Little Free Craft Library

Since  I saw my first Little Free Library in 2012 and posted about it here, my neighborhood has been quite developed: a Little Free Library appears on nearly every block and sometimes more than one. I continued posting about them. Then the Little Free Tiny Art Gallery appeared in 2021, and sometime around then, perhaps later, I discovered the Little Free Craft Library on my walk up the hill.

The Little Free Craft Library works on the same principles of give and take. A note inside encourages craft supplies and finished products, anything that a maker would like. I have picked up cloth and dropped off cloth, empty spools, corks, bundles of pencils, extra tools. I have seen bags of old paper patterns, rubber stamps, stained lace doilies, zines, ceramic plates, a Wedgewood teacup, and more. I like this LFCL. For several reasons.

It's anonymous, and there is no public judgment. No one will rank the objects with stars or leave comments about them. The LFCL is not on any social media platform. It's for the neighborhood and the passersby. Ego is removed.

It feels honest. It's not trying to be anything other than it is. It's plain and comfortable and comforting. The focus is on the action and encouragement of sharing rather than on a product or the box itself.

It's fun. I like leaving small handmade things as gifts. I can share small practice pieces; if someone wants them, great! They have done their duty for me: allowed me to experiment. And then I don't have to store them or add to the landfill. I get my little jolt of joy when I walk by the next day and my pieces or leavings are gone.

It helps me think about my studio and my stuff. What do I really need? What can I let go of? What will fit in that little box up the hill?

One day as I was leaving something, a woman came out of the house behind it, the owner, a ceramicist. She said hello in a questioning way. I told her how much I liked the LFCL. At that moment in time her granddaughter was visiting and wanted to make "fairy houses." She thought they might also make "fairy quilts" with some of the scraps. She said she thought about putting the LFCL on Instagram, but realized it would be a lot of work updating, particularly because of the speed with which the works arrive and depart. Some things go instantly. Some things stay for a week or so, but generally (and I noticed this) everything disappears. I showed her a photo of a little art I had gotten: a decorated matchbox, one of four (I only took one); she hadn't even seen these. At the time I had liked two, but decided that other people should get have a chance.

Every now and then I worry that I am just contributing to a hoarder's house, but really, the whole point is to accept and let go.

The Little Free Craft Library. It's a great community service.