After graduating from Massachusetts College of Art in 1989 where she earned a BFA in Fashion Design & Fibers, Amy Hedler began managing a vintage clothing store. While at work, she began stitching quilts and scarves using a collection of classic 1930's and 40's fabrics before moving her craft into a Rugg Road Artists District building in 1992. Participating in her first "Open Studios" that year she sold all of her scarves. Special orders eventually prompted her to create an actual "line" of work. Her first batch of scarves was in a patchwork style using antique and contemporary velvets. In 1994, she started experimenting with embossing and her first pattern of spirals was created using the coils of an old electric stove.

Since then Amy has refined her process and designed numerous images from which to create her unique pattern templates. The images are rendered using desktop publishing software, and templates are then cut from stainless steel or photo-etched in copper. She uses heated presses to hand-emboss the stylish patterns onto iridescent velvets ensuring that no two products are ever exactly alike. The embossed velvets are then paired with various colored crushed velvets and polar fleece to produce a beautiful assortment of fashionable winterwear and accessories. Underground Velvet is a growing business, producing scarves, hats, mittens, bags, earmuffs, and a variety of gift items all created at her Boston studio.