Frittelli, who co-owns Textile Studio with her husband in Saratoga Springs’ art district, has been a weaver since childhood, crafting handwoven contemporary clothing and accessories for both men and women. The couple uses silk, alpaca and chenille yarns, with a new emphasis on eco-friendly fibers from bamboo and soy for the clothes in their studio.
“It’s been a rollercoaster,” Frittelli said. “I applied a couple months ago and kind of forgot about it and then I got a congratulatory email last week. It blew me away.”
Frittelli said that her friends and colleagues have already been helping to spread the word about the competition.
“It feels good to be supported that way by the community,” she said.
A total of 10 “American Makers” will be selected, but only the Maker with the most votes will win the top prize. The winner will be honored at the American Made event in New York City, appear in Martha Stewart Living magazine and receive $10,000 to further his or her business.
Frittelli will need the strong support and votes of Saratoga Springs locals if she wants to win the top prize. She currently has over 500 votes but will have some catching up to do if she wants to beat the business owner who currently holds the most votes, a candle-maker who has already received 4,000 votes.
Winning the award would be great for both Textile Studio and the Saratoga Springs community, Frittelli said.
“If I win, that’s 10,000 dollars, but I’m more interested in the exposure it would bring on a national level to our little corner of the world,” she said. “And if we won the prize money, we’d put it towards adding new sample rooms in our studio so we can start teaching classes and maybe even pay some workshop leaders and fiber artists to come in and give lectures. It would be great for our community and to put more focus on handcrafting.”
Those who wish to vote can go online to Martha Stewart’s website to view all finalists and vote for their favorite with just a click of a button. The voting period will end on September 24, at which time the winner will be announced on the website. Supporters themselves can also benefit from voting—each time someone votes, he/she will be entered into a sweepstakes to win prizes from MarthaStewart.com. Only one vote a day is allowed, so supporters of Frittelli can visit the website each day until the deadline.
The American Made event hosted by Martha Stewart will take place in New York City on October 17-18 and will feature the winner of the competition and editors, experts, and American Made honorees who will be showcasing the season's best artisanal and handmade crafts, gifts, food, DIY projects, and design.
“Martha Stewart is a big icon, and to have that kind of spotlight on our community—it’d be fun,” Frittelli said.
To vote for Cecilia, visit www.americanmade.marthastewart.com, click on her name, and then click on the “vote” link.
