Hello, there! My name is Julie, and I’m the brain and hands behind Capilano Felt and Craft Co. I’m a lifelong maker who works as a book editor by day and a crafter with a thousand interests and hobbies by night. I’ve dabbled in fine art, pottery, book binding, printmaking and much more, but sewing and embroidery has been a passion of mine since I picked up a needle in 2015 (and never really put it down). For many years I thought about how I could share my love of sewing and crafts with a wider public, and out of this was born Capilano Felt and Craft Co.
So how did this whole thing start? Back in the fall of 2022, friends of mine had a baby, and I was trying to think of something fun and unique to make for their son. I imagined a mobile that could hang above his crib, with felt har gow, shumai and other dim sum delicacies all suspended from a felt steamer basket lid. Stitching these foods, I could feel a flood of ideas wash over me. What other felt foods could I make, and what other world cuisines could I draw inspiration from? I brainstormed for months and months and slowly began collecting yards of felt and drawing up designs. In December 2023, I launched a modest e-commerce site with a selection of food-inspired felt ornaments.
This little business of mine continues to evolve as I find more ways to express my creativity, explore the versatility of felt and other materials, inspire minds both young and not-so-young, and hopefully encourage others to use their hands and get crafting!
What’s in a Name?
You might be wondering why I chose the name Capilano Felt and Craft Co. Some of you might already know that Capilano is the name of a river, a lake, a mountain, a suspension bridge, a university and many other places in British Columbia and beyond. The history buffs among you might also know that Capilano refers to Joe Capilano, a prominent leader of the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) between 1895 and 1910. Capilano famously advocated for the settlement of land claims and the recognition of Indigenous rights and ways of living.
My own connection to the name Capilano comes by way of a grocery store my paternal grandparents opened in Toronto, ON, following World War II and the internment of Japanese Canadians. Prior to the war, they owned a store called Sunnyhurst Grocery in downtown Vancouver, BC. Shortly after the start of the war with Japan, Japanese Canadians living in British Columbia — most of whom were born in Canada — were forced by the Canadian government to sell their businesses, land, cars and homes and move into the BC interior or farther east. Even after V-J Day in August 1945, Japanese Canadians were not allowed to move freely across Canada until 1949.
In 1947 my grandparents settled in the West End of Toronto and opened a small store called Capilano Grocery near the corner of Dundas Street West and Gilmour Avenue. They lived in the apartment above the store for many years, and this was where my father and his siblings grew up. While I can’t know for sure why they chose the name Capilano, I have to think it’s a reference to Vancouver — the home they were forced to give up.
When I was brainstorming ways that I could potentially display a variety of felt foods, an image of the mom-and-pop grocery store — just like that of my grandparents — came to mind. Using the name Capilano for my own business is my way of honouring my grandparents’ store and legacy. For me, it evokes their hard work, strength and resilience and hopefully will inspire my own.