Sister's Quilt Shop owner Morgan Moon stands in her newly-opened Sister's Quilt Shop Studio in downtown Chehalis. The space, about two blocks from her quilt shop, offers work stations for quilters to bring their sewing machines for classes or simply work sessions with others.
When she purchased Sister’s Quilt Shop in Chehalis nearly two years ago, Morgan Moon knew she wanted to offer more classes and events.
But in a store that carries more than 11,000 bolts of fabric, the shop simply was not big enough.
So, she opened a second location dedicated solely to creative endeavors. In April, Moon opened the Sister’s Quilt Shop Studio in a space about two blocks west of the quilt shop.
“Just having the additional space is going to really allow us to expand what we do,” Moon said.
Sister’s Quilt Shop Studio just one more offering from the nearly 40-year-old downtown quilting shop, which sells fabric as well as quilt kits both out of their Market Boulevard location and online. In addition, the shop also offers services such as long-arm quilting. The studio features several individual work stations where attendees can plug in their sewing machines and work on a clean surface with a comfortable chair. A fabric cutting table as well as ironing boards and irons are also included in the space along with a refreshment station.
Several open sewing sessions will be offered at the studio, giving people the chance to come in and use the facility to work on any project of their choosing for a small fee. Hands-on workshops are also planned in the space, where course attendees receive a supply list and are walked through the process of creating items such as a table runner, pillow case or even a jelly roll rug. Instructors will range from local quilters to visiting designers. Moon said beginning sewing classes will also be offered.
“People can come in and meet their friends and sew,” Moon said. “That’s what I’m most excited about, creating a space where they can get together.”
Moon and her husband, Tanner, designed the studio together. She said Tanner put down the flooring and she added “who knows how many” layers of paint to freshen the walls. As the space began to take shape, she said she knew they were on the right track from the amount of interest they received from customers.
“People were freaking out, they just wanted to come to classes here,” Moon said. “I had people hounding me, just excited there’s a space they can get together.”
Moon explained that the new space also gives the shop the opportunity to offer some new experiences for its customers. The first will be a September visit by world-renowned fabric designer Kaffe Fassett. The three-day visit will include a lecture at the Chehalis Theatre and two workshops in the studio. Moon explained that Sister’s had to essentially audition to be considered for the visit by the artist, best known for his bright, bold patterns and she has heard from quilters planning to travel from as far away as California to be part of the experience.
“He’s a big deal,” Moon said. “We’re excited for the visit by Kaffe in September and we have plans to bring in more fabric designers now that we have the space to do that.”
