Stop into Scraps and Skeins at 2790 W. College Ave. in State College to see what an idea and a few people’s ambitions have brought to fruition.
The new store is set to open on Thursday, Jan. 22.
Ellen Campbell, an avid knitter and quilter, was visiting Ithaca, N.Y., a few years ago when she stopped into a space designated as a creative re-use store. There was donated fabric, yarn and other materials for sale.
“I thought, ‘We should do something like this in State College,’” says Campbell.
She is on the board of Strawberry Fields Inc., which provides comprehensive services and support to people with developmental delays, intellectual disabilities and mental illness. As she thought about the re-use store, a plan developed that included a sustainability portion that would be beneficial to the residents of Strawberry Fields.
Campbell and her partner in the endeavor, Lynn Rogers, wanted a store where:
■ Donated yarn, fabric, buttons, knitting needles, crochet hooks, etc., could all be offered at reasonable prices.
■ People living in Strawberry Fields group homes could visit, socialize and make friends.
■ People from Strawberry Fields could find meaningful work and fulfillment.
■ The community would find a sustainability outlet.
To get ready to open the store, Campbell and Rogers attended the Milheim Fiber Fest and the Tusseyville Fair. A “Use-Less Workshop” at Shaver’s Creek was helpful in their planning process.
“We have already rescued tons of textiles and yarn from being thrown in landfills, and everything here is from our collection in August and September,” Campbell says. “The goods continue to come in daily.”
“I told a few people and now everywhere I go, people hand me bags of unfinished quilts, left over yarn or fabric,” says Rogers. “Everything here has been donated, from shelves to bins.”
Campbell and Rogers feel this is a project that appeals to the hearts of women (and some men), as many people find knitting or other handiwork to be both relaxing and rewarding. The women plan to offer some classes where groups can gather and learn to knit or make some item with minimal monetary outlay.
All proceeds from sales at Scraps and Skeins will benefit Strawberry Fields.
Becky Rogers, a resident of one of the group homes run by Strawberry Fields asked if she could donate some of the items she has made to the store. She was given approval for that and has provided potholders, a pillow cover and fabric ornaments to sell in the store.
Cindy Pasquinelli, CEO of Strawberry Fields, is finding much to appreciate about the new store and is excited for the opening to happen.
“We want to create a space that is low-stress, welcoming, and where the residents might learn some job skills and even make friends,” says Pasquinelli. “I think this place has that comforting and serene atmosphere.”
There is a certain sensibility or big-heartedness within the crafting community, according to Campbell, and it seems that she’s right. A peek into the storeroom and you will be amazed at the sheer number of donated bins and bags that still need to be checked and sorted. At this point, seven people from Strawberry Residences will work at the store, and there are five on the committee that Campbell and Rogers put together to operate Scraps and Skeins.
For now the store will only be open on Thursdays, a day favored by other nonprofit thrift shop stores, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, call (814) 237-0676 or (301) 606-7864.
