© 2026 by arteliermidwest.com
Collect & Gather is a free community makerspace funded in part by a craft/art supply thrift shop and funky art boutique. We aim to serve the fringe artists and experimenting makers! Our type of nonprofit is growing in community need but much of grant support has not caught up with the economics of our area. Without artist incubators like ours – a community can head into an arts vacuum where artists are not granted into a community that says they celebrate the “starving artist”. Afterall, we wouldn’t have such great pieces from Vincent Van Gogh if he hadn’t suffered for his sanity and put it into his art. But it would have been better in 1890 if Vincent had a place to go for his mental health. That is the purpose of a makerspace.
OPEN 12-7 (WED-SUN)
FIBER ARTS NIGHT
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2
5pm-7pm
On the first Fridays of the month we knit, crochet, weave, sew, embroider, and make in the round. B.Y.O.WIPS (Bring Your Own Works-in-Progress)! *Adults only!
FREE
RE-FASHIONING CLUB
SUNDAY, JANUARY 4
1pm-3pm
Want to learn how to let in/let out your pants? Need to patch a hole? Want to learn to sew and make your own clothes in general? Volunteers will be up on the mezzanine to teach you how! *For all ages!
FREE
JUNK JOURNALING CLUB
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5
5PM-7PM
We meet the first Thursdays of the month up on the mezzanine and do some junk journaling! Supplies included, but bring your own journal or bind your own here! *Adults only!
FREE
2-DAY PUPPET WORKSHOP
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
3pm-7pm
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
Noon-4pm
In part thanks to years of planning and help from the The Jim Henson Foundation, we will hold a 2-day, 4 hour each intensive workshop on the art of making Muppet-Style puppets. While we understand this would seem very fun for kids, this is an adults only workshop as it’s too long and too complicated.
FREE
REGISTRATION OPENS IN JULY
SHRIMPFEST
We aim to CRAFT 500 SHRIMPS by and on Saturday, May 2nd. Beaded Shrimp! Knitted shrimp! Stained glass shrimp! Painted shrimp! If there’s a way to MAKE a shrimp – it counts! Bring the kids (ages 10-92) on May 2nd too for a ton of fun shrimp crafts and have them help towards our goal of 500 shrimpies!
Following the event on Sunday, May 3rd we will host a silent auction to raise money to build the free community makerspace! 100 pieces from SHRIMPFEST will be available to bid on. Non-shrimp cocktails will be available and we are excited to announce the caterer of the Sunday silent auction soon!
Donate Supplies
Our thrift store and makerspace is stocked with 100% donated items for the community to use or stock the thrift store. Sale profits go directly to keeping the free community makerspace free and building it up.
We also have artists in need who can use certain supplies ASAP through our artist re-giving program. Donations are accepted any days our thrift shop is open.
Sunday: Noon-7pm
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Noon-7pm
Thursday: Noon-7pm
Friday: Noon-7pm
Saturday: Noon-7pm
MAKERSPACE
Air-Dry clay, silicone mats, Acrylic paint, paint brushes, screenprinting supplies (water-based only), sewing machines, sketchbooks, paper, canvas, unique and/or vintage magazines, paper ephemera, and more.
- NO LIFESTYLE MAGAZINES
THRIFT STORE
Yarn, fabric, trim, notions, frames, painting blanks, art books, beads, tools, dolls, oil paint, stained glass, and general crafting supplies.
- NO CLOTHING
- NO FAUX FLORALS
- NO MORE THRIFTED ART
LOCAL ARTISTS
- PLASTIC BOTTLES CAPS
- PORCELAIN DOLLS
- METAL SPRINGS
LONG-TERM MACHINE/TOOL DONATIONS NEEDED
SERGER
EMBROIDERY MACHINE
KNITTING MACHINE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Next Board Meeting: March
FOUNDER / PRESIDENT
Jacquelyn Tolksdorf
VICE PRESIDENT
Diana Whitmore
TREASURER
Misty Thompson
TRUSTEE
Alex Grant
TRUSTEE
Christina Munny
SEWING VOLUNTEER
The first Sunday of each month we are looking for volunteers from 1pm-3pm to teach how to use the sewing machines, teach students who bring their own sewing machine from home, show basic mending techniques, show sewers how to use a pattern, show sewers how to let in/let out items, and more. *This will be up on the mezzanine and there are stairs to get up to the makerspace. NEXT DATE: Sunday, February 1, 2026 @ 1pm-3pm. Email Jacquelyn at collectgatherplover@gmail.com to sign up!
MOVING VOLUNTEERS
We occasionally will need help moving new furniture into the makerspace and up the stairs. We'll post those volunteer day needs here! Email Jacquelyn at collectgatherplover@gmail.com.
ART INSTRUCTORS
We aim to hold free art workshops by Summer 2026 under a grant so instructors still are compensated. Until then we just want people using our makersapce. If you need a place to host your art workshop, we'll help you get pre-registered and pre-paid with students. We'll set you up on our mezzanine makerspace for your class! Email Jacquelyn at collectgatherplover@gmail.com to work out details of your next class.
715.497.6142 | collectgatherplover@gmail.com
©2025 All Rights Reserved | Collect & Gather Inc is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit (EIN: 39-2755835)