“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

At home with a new baby, Kennedy Tweten wanted a craft. “I had really bad postpartum depression,” she said. “My now husband said, ‘You used to love sewing, you should get back into that.’”

Two years later, that hobby has become her job. Tweten upcycles thrifted sweatshirts, jerseys, towels, and other materials into fresh items. Primarily, she focuses on Minnesota Vikings and other professional sports team’s apparel. She calls her business the Aries Archive.

Tweten’s first major break came when her sister-in-law, who she described as “a Minnesota Vikings Influencer,” wore some custom pieces she’d made and shared them on Instagram. “It just took off from there,” she said. 

Now, almost all of the Aries Archive’s customers come from Instagram. “I would say the biggest challenge is being able to make enough material and have enough content to post,” said Tweten.

“Deconstructing clothes is a lot harder than sewing a straight line,” she said. “Certain items are really good to use — big blankets and flags and, like, handkerchiefs and stuff like that.”

Though the Vikings season ended after a loss to the Los Angeles Rams last week, Tweten is redirecting her efforts to making Minnesota Timberwolves and National Hockey League swag. 

“[NFL] off-season is pretty slow,” she said. “I still do get orders, but it’s really nice because I can kind of bulk up my inventory.”