What’s Hiding in the Trunk?

A quilter’s trunk show can be full of surprises and unexpected connections. In “My Passion for Playing with Fabrics: Exploring the Options” I’ll display an array of my quilts and talk about the various boulevards, avenues and alleys that my quilting journey has taken me. There are unexpected twists and turns as I’ve wandered around the quilting world.

Every trunk show offers you a chance to view another quilter’s workshop. Hopefully you’ll gather information and possibly inspiration from all you see. A highlight for me of any trunk show, is the chance to ask questions and to mingle ideas with other quilters. Additionally, on Saturday, January 18th, you will have a chance to explore Cuttin’ Up for yourself.

Bonnie said they settled on the name for the shop because both her daughters are always “cuttin’ up”. When I visited recently, Sarea showed me this favorite fabric, exhibiting that playful attitude her mother mentioned before. Yet, these women have a serious commitment to creating a long-lived quilt shop. We can see this as we look around the shop and view the intense creative energy it took to transform two weary spaces into this bright, cheerful studio for quilters.
Sarea is standing next to the brick wall that divided the two shops before sledge hammers and other delicate tools created a large opening. Harmony salvaged the 100 year old oak beam from a local barn to become the supports you see surrounding the doorway.

I’m always attracted to creative, quirky elements that surprise the viewer, whether in a quilt or in this delightful quit shop. The bathroom offered two such surprises. A vintage treadle sewing machine cabinet now houses the farmhouse sink to carry the sewing theme into this room too. Another wall was left with some of the brick exposed and now holds galvanized metal bins used to corral odds and ends.

When you arrive at Cuttin’ Up on Saturday you’ll find parking in front or in the lot behind the shop. I hope you will view the front of the shop because you will appreciate the transformation most from that view. Bonnie, Harmony and Sarea provided me with a historical photo from the 1900s and then a photo taken as they started the extensive renovations last summer.

Harmony, Sarea, and Bonnie had a vision for this building, despite the garish yellow and purple painted facade done by previous tenants. With dedicated enthusiasm, they enlisted the efforts of family and friends to transform the space in a matter of a few months into a vibrant quilt shop and a gathering place for creative sewers. Come join the fun!