Baltimore Threadquarters (BTQ) is a new fiber arts supply store that carries an eclectic mix of new, vintage, and handmade tools for knitting, crochet, spinning, felting, and sewing. We offer hand made buttons, yarns, fabrics, and fiber related gifts.
BTQ will feature monthly trunk shows of local fiber artists, fine art installations and a variety of classes and workshops. Each month we will unveil our newest window display and have an opening to celebrate the work.
The founders of Baltimore Threadquarters are Marlo Jacobson a career fundraiser and scary doll maker and Allison Fomich a career upholsterer and jewelry designer. This oddball partnership grew out of a shared passion for fabrics and fibers of all kinds and the goal of knitting together a community for their beloved Highlandtown. The pair, and their loving spouses (Matt Saindonand Brett Lojzim) and kids, have spent the last decade working hard to make their neighborhood great. The idea for the store grew out of a conversation over a cup of coffee one afternoon and blossomed into a full fledged retail shop with classroom space and a workroom with great equipment. After many months of conversations, list making, networking, and frustrations trying to find the right space at the right price we lucked into our dream space...
We found a home for
Baltimore Threadquarters
The Botteon Building at 518 South Conkling Street, this location has free off street parking in the back (check), big storefront windows (check), classroom space (check), private workroom with bathroom (check), and bonus-a water fountain and an amazing landlord who is working with us to get the place off the ground.
Now we need your help. We have started the renovations, ordered the fixtures and begun accumulating inventory.
But, to pay people a fair price for their work is costly and we don't want to compromise on paying artists a livable wage.
Will you help us stock the store with the best of the best at an affordable price and employ starving artists as instructors?
We are almost there, we have the raw space but we need to furnish it with comfortable seating and spacious work tables.
With your help we can!
Where your money will go:
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$1,500 to set up 2 accounts with national distributors to stock our shelves with the best supplies
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$1,000 for classroom furniture and decent sewing machines for all students
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$1,000 to build a cutting table and work benches and shelving throughout the store
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$500 for lighting for the retail space and the window displays
The Impact
Your gift not only helps us to open a brick and mortar store but it also allows us the freedom to work on outreach to the underserved communities in our area and invite them in to learn valuable skills.
With your support we can make sure there is money for instructors to teach adults, teens, and kids the importance of being self sufficient. These skills never go away. Skills like these build character, confidence and BTQ offers them a safe space to learn and grow.
Not to mention all of the benefits of fun community building and placemaking through activities like Yarnbombing Zappa.
Can't give today? Please share and share and share! Post it to your facebook wall, tweet our link, email your friends, shout it from your rooftop. We need help in every way!
Baltimore Threadquarters Call for Ideas
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