Sewn by Carol with lots of care


Carol Stuart has been sewing since before she was a teen and still enjoys making handcrafted items that people can use. Often, she will get an idea for something based on her own practical sense of what she would use herself. She makes a variety of quality products that she sells online and at arts and crafts shows. She will be one of the 50 or so vendors taking part in this weekends big holiday bazaar at the Vendome in Weiser.
It’s time again for the annual Fine Arts and Crafts sale sponsored by the Four County Art Guild and the Friends of the Library. 
 The event will take place Friday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Vendome in Weiser. 
 The annual sale will feature a variety of arts and crafts from needlework to pottery to jewelry, and even a little something for the sweet tooth. 
 Carol Stuart is one vendor who looks forward to coming back to the Vendome sale each year. 
 Stuart began sewing when she was just 11 years old. Her mother had sewed most of their clothes, so she learned from watching her mom, initially, and continued her education throughout junior high and high school by taking home economics classes. She sewed many of her own clothes throughout high school. 
 Stuart has done many craft shows in Weiser over the years. She remembers a show at the senior center 25 years ago, and she has sold at the Second Chance fall bazaar for the last couple of years, but she has been participating in the Weiser Arts and Craft sale at the Vendome for the last 15 years. 
 Each year Stuart and her mom work her craft booth together. She sells a variety of well made products ranging from doll clothes to hot pads to purses. 
 Stuart’s best seller is her microwave potato bags. The funny thing is when she first began trying to sell them in Weiser, she almost couldn’t give them away and many became Christmas gifts for her family. 
 Fast forward just a few years and now not only are they a best seller at the local craft sale, but she was also recently commissioned by the gift shop at the state Capitol to sell a special embroidered edition of the bags there. In the past 12 months, she has taken 250 bags to be sold there. 
 Stuart has also been invited to have a table at the Idaho State Capitol outside the gift shop. She will be there along with only five other vendors from Dec. 6-8 for a few hours each day.
 Stuart develops her product line mostly by focusing on items she would use herself. She bought a purse at a department store, only to have it break very quickly. After taking it apart. and seeing how poorly it was made and how poorly the structure was she figured she could do better. 
 She has now made a number of bags and has sold them on Etsy and purses have become a favorite product to make. 
 This year, Stuart has really enjoyed making embroidered flour sack towels.
 “The items I make tend to be practical. I figure if it is something I would use I’m sure someone else would,” Stuart said.
 Sometimes she gets her ideas from Pinterest or other craft blogs and other times from special requests from friends. Whatever she makes. Stuart focuses on using quality supplies and to make quality products. 
 From heavy hardware like zippers and buckles, to quality fabric, to reinforced stitches with heavy duty thread when needed, Stuart focuses on making beautiful products that will not only get used a lot but will also last. 
 Stuart says she really enjoys the Weiser craft fair because it brings the community together and seeing everyone makes the time worthwhile no matter how the sales are.  
 She  will be back each year  simply because it is so enjoyable chatting with people.
 

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Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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