The Artisans Next Door is located next to the Historic Ivy Bake Shoppe and Café in downtown Fort Madison, Iowa. You can actually drink coffee and shop at the same time!

We stock a fine collection of local art work. Our handmade work includes stoneware pottery, stain glass, ironwork, photography, jewelry, fused glass, soaps and greeting cards. The fiber art includes shawls, purses, knitted and crocheted items, fine hand weaving, rugs and puppets

*Cast off clothes...these can be used for purse linings and rag rugs.
The buttons are cut off and reused another day, maybe for a clasp!
*Leather coats...marble bags, small coin purses even leather aprons.
*Purses...the handles and magnetic clasps are harvested and reused on new handmade bags! I really do like to chop things up...too bad one time I cut up a $56 designer bag!
*Furs...can become the brim of a new crocheted hat! They can also embellish a new purse.
*Wool sweaters...are felted then turned into purses, small bags and used as the base for many needle
felting projects. Coasters anyone! They also make good dog sweaters when altered.
*Driftwood...can be carved to make awesome signs for your home and garden.
*Enamel pans...with some sand, a few fossils or geodes make the perfect meditation garden.
Just give me a little rake!
*Clay....hand built clay projects are often scraps that are left over from throwing on the wheel.
Dry clay is slaked down and combined with the scraps that are pugged and deaired then reused on a new creation.
*Cardboard...is cut into smaller pieces and are made into new decorative boxes.
*Pop tabs...make funky bracelets in silver or colors!
*Trash pick up days...the perfect time to get display pieces! Our friend and neighbor even gave us a piece
she no longer could use! Thanks for carrying it over Joe!
Ok now it is your turn, think before you throw!

Classes with
“The Artisans Next Door”
 
Feb. 20-Wooly Warm Hats- $38
Instructors: Linda Ross and Barb Zumdome
(needle felted hat  includes all supplies)

Feb. 27-Play in the Clay Day- $20
Instructors: Linda Ross
(Includes your clay and firing of the piece,
which will be picked up later)

March 20-Knit Pickers- $10
Instructor Ruth Kramer
(Bring a project you need help with,
start a new one or learn a new skill
Bring own supplies...we will have things to borrow
or buy for new learners)

All classes are held in the Ivy Conference room attached to our shop
All class hrs. 10-2:30
616 7th Street, Fort Madison
Please stop in for details
Or call 372-8056 classes limited