Kansas Crafts, in the Sunflower South building, features a wide variety of quality pre-priced handmade items. The list includes home décor items, stuffed toys, baby quilts and clothing, quiet books, embroidered tea towels and pillowcases, denim blankets, rugs, pillows, wood crafts, crocheted work, doll clothes, and jewelry.
A special section, the Kiddie Corner, makes available items priced at $3 and under. Kids may choose from play-dough, wood toys, bug cages, bird houses, puzzles, hair bows, and writing kits.
Don't miss Cookbook Nook where old and new cookbooks are available for purchase. Cookbooks may be donated by seeing a church contact person prior to the sale. For more information call Patty Macke Dick at 620-543-6467.
|
|
While visiting the Kansas Crafts section, many sale visitors are drawn to the loom where a weaver works at creating an attractive, durable rug. It's actually part of a recycling project that takes place in Et Cetera Shops in Newton and Hutchinson as well.
The rugs are made of strips of denim, corduroy or chenille prepared by volunteers at the shops. At the Newton location, eight volunteer weavers take their turns by half days spent at one of two looms. Lois Kreider, who heads the project there, reported that in a given year about 300 rugs are woven, netting about $6,000 for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).
Most of the rugs are done on the 27-inch loom, and can be made to any desired length. One special order was for a rug 140 inches long. Both rugs and placemats are sold at the Kansas sale.
Kreider said that there is always plenty of recyclable material available, although some who special order their rugs choose to bring their own. The shop always welcomes volunteer groups coming to cut the strips, which eventually become an attractive rug that may last "forever." Well, almost -- when one takes into account the lasting blessings to persons served by Mennonite Central Committee.
In additional to local crafts, the Kansas MCC Sale brings the world to you through the efforts of:
Ten Thousand Villages features handicrafts from countries spanning the globe. The booth is located in Sunflower South.
Ten Thousand Villages is part of the North American network of more than 100 stores which leads the fair trade movement with nearly 60 years of experience providing fair wages, working capital and market for artisans in more than 30 Third World countries who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed.
Long-term relationships: Ten Thousand Villages work with artisans on an ongoing basis so they can plan for their future by relying on consistent orders. But our relationships are more than just business. They're firmly rooted in compassion, nurturing and our commitment to helping artisans thrive.
A Fair Price: Artisans and Ten Thousand Villages agree on a fair price that covers the cost of labor and materials and enables artisans to earn a fair wage for their work.
Cash Advances and Prompt Final Payment: Artisans receive up to 50 percent in cash advance when we place an order and payment in full when the order is shipped.
Design Assistance: Artisans build on their traditional skills with the help of our buyers and designers who visit regularly to provide trend and color information and new product suggestions; so that artisans can continue to bring consumers products they want.
By supporting the work of Ten Thousand Villages, local customers can join international trade that benefits both artisans and shoppers. Customers find unique handicrafts from diverse cultures around the world and artisans sell their fairly traded handicrafts to suppliers in the North American marketplace.