I can teach you how to knit...Patience, that's all you need. You don't need talent. You have to be able to read a pattern. That's the biggest thing. Other than that, you'll be fine."
Loyal customers know the importance of patience. A typical handcrafted piece can take up to three months to make, said Minzel who added that she doesn't make huge profits as her prices reflect little more than the cost of material. While she will knit wool items, she prefers using acrylic yarn because clothing made from this material can be placed in the washer and on a low setting in the dryer, unlike wool items.
"These clothes are not meant for decoration," Finzel said. "You've got to use them. They ain't gonna wear out. Nothing is going to happen to them."
Whether it's a beautiful baby blanket, winter cap, cardigan or even a handmade dish cloth, prospective customers need to order merchandise well in advance, especially winter clothing. Three months - or more - may be needed to fill an order.
"I will tell you up front. If you want it fast, go someplace else," Minzel said, adding that she can make clothes for man or beast, particularly dogs, a business she thinks she may want to pursue further. "Dog people buy anything for their dogs," Minzel said. "Wouldn't that be cool (to start a pet line of clothing)?"
For cat lovers out there, don't despair. Minzel said she mostly knits for dogs but "if the cat will wear it, I'll do it."
For more information, call Mickey Finzel at 732-494-5120 or email her at mfinzelsonny@aol.com.
