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This store was born as the result of my love for quilting and all that goes with it, especially the opportunity to play with fabric and the association of individuals involved with our craft. With a full schedule and not as much time to quilt or sew as I wanted, the realization set in that I had become a student of quilting rather than a full-fledged quilter. Insight also revealed that I was not unhappy with this situation. Now-how best to combine these joys. How about an on-line quilt store? said my husband/business manager one day. Who me-I don't think so-well maybe-from one who had NEVER wanted her own business. And here we are!
Without the advent of the web/internet (thanks techies!), a quilt store with my name on it would not have been. Thus began the delightful journey into the unknown. The internet allowed me to search out instructions for getting started, suppliers, competition, more information than ever imagined, and the pros and cons from the many experts. Friends and family provided technical and moral support; not everything can be found on the internet!
This little venture will allow me to share some of the knowledge gleaned from my searches, as well as years of quilting and reading quilt magazines and books. It also provides the opportunity to encourage the next generation of quilters.
My forebears for at least four generations were quilters with just a few quilts remaining. As my mother said, "We wore them out." I do have at least remnants of one from my great-grandmother and a hand-pieced unquilted top from my grandmother. The popular pattern in the family was Sunbonnet Sue, and my mother made each of her children and grandchildren either a Sunbonnet Sue or an Overall Sam.
One of the highlights of the first year in business was attending our first market in Houston. To be surrounded by all that gorgeous fabric was phenomenal. We used it as a learning experience, and it was a pleasure to meet and talk with all the fine folks and see the new products on the market. It was well organized and very informative.
Here are some pictures from our first market.
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Beautiful downtown Houston in October 2005. Fall market is always held in Houston at the spacious George R. Brown Convention Center. It is a lovely season in the Bayou City and well worth visiting at that time of year. |
| Marj and Eleanor Burns in the Quilt in a Day booth. Eleanor is a favorite of mine as she is so warm and outgoing, and I cut my "quilting teeth" on her PBS show. She is very knowledgeable in her craft (as evidenced by her books) and is always willing to share her knowledge. |
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Even though we are natives of the same state and lived less than 50 miles apart, I met Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles Quilters for the first time at Market. She has a wonderful line of patterns, books, and fabrics, all based on the colors from the prairie. Note some of her creations in the booth. |
| And this is Smoky, our grandson. As a newborn, he is lying on a receiving blanket which was made by his great-grandmother for his mom. (We really do "wear things out.") It is two square yards of flannel, tied, and then bound with coordinating bias tape, thus making a reversible, larger than usual, receiving blanket. Comfy and great for swaddling. |
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Smoky at age 3. Thought you might like to see how some of our departments got their names. Smoky's Cubby is the name for our children's section. Grandpa would be "Pa," and Grandma would be "MeeMaw." |
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