Saturday, January 7, 2023 | Country Acres South • Page 1 PRSRT STD ECR U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #278 Madelia, MN 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave Sauk Centre MN 56378
SOUTH Saturday, January 7, 2023
Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment
Volume 1, Edition 15
THO U G H T F U L
stitching Krage creates workwear with durability, heart BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER
RIDGEWAY - Lindsay Krage has combined her love of quilting and her affinity for the aesthetic of workwear into a clothing and accessory line that honors both. Salome Acres, named in honor of Krage’s grandmother Salome, has a presence on the web and via Instagram. Each piece Krage crafts is inspired by a styling she hasn’t been able to find in a store. “When you’re sewing your own clothes, you can add an element of your own individuality to it,” she said. Krage likes wearing things that are unique, something she won’t see on someone else, and that’s what she wants to provide for her customers as well. Her pieces are not only original designs, but they’re also made to be hearty – she chooses her fabrics carefully, usually
cutting from waxed canvas, denim or linen. The texture and functionality of the waxed canvas intrigues her and is something she can wear while she does chores. Krage lives on a hobby farm where she single-handedly raises seven lambs a year for meat and, at her peak, 80 meat birds. Today, she has about 10 layers instead of meat birds, and she’s holding back t h r e e of her lambs so she c a n learn more
Lindsay Krage pets an ewe at her farm near Ridgeway. When she isn’t in her workshop designing clothing, she enjoys tending to her variety of farm animals.
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Linday Krage crafts in her workspace at her home in Ridgeway. She named her small business Salome Acres after her grandmother.
about crafting fiber and yarn. As she delves into fiber arts, Krage’s focus remains strong on the versatility of waxed canvas. “It’s similar to leather in that you see every mistake, every fold, every stitch,” she said. “I like the challenge of needing to be precise.” Over time, the fabric molds to the wearer. “It ties back to that workwear style; the more you wear something, the more it breaks in,” she said. “There’s a beauty in that item you’ve had forever.” The fabrics are durable, in line with her love of workwear and uniforms. “There’s something really timeless about a coverall or an apron,” Krage said. “A lot of people hold memories with those items. They remember their mom or grandma in an apron, or their grandfather coming home in his coveralls.” The designs are Krage’s own creation. When she creates a concept for a piece, she’ll seek out a pattern the first time and then be-
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gin d e signing from there. In addition to making garments that she thinks consumers will enjoy, Krage said she does a remarkable amount of commission and custom work. Customers, she said, will come to her with an idea in mind, and she revels in creating the perfect plan for a garment that fits their wants and needs. She’ll often work off a pattern chosen by the customer, and from there, her creativity takes over. “I really like working with people on their visions,” Krage said. “I really like making an idea come into a physical thing.” She once created a custom bag for a customer to fit on his wife’s wheelchair. Projects like that are important to her, she said. Krage does her work using two heavy-duty sewing machines. One is a modern machine and the other is a heavy, vintage machine she found on eBay. Each garment has its own timeline for construction.
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