Tell Me About It: Art you can wear

1. What do you make? 

I make fabric fiber pins. I try to make wearable art that people can be proud of and afford to buy. Every pin is different and every pin has a story from where the materials came from and how I made it.

2. Talk to me about this basement. Over the years, you've taken it over?

My basement used to be for friends and parties and now it's become my work space. I've taken over the pool table, the bar, the floor, the shelving with my yarns, ribbon, all my things. I call my business Fabrics, Fibers and Things and people say "How'd you come up with that idea?" and I say "My pins are made of fabrics, fibers and a million things." Anything I think I can stitch on, glue on, is part of the things you see in my boxes.

3. How long have you been doing this?

My mom retired in 1989 and was doing sweatshirts and I didn't want her to sit at the craft booths by herself. ... I just one day sat at the table and kept messing and messing until ta-da! I came up with these little pins. Since 1990, I've been doing 20 shows a year.

4. What is that schedule like? Is this the busy season for craft shows?

Yes. I do shows most every weekend after Labor Day. We're still doing the outside shows. I read an article about a young man who couldn't wait to do the shows. Then he became an artist and got to sit in that big chair at his booth but didn't realize the bees, the wind, the rain, all those things. Once the weather turns, I'm glad to get to the inside shows. My next show is the Wapakoneta Noon Optimist Show Oct. 18 at Wapakoneta High School.

5. Is this worth it financially?

I opened up a separate account because I realized I was buying more things and I got to wondering if I was making as much as I thought I was. I have had the same prices on my things in the 20 years I've been doing this. I've tried to stay in the under-$20 range especially at Christmas time. It's a good gift-giving range. I'm retired and if this all went away, I'd just donate everything down here.

6. How do you determine what sells?

One thing that always sells are my Ohio State pins, whether they're winning or losing, Buckeye pins sell. People are also into the holiday pins.

7. Where do you get all this stuff?

That is half the fun. Once a year I go to New York City for the scarves, at the fashion warehouse district. I do yard sales, auctions, eBay, every sale that Macy's and Elder-Beerman's has.