Handmade goods and gifts abound at Talbot’s Treasures
BY JULIA WOLF
COURIER SENTINEL
“People are understanding the quality and crafts-manship that goes into making homemade things.”
Those are the words of Judy Talbot, who sells a variety of sewn and crocheted items under the name, Talbot’s Treasures. Talbot’s Treasure’s has been in business for about 30 years, but she also created items under other names, prior to that.
Talbot says word of mouth helped her business grow, beyond the reaches of Cornell.
“I’ve been doing craft sales themselves, for over 40 years,” said Talbot.
Talbot did craft shows in the fall and spring, over the weekends, and would pass her card out. From there, people could call in orders. Lately, Talbot has also listed available items on the Talbot’s Treasures Facebook page, which serves as an online store.
“That’s really taken off in the last year,” said Talbot.
By adding an online option, customers have more flexibility to browse when they want, and can place orders through message, email or by phone.
“Then, either I ship it or they pick it up,” said Talbot.
She says the items she offers have evolved over time. Talbot currently offers crocheted items, as well as some sewn items, such as stuffed animals and doll clothes.
Talbot started out, by making crocheted kitchen towels.
“I enjoy doing it, and it’s fun to see what kind of towels you can find that are thick and heavy,” said Talbot.
She has a wide variety of patterns available, and often has seasonal and holiday options. Talbot says the towels have remained a popular item.
“I don’t know if they remember them from when they were younger, or what,” said Talbot.
Talbot also created doll clothes for about 15 years. She says she used to put together 22-inch, lifelike dolls. Since they wore 0-3 month clothes, she would make clothes for them.
“I used to make those and then it got too expensive to get the parts,” said Talbot.
For a time, Talbot also made 18-inch doll clothes for a store in Illinois, and still makes the outfits to sell at craft shows.
“All kinds of 18-inch doll clothes,” said Talbot. “Coats and housecoats, and fancy dresses, jumpsuits. I mean, whatever you would wear, the dolls can wear.”
Talbot says she started doing more work with yarn, beyond the towels, once she had a stock of doll clothing made.
“I enjoy finding retro patterns and then revamping them to make something now with it,” said Talbot, adding many retro items are starting to come back into style.
Talbot says she has found some really neat stitches, such as a 3-D stitch from the 1920s, which makes beautiful blankets. She has also pulled a scarflet pattern from 1934. Other items she makes includes braided cowls, lacy cowls, 3-D stitch scarves, hand warmers, boot cuffs and winter headbands. Over the Christmas season, she also made grinch scarves.
“Anything that’s in fashion,” said Talbot.
She says she enjoys seeing people wear the things she makes around town.
Talbot also enjoys experimenting and finding different things to make, whether that is with stitches, patterns or colors.
“If it doesn’t turn out well, I change it and do it again,” said Talbot. “You can’t give up.”
One of the recent projects Talbot tried, is a cow blanket, complete with a head, legs and tail.
“You do each stitch...one by one and you go on a graph and you check them off as you do them,” said Talbot. “So, it takes a long time to do.”
The cow folds out to a full-sized baby blanket, or can be draped over the edge of a crib or a chair. When Talbot makes the blanket, she crochets two pieces of yarn at the same time, which makes for a heavy blanket. She
Judy Talbot finds enjoyment in creating handmade goods and hopes to spread that happiness through her business, Talbot’s Treasures. Talbot has sold a range of homemade goods, such as crocheted blankets and toys, doll clothes and whatever else piques her interest, for over 40 years.
JULIA WOLF/COURIER SENTINNEL
Comfort bears and pillows are created with a loved one’s clothing. Judy Talbot says she has shipped the keepsake items all across the United States.JULIA WOLF/COURIER SENTINNEL
