Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on February 11, 2021.

More than one Floyd business has closed during the pandemic, but others have opened, some as home-based start-ups, like Elizabeth’s Turkette’s Twine and Pine Fiber Arts, a macramé and basket weaving small business.

“The possibilities are endless,” Turkette said about macramé, the art of knotting cord or yarn into patterns to make decorative and functional items. It’s an ancient art that was popular in the ‘70s and has recently been making a come-back.

Turkette learned macramé at summer camp while growing up in Indiana and took a basket weaving class in high school. She was partly inspired to pick up where she left off when she was recently given a basket of free yarn by a friend.

It was just a few weeks ago that Turkette announced her new business on Facebook, and she’s already experiencing success. She’s currently building her brand and building up her inventory, which includes wall hangings, plant hangers, bottle slings, macramé and fiber-woven baskets and more.

“I also do wedding backdrops and have a couple of weddings booked this year. I can do decorations for events. I can do table runners, napkin holders, vase accents and garlands,” Turkette said.

Profits from sales have been re-invested into buying supplies. The company Turkette orders from uses all recycled cotton twine. She recently purchased materials to make keychains and earrings that she’ll sell on consignment.

“My pieces will be up at Five Mile Mountain Distillery and OuterSpace to start with,” she said, “and I’ll be vending at the Friday night Artisan Market.” Pop-up shop events that will incorporate her partner Jake Retting playing music are also in the works. She plans to forage materials to make baskets – which take longer to make than macramé pieces –  when the weather gets warmer.

“I’m working on a website so people can easily purchase online, and there will be local pick-up and shipping options,” Turkette said.  Her jobs skills in social media are already coming in handy for making connections and getting the word out about the new business.

Turkette currently balances her new home-based business with her job at Seven Springs Farm Supply, not far from where she and Retting live in Check. Seven Springs Farm Supply is a mail-order and pick-up business that sells natural farm and garden supplies. Business is booming at the farm supply, Turkette says. She attributes the growth to a mix of increased awareness of the Seven Springs brand online, along with an increase of online shopping and the comeback of Victory Gardens, during the pandemic.

The pandemic also played a role in Turkette’s new business start-up. “The pandemic brought an awareness to me of wanting to be more self-sufficient and to create,” Turkette said.  “It’s also a stress reliever,” the artisan said about her creative business venture.

“I think people now more than ever understand the importance of supporting small businesses and understand that you’re not going to get the quality of a hand-made item from a box store.” ____ Colleen Redman