One of a Kind
combining pieces of two different winter scarves together . “ I call them the Vermonter because whether you were born here , moved here , or are just passing through , eventually everyone wears plaid . They look like flannel , but they feel like cashmere .”
The shrugs sold at Sharon ’ s on the Common are made using a process that makes efficient and inventive use of her shawl fabric . “ I create a jacket effect by cutting off the bottom of a shawl and making two sleeves . Shrugs sit on your shoulders in the same way that you would wear a shawl . The difference is that you can put your arms through them . Another nice thing about them is that they can be folded flat for travel purposes .”
Baker also offers a special service where she takes shawls that belong to her customers and turns them into wearable pieces . “ The look on a woman ’ s face when she comes back to see her shawl that has been sitting in a drawer turned into a wearable piece of art is very satisfying .” As Baker ’ s business continues to grow , she is thankful for the dedicated clients who continue to return to her store , and she finds great joy in the stories that she hears from repeat customers . “ One customer bought one of my wool pieces about four or five years ago . Her daughter wore it to a mall in Chicago . She was in a corporate department store , and the salespeople came up and asked her where she got her shawl . They said , ‘ Did you get that here ?’ She said , ‘ No . My mom got it at a little shop in Vermont .’ Another woman told me that she took a trip to Paris and wore one of my pieces while she was on vacation . She was outside a Parisian café , and she took a picture of herself wearing it . Of course , I posted that photo on social
30 VERMONT MAGAZINE