It originally spawned from a need for a therapeutic activity after a heart attack. It continued through a dream to raise enough money to set sail on the Pamlico in a boat of her own. Now, Susan Maloney has become part of a community of merchants at a local farmers market, showcasing her self-made jewelry business, Pamlico Dreams, each Saturday.

Maloney started the business in the winter of 2013 after having a heart attack in August of the same year. She had tried several activities like crocheting, per a suggestion from her sister, who had also suffered a heart attack, but nothing could keep her concentration, Maloney said.

“I had a really hard time with cognitive reasoning and thinking after (the heart attack),” Maloney said. “I first started doing crochet, but I couldn’t even concentrate. But I found that I could put colors and beads together so it wasn’t so frustrating.”

Maloney began making jewelry from beads and other related items found in stores all over, she said. She, along with a friend, started a small business dubbed Dreamers, stemming from a shared desire to raise enough money to buy their own boats and navigate the Pamlico River and its tributaries. Maloney began selling her handmade jewelry at Washington Harbor District Alliance’s Saturday Market last year, and this year, she changed the name to Pamlico Dreams, an homage to the reason she started the business, she said.

“It’s my dream to be able to own my own boat and sail on the Pamlico (River),” Maloney said. “I like the area, and the name is like an homage to the area. I really like living in Washington. I’ve lived all over the country, and I’ve really enjoyed this little town more than anywhere — even my hometown.”

In her second year as a merchant at the market, Maloney displays an array of jewelry each Saturday. Necklaces, bracelets and the like of all different shapes, sizes and colors fill her table at the market. One of her most unique items, nautical map necklaces, is also a nod to the nautical culture of the area.

“Those are neat little things you can’t find everywhere,” Maloney said. “I’m going to start making roadmap necklaces soon. I make everything from little girls bracelets to eyeglass holders and adult jewelry. If I like something, I will make it, but I don’t keep it. I share it through my sales. You won’t see a color or bead that I don’t like. If I wouldn’t wear it myself, I don’t make it.”

Maloney said the Saturday Market has been a valuable resource for small business owners and those who showcase handmade or locally grown wares.

“I really enjoy the idea that there is a Saturday Market,” Maloney said. “It’s easy and inexpensive to set up, and it’s local. I really like Washington. In some way or another, every merchant here does something for this community, and the more we can do for the community, the better. I just hope to be able to keep doing it and be healthy enough to keep doing it. I just want to keep running a nice, friendly business and share my crafts with others.”

For more information about Pamlico Dreams, visit Facebook.com/PamlicoDreams or call Susan Maloney at 252-362-1618.