One local woman wants to create a curated online market exclusively for handcrafted Carolina goods

Self-taught seamstress Kim Pace wants to create a curated online marketplace exclusively for handcrafted Carolina goods. Covet Atelier will feature a selection of rotating seasonal goods from regional artisans hand picked for their talent, craftsmanship and Carolina roots. Pace calls it “a place where quality, intentional, and well-made items replace today’s disconnected consumption.” She does not, however, call it an Etsy remake.

“I hesitate a little to draw that comparison,” she said via email. “The collaborations make Covet unique, as well as the artists and their work changing per season, unlike Etsy, where creatives aren’t hand-selected and their shops can sometimes become stagnant or lack diversity.”

As a native North Carolinian, Pace has strong ties to what she calls the region’s “deep-rooted heritage of makers.” She also has a desire to push those traditions forward. “I believe that making a platform for solely Carolinian artists will bring fresh energy and attention to the traditions and heritage within the region,” she said. That, she hopes, will provide a modern and fresh take on traditions that are often overlooked in our marketplace of cheap mass produced items.

Pace launched a Kickstarter campaign earlier this month to raise startup funds for Covet, but with just three days left and another $14,000 to go, the clock is ticking. Even if the money doesn’t come through, she says won’t give up. “I am wholeheartedly committed to the community that the makers and I have created,” she said. “In that spirit, I will do everything within my power to continue moving Covet forward.”

A lot of what drives Pace is the desire to not only sell quality products but to feature the artisans who make them. She says artisans she’s spoken to about Covet are enthusiastic about the concept. “The idea of being “curated” in a collective with other like-minded makers and featured with the artisan as the focus is most appealing to them,” she said, “along with giving customers a more intimate relationship with their art, their work, and their creative process.”

Support Covet Atelier

On Monday, Pace is teaching Crown Town Handmade’s October Make Out class at Craft Tasting Room and Growler Shop. The event, which is a tutorial on how to make marbled dinner plates, is free but she’s offering appetizers and raffle tickets for artisan goods to anyone who pledges $20 to the Kickstarter campaign.

Can’t make it to class on Monday? You can also donate directly to the campaign, which closes on Thursday.

From Kim: “There is a deeply rooted heritage and tradition of makers in North and South Carolina, and I want to share and celebrate that community. I also strongly believe that there is a value in investing in small batch, high quality products made by hand, and I believe that by supporting local artisans we inherently strengthen our communities.”

She resisted (because it’s like picking a favorite child) but I asked her to name some of her favorite local artisans. Here’s what she said…

“It is hard for me to choose since I have so many local makers as a part of Covet, but I am a huge fan of Havok Designs for modern and stunning jewelry, Cut From The Same Cloth for great custom clothing, Beautiful Idiot Clothing for haberdashery items, and Hanks for natural body care.”

(Photo credits: skirt by Cut From the Same Cloth, framed print by Sable & Gray, organic bath salts by Truly Aesthetic, ties by Beautiful Idiot Clothing, marbled plates via Facebook event page)