The quilt shop where I worked closed this week.
I don’t think very many people understand what a small quilt shop does for a community.
Yes, we sold machines and fabric, notions, patterns, doo-dads and what-nots.
But that’s not what a quilt shop is all about. We also provided support. And inspiration. And education.
And friendship.
We loved our customers and became close. And they came to visit us when they had enough of the outside world, when they needed a place to unload, to unburden, to be among like-minded people.
We celebrated with them and mourned with them. And they with us. We all grew together and processed life through cloth and fabric, needle and thread.
The purchases? They were just an extension of all that wholeness. We didn’t close because we weren’t doing well. On the contrary, the shop was doing great. But sometimes life intercedes and the owner was unable and unwilling to deal with the crushing demands on her time from her home life and work life combined.
I could go on about the number of quilt shops in this area that have recently shut down, or the economy, or the aging of the quilt-making market. But I know better. I’ve been around long enough to see that to everything there is a season.
I was fortunate enough to work there from the time that my son started first grade to the time he entered high school. What a season! From crayons to perfume…or deodorant, in this case.
I know that these things are cyclical. The market will re-emerge in a different way. Our customers will find their way to new and exciting shops and relationships, and the world will keep turning.
I will never stop sewing. In fact, I have some new and interesting plans for this blog. Endings provide the catalyst for new beginnings. Stay tuned.
Here’s the quilt I was working on from my last post. Completed, just need to add the label. Crazy squiggly lines through the color, straight and narrow through the grey.
The ombre blue on the back turned out to be exactly what I wanted.
Colorful binding signals the end of this project. But we never really finish our work as quilters, or as artists. We’re always ready for the next project.
I’m ready. Are you?
I know you miss your shop and the people that came to see you and buy fabric. Your quilt is beautiful as well as the words you wrote. My family thinks I am just a hoarder because I have so many patterns, cloth, machines, rulers, cutters, and so on.. But they want my quilts. I just had back surgery and here I lay. My surgery was October 13th. The pain is still almost unbearable, the end of November, so I am fighting through that, but I am itching to work on my many projects. Working on a project removes me from other things and I have such a pieceful quite time in my own world. All my sewing and craft things are upstairs, well organized so they must just say that because they have never done it. I am glad you are starting a blog. Good luck and God bless.
How sweet, Teresa. I hope you are feeling better soon. When I’m not feeling the greatest, I find I can do simple things, like hand stitching or a little knitting. I hope you find a way to continue sewing. Thank you for your comment. Sending blessings and good thoughts your way.