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Morgan Pell

@mergwerks

26K

followers

1109

following

Interdisciplinary Maker
🔅 Broom maker 🔅 Blacksmith 🔅 Stone mason 🔅
Michigan

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All of my brooms are available on my website on a first come, first served basis. I do not accept custom orders, pre-pay, or have a wait list. I do my best to do a shop restock every 2 months, but I am just one lady, and every one of my brooms is labor and time intensive.

www.mergwerks.com

Newsletter subscribers will be the only ones to know exactly when the drop is happening before it happens. I only announce brooms not sold yet on socials after my subscribers have had ample time to shop.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

♥️ Morgan

#mergstyle #broommaking #craftswoman #functionalartwork #functionalart by @mergwerks

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USPS has been making all sorts of changes that make it more difficult to run a small business lately. ALL of the shipping companies have been. Lucky you, if you order a broom from me though, you'll get a free bag of stones collected by me from my property in southwest Michigan! It's a good thing your girl is a rock hound and my property is full of beautiful rocks of all shapes and sizes!

💛Morgan

#functionalartwork #rockhound #broommaking #michiganmade by @mergwerks

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2 days ago

UPDATE: Sold!
I'm behind on my shop restock after all my recent travel, but I'd really love this sweet little Jack O' Lantern Mergstyle broom to find its home before Halloween!

I love the way the front of the broom looks like a lady in a dress with a woven bodice 😍

For those of you patiently waiting on a shop restock, I'm working as fast as I can to make one happen soon! Now's your chance to drop requests for things you'd like to purchase from my next restock in the comments below. I might be able to squeeze it onto my bench list!

💛 Morgan

#mergstyle #broommaking #functionalartwork #broom #halloweenart by @mergwerks

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3 days ago

What an adventure! I won't lie, I'll be happy if I never have to drive on a mountain road again, but it was worth every white knuckle.

Thanks @hunterlvelliott for inviting me to assist and for being an all around great friend. My trip to Gatlinburg would not have been as much fun without you! Another big thanks to our students @ashs.textiles @studio_francine and Ted! You were all amazing and I really loved spending the week with you. Of course I also have to say thanks to the artists in residence that came to learn broom making @lizellaslip @liamusante @janaghezawi_art and @annaleedavisart . Y'all were so sweet and I was so glad we got the chance to talk!

My rattling dish was made by @lizellaslip
My buffet napkins are by @jeanne.brady
And my reversible bag is by @christa_studiohaus

I can't recommend a trip to @arrowmont_school enough, whether you're teaching or learning, it will definitely be an amazing time.

Big thanks to @c.murphydoes for grabbing a bunch of photos for me and being a great travel companion on the way back to Michigan! Thanks to their kitty LB too for being a friggin cutie 😻

Hermit, out.
💛Morgan

#broommaking #arrowmont #functionalartwork #gatlinburg by @mergwerks

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5 days ago

Back with a hard decision for you 🤔

You know I'm gonna make a bunch of these Rooster tails for my next drop 😁

💛 Morgan

#broom #broommaking #craftswoman #functionalart by @mergwerks

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18 days ago

One day in and we're already seeing a lot of lightening!

Your batch size will change the amount of time it takes to whiten a batch. Bigger batches mean more flipping to expose everything to UV. So if you need it fast, small batch is the way to go! This batch is about 4 lbs of broomcorn and I fully expect it to take a minimum of 2 weeks at this pace if it gets sunshine every day, but I like my white broomcorn to be very bright!

I opt for very sturdy tongs when flipping instead of using my hands and using a pair of gloves for every flip, just be careful to not drop the broomcorn and splash yourself if you opt for the tong flip.

💛 Morgan

#broommaking #functionalart #mergstyle #craftswoman by @mergwerks

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22 days ago

How to whiten broomcorn, the safe way!

Once you go through the process laid out in the video, it may take a month (or more) for your broomcorn to reach the desired level of brightness. It will also need to be rinsed many times when finished, WITH GLOVES. I rinse, then fill with fresh water and soak, then rinse again and soak in fresh water again.

I have been experimenting with the process for over 3 years now and have tried different things (and failed at) for many different parts in the process.
Laying it out on plastic for more sun exposure-- dries too fast and the peroxide stops working, if kept wet this works the fastest!
Black totes with no UV exposure-- still works, but takes many months and the broomcorn takes on a grayish tint.
Indoors under UV plant lights-- absolutely works, though a bit slower and made me nervous about having a tub of peroxide indoors.

Drop your questions in the comments below so we can share all this info freely!

💛 Morgan

#functionalart #broommaking #craftswoman #mergstyle by @mergwerks

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23 days ago

🌟New Mergstyle broom design!🌟

I think I've kept this new Owl Mergstyle broom from y'all for long enough 😉

Which one is your favorite, the big moon or the small moon?

💛 Morgan

#mergstyle #functionalart #functionalartwork #broom #craftswoman by @mergwerks

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25 days ago

I am still processing my visit to @bcstudentcraft and still processing how much of an honor it was to be invited to be an Artist in Residence. I never could have imagined that this is where the business I've built could carry me. 💛

I will never forget the warmth I experienced in my time there from everyone I met. I will also never forget how weird it felt to be known by everyone I interacted with 😆 that was a lot for this hermit, but so very flattering.

I'm still kicking myself for missing my photo opportunity with Cynthia Main @sunhousecraft craft, but I got a great tour of her space too and all the incredible things her broom business has built. 💛

Thank you a million times to all the new friends I've collected, my heart is so full and my brain is swimming with new ideas! It was truly an experience of a lifetime!

💛 Morgan

@hunterlvelliott @pleasesendword @katiebister
@melis_sauerkraut 💛🧹💛

Ceramics installation by @psbriggs3.0

#berea #brooms #broommaking #functionalart by @mergwerks

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Another great human I got to meet for the first time, @hunterlvelliott is the brother I never knew I was missing! Even though we patty cake differently. 😆

Hunter's work has also heavily inspired me for a long time. The boundaries he pushes against in all his areas of craft made me push myself to think outside of the box and be more creative in my own craft. It was a real honor to see so much of his work in person, and even take some of it home (pics in stories)!!

I'm looking forward to hanging out with this nerd again in a couple weeks when I assist him with his experimental broom making class at Arrowmont!! 😱😱

Thanks for the great time Hunter, and thanks for the hike so I could see some of the Kentucky wilderness! See you soon!

💛 Morgan

#brotherfromanothermother #broommaking #berea #functionalart by @mergwerks

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Meeting Amanda Lee @pleasesendword has been very high on my list for a long time, and I got to spend a whole heckin' week with her!

When I was just starting out, Amanda Lee's work inspired me heavily. Her skill and execution of every one of her pieces pushed me to make my work better, to try to achieve the level of skill that she has. Experiencing her and her work in person proved that she was the right person to pick to be inspired by. Not only is she an incredible craftswoman, she's an incredible teacher and person all around. On top of that she's as funny as they come, and definitely one of the coolest people I've ever met.

I'll miss the heck out of you Amanda Lee! Thanks for the amazing time and letting me sidetrack you and your students the past week. I'm a better maker because of your influence.

💛 Morgan

#girlcrush #craftswomen #brooms #broommaking by @mergwerks

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