AppalachianGap

Hello and thanks for visiting Appalachian Gap. I'm one of those 50's kids who wasn't taught how to be creative, but I am. I just didn't figure it out till I hit my 50s. Now I can't stop!

I began to create my fabric baskets after watching a show on Discovery about the Pacific Vortex. A lot of waste makes its way to the ocean and a lot of damage is done along the way. So...after trying a bunch of different things, doing some research and giving up a hundred times, I invented a way to use plastic bags as my cordage. I have kept track of how many bags I used to make every basket since I began. As of October 2021, I have used over 7000 plastic bags. They're hidden. You'll never see them, well, unless I made a mistake. Oops. Please let me know.

I really like to do things the old way because I enjoy the challenge and because I don't want the old ways to die out. If we don't keep up the skill, no one will know how to do some of these things in the future. Lace net or filet lace is an example. It's really easy to make lace by machine, and that is good. It's also fun and a family gem to have hand made lace.

Making rugs is a new passion of mine. I've made a few over the years. I was a hooker! for a while. Recently however, I've discovered plain weave and twined rugs. They use up a lot of fabric, which is good because I have miles of it.They're washable. They last forever.

I love to make sewing needle pin cushions. I learned to crochet at about 60 and love to do that. Retirement is a blast!

Now, wet felting! So many new things to learn!