CRAFT SUPPLIES — Katie Tackats, founder of Re-Craft Steubenville, stood next to her wall of craft supplies donated by local people to be resold at a discount or donated to other community craft projects. — Christopher Dacanei
STEUBENVILLE — Have you ever wanted to pick up a new craft hobby or learn a mending skill like sewing, but the cost of materials kept you out of reach? To whomever this may concern, a growing local business is working to lower the financial barriers to crafting and tinkering, making it easier for everyone to get involved “community-focused, creative reuse.”
Founded in January 2023, Re-Craft Steubenville is a pop-up arts and crafts store. Founder Katie Tackats works with volunteers to collect donated craft items and sell them at a discounted price, making them more affordable for would-be crafters.
“The overall mission is to make arts and crafts accessible to people who might not otherwise have access to start them,” Takats said of Re-Craft.
Donated supplies are brought in solely by members of the community, Takats said, whether they are individuals who are relocating or simply looking to reduce their own supplies. Re-Craft then sorts through the supplies and resells them at a minimum of 50 percent off, with more markdowns applied depending on the item’s use — if a spool of yarn is slightly depleted, for example.
After only a year in business, Takats has already acquired a wide range of donated supplies for activities such as knitting, crocheting and sewing, as well as other things not normally found in a typical craft store. There is a substantial supply of fabric, either in sheets or in pieces, which Takats said could be equally useful for patching, stuffing or other purposes.
Takacs said everything was acquired and repurposed with the idea of “creative reuse”, which is a sustainability model for materials used in a cycle. In a society where materials and clothing are often seen as disposable, Takats said she wants to combat the disposable mentality and help others create economical things that will benefit their lives.
An example Takats gave is cloth diapers, the ingredients of which can be expensive. Re-Craft has cloth nappy materials, which means those with their own cloth nappies that need repairing can buy the materials to do it themselves instead of spending more on brand new nappies.
“I’m always thinking of new things … (that) can be reimagined and given new life,” Takacs said. “We salvage (the materials).”
A guide to donating supplies is listed on the Re-Craft website, recraft.us. Takats noted that Re-Craft will accept almost anything except trash or recyclables.
In addition to selling supplies at a discount, Re-Craft also donates supplies to various community groups for use in craft projects, saving them from any financial burden. Re-Craft recently gave 16 spools of yarn and four pairs of knitting needles to Hilltop Montessori School to teach its elementary students to knit, and gave stamps and paper to the Steubenville Public Library and the Jefferson County branch in Toronto to make greeting cards Valentine’s Day cards.
Although the supplies are currently stored at the Takats’ home in Steubenville, Re-Craft itself will soon add a physical retail and donation space.
Takats said he is finalizing the details of creating a dedicated space for Re-Craft in the back furniture section of the Urban Thrift and Opportunity Center. In exchange for hosting community repair and craft classes, Takats and Re-Craft will be able to display crafting supplies that change seasonally, are restocked weekly, and can be purchased with money for a suggested donation.
The space is expected to be up and running in the next few months, Tackats said, adding that her home will remain a Re-Craft storage and donation center.
Re-Craft has a vital role in various community projects, including January’s Winter Mending Workshop at Urban Thrift, which offers mentorship and supplies to learn mending techniques, along with co-host Strong Towns Steubenville.
Re-Craft also participates in Mending Mondays, a regular repair mentoring event that will give experienced crafters the opportunity to work on their projects and novice crafters to learn new skills. The first meeting will take place from 18:30 to 20:30 on March 5 at BookMarx bookstore.
Raised in Northern Virginia, Tuckats herself earned a master’s degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2014. After they married, Tuckats and her husband, a theology teacher at Madonna High School, decided to live in Steubenville, where they had once been have their son in 2018
Takats said he is a freelance copy editor “I’ve always been a doer” and she likes to take ideas and work with them. Her creative spirit is what led her to found Re-Craft, in addition to wanting others to join in the fun for a low cost.
“Making things with your hands is empowering, therapeutic and enjoyable, and there’s a whole population of people who don’t necessarily have the resources to do that. … (So) being able to make this available to people who don’t always get the chance to do things like this is a huge part of our mission.”
Takats is passionate about Steubenville and its residents, who are becoming increasingly dedicated “time, talent and treasure” to revive him.
Visitors to First Friday festivals downtown may have seen Re-Craft’s 4-and-a-half-foot-plus community loom. Passers-by could sit at the loom for free and weave materials into a piece of community art that looked like a tapestry at the end. Takats said people of all races, genders and ages have contributed to the total of two Re-Craft pieces Takats has on display in her home office.
“It’s a really beautiful metaphor for community, because everything here is unique, … but when we put it together, it becomes something beautiful and powerful that we’ve created.” Takacs said.
Re-Craft has been featured on all First Fridays since last season, Tackats said, and she plans to attend the upcoming season to create art and spread the word about Re-Craft even more.
As Re-Craft grows, Tackats said she will apply her and her family’s signature growth mindset to everything, viewing failure as a learning opportunity. Tackats credits the story of singer-songwriter Dolly Parton as her inspiration “Do something you’re passionate about because … you always have something to gain, even if it’s just learning from failure.”
Community members can help Re-Craft’s mission through shipping donations or financial donations that will help Re-Craft cover the overhead costs of operating the new space, Tackats said, adding that money from Re-Craft is always point back to the business, not to themselves. Volunteers are also needed to help with the space and other tasks.
“I believe in Steubenville and I believe in this mission,” Takacs said. “I’m grateful to everyone who donated and … I’m excited for the future. I’m excited to be around forever and encourage people to get crafty and live their best lives.”
For information or to make a donation to Re-Craft, people can call (740) 232-9954 or email [email protected].
