Take a stroll down the white shell-lined lane of Old South Wharf and you will find unique shops and quaint art galleries nestled together along the harbor, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of town.  If you’re lucky you may just happen to catch local artist Karin Sheppard busy at her loom, weaving one of her gorgeous shawls, wraps, blankets, or rugs.  Her shop and studio, Island Weaves, showcases her handwoven items as well as beaded jewelry by Anne Terry, Sailor’s Valentine kits by Susie Black and paintings by Stacy Fusaro.

Karin grew up on Nantucket and got her start weaving at a young age.  She would often join her mother, a talented seamstress, on trips to Nantucket Looms to drop off products she had sewn for the store.  It was during these visits that she became fascinated with the weavers churning out beautiful fabrics, and eventually began learning the craft at the store after school.  Karin left Nantucket for college, but soon after graduation she returned to the island and to Nantucket Looms where she worked for 20 years, up until 2000 when she went out on her own and opened Island Weaves from her home.

Now in its thirteenth year, Island Weaves has a location at 20 Old South Wharf, a bright and sunny seasonal spot with a water view.  One of Karin’s large floor looms sits in the back corner of the store where you can find her working on any number of designs.  The day I popped in she was weaving a cashmere baby blanket, something new for the artist.  This is the time of year where she can experiment with different projects, and has a little more freedom with her textiles.  The winter months are very busy, filled with custom orders from clients and from designers in need of handwoven upholstery fabrics.

Karin is happy to come to work each day, and considers herself lucky to be making a living doing what she loves.  She is passionate about her work and about Nantucket, and it shows in the pieces she produces.  Her items are casually elegant, with classic, clean lines and whitewashed colors that reflect island living.  The handwoven items are made to last, with an heirloom quality to them.  Her wraps and shawls have become increasingly popular, along with her well-known Madaket Mall rugs.  The rugs are made from recycled materials often found at the Take It or Leave It, anything from terrycloth towels to khakis to jeans.  Nantucket Reds have become a favorite yet hard-to-find material for the rugs, as people usually wear them until they are threadbare.  She most  recently made a rug out of neckties for a woman whose father was a lawyer and had worn a tie to the office everyday.

Everything for sale at the shop can also be custom made, available in a wide variety of colors and natural fibers.  Her products make wonderful and meaningful gifts, or treat yourself to a Nantucket original handwoven accessory.  I, for one, would love to keep warm in one of her wraps or ponchos on these chilly May evenings. Island Weaves is located at 20 Old South Wharf.  You can also see examples of her work at www.islandweaves.com.

“Spring cleaning” is a household name, and the chemicals involved are often harmful to Nantucket’s ecosystem. Regular ol’ undiluted white vinegar can be used in the same way as many household cleaners for tasks that range from cleaning food surfaces safely to clearing out a drain. For a natural and inexpensive way to tackle your spring to-do list, look no further than your grocery store and spend no more than a few dollars.

• Use vinegar to clean your counter tops. The acidity gives vinegar antibacterial properties so you can keep your family’s food surfaces clean and safe! General “grime” can be cleaned from the places you don’t usually get to: the top of the refrigerator, the oven
• Dirty microwave with baked-on gunk? Mix a half-cup of vinegar with a half-cup of water and nuke it ’til it boils heavily. Take it out, and you will be able to wipe your microwave clean!
• Hard water buildup collecting on your shower head? Fill a plastic bag with vinegar and attach it to your shower head, with your shower head fully submerged in the vinegar. Leave it that way overnight, and viola!
• Dishes not coming out of the dishwasher as sparkly as you’d like? Just pour a cup of vinegar in the soap compartment, and run the dishwasher for a full cycle – sans dishes.
• Make everybody’s least favorite part of spring cleaning a little bit more pleasant by saving money and the environment. Mix 3/4 c. of vinegar and 1/4 c. of baking soda. Dump it in your toilet bowl and let it sit there for at least half an hour. Scrub-a-dub-dub, and you’re home free!
• April is here, and will soon be gone to make way for those famous flowers of next month. Nantucket daffodils are already popping up, but unfortunately, so are weeds! Kill those pesky plants by pouring some vinegar in a spray bottle and squirting it on your weeds. Make sure you avoid spraying it on the plants you DO wish to keep, though, so choose a day that isn’t windy.
• Make a go-to household cleaner by combining equal parts white vinegar and water and tossing in a couple drops of any pure essential oil (5 drops per cup of liquid used). When you need a little extra oomph, add some baking soda to your mixture!

Enjoy your smaller household cleaning products bill and carbon footprint! Happy spring, Nantucket!

Ever gone to the Nantucket Daffodil Festivals annual Flower Show? If you haven’t, then make 2013 your first year! See some of the most beautiful daffodils you could imagine and enjoy the wonderful drive out to Bartlett’s Farm, where the show is held. Get a two-minute glimpse of all the fun you’ll have there with our brand-new video! http://www.nantucket.net/sports/festival.php

Springtime is officially upon us, whether or not the weather seems to agree. Celebrate the season by watching our cool new Daffodil Festival video on our Festivals page on Nantucket.net.