About shmemko.

Hi, I’m Krystyna :)

I moved from Poland to Canada 4 years ago, and I brought two very important things with me: my embroidery needles and a deep love for making something out of nothing.

Growing up, crafting was always present. Both my grandmothers embroidered, knitted, and crocheted. My mom sewed. I was basically surrounded by women turning thread and fabric into beautiful things before I could even hold a needle properly. Poland has a long, rich history of embroidery and craft, and somewhere along the way, it got into my hands too.

shmemko began because I’ve always needed to make things. Real, physical things you can touch, carry, and use every day. So I started putting embroidery where it belongs - on bags you actually live with.

I work with natural materials like linen and cotton, and I try to keep waste as low as possible - no synthetics, no plastic, no mass production energy. I love thrifting, second hand finds, and supporting local. shmemko is my small way of living those values, one stitch at a time.

Every piece is made slowly, at home, by me.

Something to carry with you, gently.

shmemko