Serendipity: Old cloth shared at the library will yield new aprons, sold to hang library art
Altamont Enterprise, September 25, 2014
Chef-style aprons are being sold to benefit Berne Library. Jane McLean is using donated authentic feed-sack fabric to create the aprons. Phoebe Beebe uses vintage-style trims, like gathered yoyos and rickrack, to adorn the aprons. The women’s business, PinchPenny Threads, will donate all proceeds from the apron sales to the library, possibly for a hanging wall display system.
Altamont Enterprise, September 25, 2014
Chef-style aprons are being sold to benefit Berne Library. Jane McLean is using donated authentic feed-sack fabric to create the aprons. Phoebe Beebe uses vintage-style trims, like gathered yoyos and rickrack, to adorn the aprons. The women’s business, PinchPenny Threads, will donate all proceeds from the apron sales to the library, possibly for a hanging wall display system.
To the Editor:
A fortuitous happenstance may become a benefit to artists and photographers in the Berne area through a new hanging display system at the Berne Public Library.
At the library's Knitwits knitting group Sunday night, one member said to me, "Jane, I'm told you like old fabric." She gave me a bag of neatly folded fabric, old feed sacks with bright floral prints, a dozen of them.
After my initial excitement in unfolding this treasure, I tried to give them back, saying, "I can't take these. They're worth a lot of money to fabric collectors." She countered, "Any money you make with them, give it to the library."
We struck a deal.
I'd use the vintage fabrics to make aprons and sell them through my home sewing business, PinchPenny Threads, donating all proceeds to the Berne Public Library. My hope is that we'll earn enough to be able to donate a hanging wall display system for the community room. A user-friendly system will encourage local artists, photographers, historians, and school groups to use the space for exhibits.
My business partner, Phoebe Beebe, and I have started turning the feed sacks into aprons, adding vintage touches such as reproduction 1930s fabric for the pockets, with trims like gathered yoyos and rickrack.
The aprons are chef-style and sell for $35, including tax. The fabric choices, in very limited supply, are available on our website at pinchpennythreads.com/we-support When they're gone, they're gone. Please contact me at 872-2082 or [email protected] if you'd like to support this project for Berne Public Library. Thank you.
Jane B. McLean
Knox
A fortuitous happenstance may become a benefit to artists and photographers in the Berne area through a new hanging display system at the Berne Public Library.
At the library's Knitwits knitting group Sunday night, one member said to me, "Jane, I'm told you like old fabric." She gave me a bag of neatly folded fabric, old feed sacks with bright floral prints, a dozen of them.
After my initial excitement in unfolding this treasure, I tried to give them back, saying, "I can't take these. They're worth a lot of money to fabric collectors." She countered, "Any money you make with them, give it to the library."
We struck a deal.
I'd use the vintage fabrics to make aprons and sell them through my home sewing business, PinchPenny Threads, donating all proceeds to the Berne Public Library. My hope is that we'll earn enough to be able to donate a hanging wall display system for the community room. A user-friendly system will encourage local artists, photographers, historians, and school groups to use the space for exhibits.
My business partner, Phoebe Beebe, and I have started turning the feed sacks into aprons, adding vintage touches such as reproduction 1930s fabric for the pockets, with trims like gathered yoyos and rickrack.
The aprons are chef-style and sell for $35, including tax. The fabric choices, in very limited supply, are available on our website at pinchpennythreads.com/we-support When they're gone, they're gone. Please contact me at 872-2082 or [email protected] if you'd like to support this project for Berne Public Library. Thank you.
Jane B. McLean
Knox
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We stitched a miniature 8"x3" shamrock quilt for a customer's four-story dollhouse. The house, which has an Irish theme, was on display at the Altamont Free Library during the month of December, 2013.
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Jane is at the library, fitting the quilt on a doll's bed during a photo shoot for the Altamont Enterprise. |
Jane McLean, co-owner of Beebe Farm IdeaWorks, shows one of her tea towels with hand embroidery at the 'Live Life Local' Indoor Farmer's Market at the Times Union Center on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013 in Albany, NY. The event was held to celebrate Albany County's 330th birthday. McLean and her husband, John Elberfeld, own and operate Beebe Farm IdeaWorks in Knox where they hand craft many different items. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union).
PinchPenny Threads was launched at the first Farms and Artisans Tour [F.A.T.], sponsored by Helderberg Hilltowns Association in September 2011, right after Tropical Storm Irene pounded the area. We demonstrated repurposed items, such as a little girl's dress fashioned from a man's striped shirt and festive pennant banners made from scraps of cloth. The F.A.T. is now an annual event and draws visitors to all four Hilltowns for a weekend of fun. This article was in the Altamont [NY] Enterprise. In the lower photo, Jane demonstrates how to attach a fabric yoyo to a pennant.