Two local craftspeople will showcase their passion for functional art in one storefront this week. Eric McIntyre, proprietor and woodcarver at Village Handcraft, will host Hilary Crowell of The Cultivated Thread in the store’s working showroom from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 4-6 at 52 Water St. in Wiscasset. Crowell weaves on a small floor loom and will be transporting it to the shop for a working demonstration during her three-day stay.

The process of weaving thread into fabric and crafting it into towels is done entirely by hand in Hilary Crowell’s home studio located in Wiscasset in May 2023. Courtesy of Hilary Crowell

McIntyre and Crowell have a shared history of teaching and skill-sharing, having met as teachers several years ago. Both have launched new careers in the Maine crafting scene, creating robust, unique businesses that allow them to pass on their love for handcraft and connection.

Eric McIntyre holds a finished kitchen broom in his store, Village Handcraft, in Wiscasset on June 20. Courtesy of Hilary Crowell

Village Handcraft launched in 2021 as both a production hand tool workshop and a storefront. McIntyre is most known for his hand-bound brooms and carved spoons and bowls, though he loves to explore many types of hand work. Each item is crafted with locally sourced wood right in the store and goes up for sale just 10 feet across the room. Visitors in the shop get to see the craft work in action and ask questions about tools, materials and process.

The Cultivated Thread has become well known for its small-batch, high-quality towels since its founding in 2019. Handwoven in Crowell’s Wiscasset studio, yards of fabric are turned into thousands of towels, each created with daily use in mind. Using weave structures and fibers that will withstand the test of time, Crowell brings intentionality and care to all stages of the production process. Crowell is also known for her eagerness to collaborate with local makers and her active role in the Maine small business and farming communities.

The crafters will be at Village Handcraft Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with McIntyre carving spoons and tying brooms and Crowell weaving. They will be available to answer questions about their individual crafts and practice. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase handwoven towels, rag rugs and table runners, as well hand-tied brooms, carved spoons and other wooden vessels. To learn more, visit villagehandcraft.com/weaver.