The year 2002 was a rocky one for Michelle Rubin. After longing for and trying unsuccessfully to conceive a child, Rubin was diagnosed with endometriosis. She knew she had to do something to refocus her energies.
"During this time, all I could think about was babies!" admits Rubin. "I love to sew, so I decided I was going to make baby blankets and give them as gifts. It was my need to fill a void while trying to conceive, maintain my creativity and keep myself busy during that hard period of time."

With the launch of her baby blanket business Willow Creek Baby, Rubin was able to share her vintage-inspired patchwork baby blankets with other hopeful moms.

From the start, business boomed.

"I was selling the blankets locally to boutiques, friends and everyone around town," says Rubin. And then, in 2004, after the birth of her son, Ryan, a new vision for the future of Willow Creek Baby became clear.

"I knew I needed to make additional products, something new, something unique," recalls Rubin. "When my son was nine months old, I stumbled upon an idea when I was putting away the clothes he had outgrown. There were so many memories surrounding his clothes that I couldn't pack them away in the basement or get rid of them. So I thought, 'Why not create a blanket out of them?'"

Rubin's memory blankets were an instant hit with local moms and became a best seller once they were featured in Child magazine. "As soon as the issue hit the newsstands, the e-mails swarmed in," she says, “and I started receiving 10 to 20 boxes filled with people’s clothes a week."

Creating memories out of cherished items has its rewards. "I am able to do all of this while also being a full-time mom," says Rubin. "I get the best of both worlds."

Though she's had several miscarriages since the birth of her son, Rubin remains strong. “It has been a rocky road with many ups and downs, but through it all, I still had Willow Creek Baby to fall back on,” Rubin affirms. “My business is like my baby. I have been able to watch it grow into a successful business that not only provides me strength and motivation, but also brings joy to many others with the products I create."

Michelle Rubin is a member of Ladies Who Launch, an organization that is home to opportunities, resources and connections for creative women and entrepreneurs.

Inspired by Rubin's story? Try this easy sewing project — colorful baby bibs.