Made in Vermont: Dandylion Designs

STARKSBORO, Vt. (WCAX) – Ashley Farland loves working along with her palms. For 20 years, she did simply that as a personal chef. However the pandemic offered Farland with a possibility for change.

“I made a decision to tackle a brand new enterprise and I finally knew I wished to work for myself,” she mentioned.

For the previous two years, Farland has been increase a model referred to as Dandylion Designs. It’s what she calls a masculine luxurious model.

“I take fits, or different deadstock… velvets, or… however it must be the very best high quality. And I flip them into house textiles,” Farland defined.

The objective is to prove elevated house decor with sustainability and a spotlight to element in thoughts. And whereas she’s doing it now, it was an extended street to study a brand new craft.

“I had by no means turned on a stitching machine two years in the past,” she mentioned. “So, that was a giant studying curve… large.”

Farland says she realized from the very best sewers and enterprise house owners in Vermont, and even works alongside a few of them now. After studying the ropes, she’s began making her personal pillows, blankets and different house textiles, utilizing deadstock material from high-end designers.

“It’s the best fiber, it’s probably the most luxurious. It drapes a sure means, it’s long-staple cashmere. It’s beautiful,” she mentioned.

Other than house textiles, Farland works with Treehouse Woodworking to design picket wares for the kitchen, too.

Whereas these have a barely cheaper price, Dandylion Pillows will set you again a few hundred bucks. However Farland says these aren’t disposable pillows; they’re heirlooms that may final a lifetime. And since they’re made in very small batches, your new smooth items are almost one among a sort.

“It does elevate to know that somebody doesn’t have a look at your stuff and say, ‘Oh, I’ve that too, I acquired that at… no matter,’” Farland mentioned.

Dandylion Designs additionally retails the work of 5 different Vermont artisan makers, like Queen Metropolis Dry Items, hoping to curate all kinds of lovely house items for purchasers to get pleasure from.

“It’s actually a consideration for caring concerning the finer particulars,” Farland mentioned. “I really feel like plenty of instances that will get forgotten or diluted on this world, and I believe there’s an enormous alternative to type of return to true craftsmanship.”

Craftsmanship that’s solely present in Vermont.

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