Meet Tami Voth of Farm Down the Lane, an Ohio-based maker that repurposes vintage quilts into beautiful heirloom treasures. Tami lives in Ohio on an 11 acre farm with her husband where she sews, gardens and tends to their alpacas and chickens. Her craft is beautifully sustainable– creating new from old, and I just love the magic that she creates. I first connected with Tami a while back through social media and she has quickly become a friend. I had this idea in my mind for the past year of doing a kit that contained some sort of recycled material, and when I saw what Tami did– I knew she was the right person to curate a collection for me. I am so excited to introduce the DIY Hand-Sewn Vintage Quilt Sachet Kit to the shop that features vintage quilt materials hand-picked for us from her personal collection. I asked Tami a few questions about how she started sewing and also dove deeper into the sustainable practices that she follows in her day to day life and in her business. Read on to learn more about her! All photos courtesy of Farm Down the Lane.

Tell me a little bit about yourself. How long have you been sewing and how did you get started?

My name is Tami Voth and I’m 49 years old. My husband and I are high school sweethearts. We met in our church youth group. We got married young and started a family. All I ever wanted to be was a stay at home mom and thankfully that’s what I got to do. I stayed home with our three children. The hardest, most rewarding job I’ve every had! I’m originally from California, born and raised. We moved from California to Indiana and then to Ohio where we’ve been for the last 15 years. I started sewing at a very young age. My mom was a seamstress and made all of our clothes when we were little. I remember her teaching me. I’ve done lot of sewing over the years in my spare time, but only really started sewing more as my children got older. I often wondered and worried what I would do when my children were grown and didn’t need me in the same way anymore. Sewing has always been a hobby and I’m so grateful it’s provided me something to do now that my children are gone.

Is there a story behind the name of your shop?

We live on an 11 acre hobby farm. We have alpacas and chickens and my husband loves to garden. When I decided I wanted to name my shop I wanted it to be something personal and meaningful. We have a long driveway from the road back to our house. We were having fresh gravel added and the company who was doing the work called our driveway a “lane”. I loved that! So one day I thought, farm down the lane. So simple, but true. At first my family didn’t like it, but over time it stuck and I love it! Although it may not have much to do with sewing, this farm is my home and this is where all the sewing happens.

How did you come up with the idea to repurpose quilts?

I’ve always loved quilts and I’ve always had a desire and passion to recycle old things. One day the two just came together. I remember making my first set of stockings from old quilt pieces I’d collected back in 2016. From that point on I’ve been hooked.

Does working with upcycled materials influence your design process?

I love the idea of “rescuing” an old quilt by giving it new meaning and purpose. I usually start by laying a quilt out on my kitchen floor so I can access the damage and the design. I always use the best parts of the quilt first. Then I move to the worse parts. I usually use those parts on the backs of my items, like the back of pillows or stockings. I always try and use as much of the quilt as possible so nothing is wasted.

Do you have a favorite item that you’ve made, or a favorite thing to sew?

I think my favorite thing to sew is stockings. I love how they come together! From an old, unwanted quilt to a matching set of Christmas stockings that will be hung and adored in someone’s home. Such a special thing for sure!

Upcycling reduces waste as well as the use of new materials, making it the ultimate sustainable practice. Do you incorporate any other sustainable practices into your business?

Besides repurposing old quilts I absolutely love buying secondhand fabric either at creative reuse centers or antique stores. Why buy new when you can reuse what’s already been purchased and hopefully save it from ending up in the landfill. I also buy shipping packages that are made from recovered trash and once they’ve delivered my handmade item can be recycled. I grew up believing we should each do our part, no matter how big or small. Our earth matters!

I saw that you have quite the collection of materials! How do you keep everything organized?

I have lots of fabric! I do my best to keep it organized. I try and keep it folded and neatly stacked so I can see what I have when I’m looking for a particular color or pattern. Every so often I have to take time to reorganize. A clean and tidy space is so much easier to work in.

Do you have a favorite antique find?

I love antiques and my home is filled with them. I have too many favorites to pick just one. I have so many favorites!

Check out Farm Down the Lane‘s shop for beautiful vintage quilt goods or follow her on instagram.