Harston finds crafty way to make a living

Sharon Harston displays some of her latest throws. (Tribune photo / Dan Brawner)

The answer she came up with for her own personal economic stimulus was throws. Throws of the type people used to cover up with when sitting around and the type people use to decorate their beds or couches.

"My sister taught me how to do them," said Harston. "There's no sewing involved."

The only implement she uses in the production of these colorful items is a pair of scissors. Taking an appropriate piece of fabric, she matches it with a backing and begins cutting around the edges.

She makes the cuts uniform, about three inches into the fabric. Then she begins tying the front and back together. Working all the way around the piece, she's finished when all the tassels are tied.

"I double tie them," continued Harston. "That way they won't come loose."

Most of them are 58 to 60 inches wide, the standard width of material, but the length is what anyone wants. Two yards is standard, however, she said.

She did the first one in the fall of 2007 and has been doing them ever since. And while she doesn't know exactly how many she's done in the 18 months since she started, she knows it is over 100.

And while to some people, such an activity would be a chore, to Harston it's more like therapy.

"When I'm doing this I don't think about anything else," she said. "It takes a lot of stress and worries away."

As far as the type of patters she uses, she said she is limited only by what is available at different fabric outlets or craft stores.

"I do whatever people want," Harston said. "I've done baseball, football, St. Louis Cardinals, Razorbacks, Atlanta Falcons, Ole Miss, Hot Wheels, (the movie) Cars, Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Sponge Bob Square Pants, deer, cancer ribbons and other I don't even remember."

Two requests she has had, but so far hasn't been able to find the patterns for are the cartoon "Brats" and an ASU Red Wolves pattern. Plus others have been harder to find than most people would imagine.

"It took me six months to find the Cardinals pattern," she said.

For that reason, when she finds a pattern she thinks a lot of people might want, she buys all she can find for future orders.

She donated one of her pink cancer ribbon patters to the American Cancer Society in St. Louis.

"They raffled it off, but I don't know how much they got for it," she said. "I was told they did real good on it, though."

She also donated two to Three Rivers Nursing Center to be raffled off during their 'prom.'

"I love doing stuff like this for people," Harston said. "If I can help people I'll do it. If they want to raffle one off for a good cause, I'm all for it and will donate one."

She also does pillows on request and will give a person a discount if they buy a matching throw and pillow.

Though she was laid off at Mid-South, she managed to get a part time job with Nestle in Jonesboro. But because of a back injury, she hasn't worked since the first of the year.

So, obviously, the extra she can pick up doing the throws is a help.

Doctors have told her that the back injury, a fractured vertebrate will heal on its on with time. Regardless, whether she goes back working full time or not she will keep doing her throws and pillows.

"Like I said," she concluded. "I just enjoy doing them and I guess I'll keep doing them as long as my fingers can tie the knots."