Oh my gosh, we were so busy with Country Living kits and customers following Martingale’s Quilt Shop Series. Quilters showed up from everywhere – and I do mean everywhere! The fabric salesmen that called on us were happy to write orders and we were very busy.
And of course you can’t think we did all this without a very competent staff.
I’m not sure what year these were taken – but I want to be very clear that we couldn’t have run what turned into a HUGE business by ourselves. With that said, having a staff was hard – as a strong person who wants things done their way, I didn’t think it was easy at all. On the other hand I can’t remember Connie and I ever having an argument. If asked, she would say it was because she didn’t like confrontation so she gave in. And that’s probably true – haha!!
I look back on the years 2008-2013 as busy but tired and fading. Quilt shops were closing all over. Every customer who came in said they didn’t need anything, they had so much fabric, what will they do with it all. We were trying to sell fabric. As a shop owner what do you say to a customer who visits your shop and starts the conversation with – “I have way too much fabric already!” So maybe they’d buy an 1/8th yard or fat quarter. 15 yard bolts sit on the shelf a long time at that rate.
It was a sign of the times – everybody was our age and didn’t need a thing. There were no young customers.
And if I were real honest, our kits became a drain on everything – cutting 2” pieces rather than purchasing yardage for a kit can’t pay the bills. Customers still have our kits in their sewing rooms because they were so beautiful. Sigh. It was a double edge sword, wasn’t it? Of course we wanted to sell kits but we needed to sell yardage to be successful.
I loved that we would tackle most anything. I remember Mom saying to me “Mary! You can’t do that!” I wonder how many times in my life she told me the same thing and it’s a good thing I didn’t always listen to her. This history of Country Threads in 4-5 segments just scratches the surface! I’ll bet we can’t even remember half of it.
So in 2013 we started our closing sale – can’t even remember what percent off we started with but each week it increased. Whatever was left on closing day remained in the shop and some of it is still there today.
What a ride we had! What fun we had! I have soooo many pictures, mementos and memories since I moved to this farm in 1979. That story comes next as a reader has requested those life details. I gotta catch my breath first.
I really should print out these blog posts so I don’t lose them but I have no idea how to do that. Any help??
I got a gift in the mail today from Cynthia – it’s Mortie’s baby photo album!
Here’s a few more pics of our girl:
Reader photos
Pam’s work is always beautiful. I can’t believe you still have those Ralph Lauren pillowcases. I loved those.
Mortise is a cutie!
🙂 I don’t shop my local quilt shop for things I need. My shop is selling to my WANTS! I have a short/long list of wants right now that I will take on the All Michigan Shop Hop this summer…looking for more favorites from older lines and new favorites for projects on the sewing table. I wanted to visit your shop and was horrified when you announced you were closing. Ugh! Had two toddlers and working full time so had to let that dream go….love reading your history. hehe, Michigan cannot have the shop hop in the winter because we would never be able to get to the western end of the UP (upper peninsula).
I have to jump in here and tell you about the time someone demonstrated your Bullseye quilt at Red River Quilt Guild in Shreveport, Louisiana. Everyone, and I mean everyone, got up and crossed the room to where the quilt was hanging while the speaker was still speaking. “ Now THIS is a new idea” was the consensus. I bet most of us went home and tried it out.
Kathleen – what a great story!!! I knew from the minute it entered my head that it was NEW! Nobody can produce a raw edged quartered bullseye block prior to 1998 – thanks for writing!!!
Many days of wonderful blogs and memories. It’s been so very enjoyable.
Well, many thought we were done with winter but REALLY this is Minnesota and it’s February! The entire north shore of Lake Superior is closed because of blizzards and a lot more areas are struggling. It looks like most of the upper Midwest is getting blasted. Near the twin cities we are supposed to get between 1 and 3 inches but it’s already more than that. My dilemma is that I’m supposed to usher at church tonight. We’ll see what happens later. The good news is that I had surgery to repair a tendon in my hand – so I can’t help shovel snow – boo-hoo.
Have a good day everyone.
Janet – I’m at Mayo – drove in snow squalls from just south of Albert Lea. Salt trucks even out – snowing so hard in Rochester, I couldn’t read the overhead street signs. And I still have to get home!!!
Hi Mary,
A PDF of February 15, 16, 17 is in your email. Do you want me to print a hard copy and mail it as well? It is 31 pages. I am scanning further for any other history post and will send that along as well.
Li – thank you!! Oh my gosh – how thoughtful of you!! Over the top kindness
For anyone interested a Firefox browser was opened on a Mac laptop. From Mary’s page, print, but choose the “PDF” option. Then used software called PDF Expert not only to delete a few extra pages, but to “optimize the size” so that it can make it to Mary’s email address. These types of print jobs can get quite large. The PDF result can be offloaded to a key fob and taken to any copy shop or office store to be printed out as a hard copy if desired.
Thanks, Li, for doing what I was thinking I should try to do. You are quick!
Mary, I agree with everyone about enjoying reading about your historical account. So busy you were! And I can understand so much about it has become a blur. I was so sad when you closed, but totally understand. I’m grateful to have been able to visit and shop and take part in the whole experience. I still love my Country Threads books and patterns and I still have plenty I want to make from them. Just seeing “On Behalf of Chickens” makes me want to get my book out and get started on the cover quilt! Cynthia, what a capital idea to make a baby book of Mortie- you’re so clever and thoughtful!
Pam, I’m in love with your 30 stars Christmas quilt! It’s beautiful! As is your bedroom. Rita, I really love your 9 patch too with your color choices. All the quilts are great today… Thanks everyone for sharing.
Thanks for your quilt shop history! Loved it!
The scrapbook of Mortie is so special and cute!
We ar about blowing away! The wind is from the west and wow! North a couple hours they are having a blizzard!
As all have stated, thanks for sharing the story of your quilting journey. An inspiration for all of us to just do it. Loved the Mortie “baby book”. So thoughtful. If you have access to a wireless printer, you should be able to print the blog pages from the browser from your ipad. Or you should be able to save the relevant blog posts to a file folder on your ipad, (I just tried one post and was able to save to a folder) and then email the file to someone who does have access to a printer and have them print it out. Maybe you could ask the “younger” assistants who have helped you in the past for more specifics on how to do this. I know it can be done. Hope you are through the worst of your winter weather. Finally melting here in Maryland. Can’t wait to see brown ground again.
Karen C in MD
Mary, I have a printer that is connected to my wifi network. I can print a web page from my iPad through the wifi to the printer. Does your printer have wifi? Email me for help if you like.
Dot – not hooked up to WiFi because I swore I’d never need it – ha!
Kathy had a point about not telling a quilt shop owner “I don’t need anything.” I will certainly remember that when I go to a quilt shop in my area. I know I will be able to find something to add to my stash if it helps the owner. We lament the closure of so many quilt shops but, hopefully think of supporting those we have. There seems to be a resurgence of interest with younger people quilting, crocheting, knitting and cross stitching. Nice to see.
We’re in the middle of a snowstorm here in far Northern Wisconsin. A couple days near 50 degrees made us think spring was near. Not so! Schools closed and, probably Ash Wednesday services cancelled also.
Mary, thank you for taking time to share the history of Country Threads with us. Your shop has always been an inspiration for me. I am fortunate to live close enough to have visited your shop many times. Often wished I lived closer so I could work there. Probably would have taken home more fabric than paycheck. Thank you for the memories! Mary I can show you how to print from your iPad or I’d be happy to print for you. Pam your quilts are amazing! The bedroom looks like a page from a magazine. Mortie is a favorite of all of us, isn’t she? Cynthia that was a great idea to make a book for Mary. The weather here in MN has been great. Sadly, I don’t live here because of the Winter. Last week I hung some laundry outside – in February! Between this beautiful weather & the Olympics, not doing any sewing.
Can you see me smiling?! So enjoyed the blog this morning. What a grand adventure with a quilt store!
Another warm day here but windy. I hope not as bad as yesterday so I can get out for a walk. We had lightening last night and a little rain but it moved northeast quickly. Snow might be in the picture, however, by the weekend.
Birds of a Feather, I guess!
I closed my shop, named Henny Penny, in 2011, for the same reasons.
Country was no longer popular. I certainly didn’t have a business like Country Threads. But the women I
met became friends, and many still keep in contact. All because of a piece of fabric.
Jacque – yes! We made so many friends through the shop and regret nothing. It was just a sign of the times and we weren’t alone
Did you at one time do magazine ads? It must have been about 20 years ago that I started quilting after helping make relief quilts at the Lutheran church. When going through a stack of preowned quilting magazines I kept noticing funny ads that I can only vaguely remember. Were you and Connie in the ads? These recent posts have been fascinating. You did SO much.
Jean – yes, we did ads, too! We did everything – ha!!
I have so much enjoyed all these memories you’ve shared of a successful business and look forward to learning more about your farm renovation. I learned from todays post I will not be a snooty shopper and walk into a fabric store ever again and say the words “ I don’t need a thing. I have enough”. It’s hurtful to the owner and I guess till I saw how that affects the bottom line, I had never thought about it.
The scrapbook of Mortie is so special that Cynthia made. You have some talented readers! And all the quilt pictures today are gorgeous. What a wonderful way to begin a day here as we might have ice here later on. It’s raining now and temps are dropping so a day to stay inside off the roads and bake some scones as well as sew.
Thanks for taking us on a fun ride revisiting your quilt shop years. I was sad also when Country Living changed. All magazines have changed & not for the better. The quilts are just beautiful & Morties album is precious.
Pam, I love everything about your bedroom-the drapes, the quilts, the throw pillows, the cross-stitched pillow cases/shams, the furniture, the bed skirt. It all goes together to make one beautiful room. Absolutely wonderful! I am going to take a picture so I can look it over again and again. It is one of the prettiest bedrooms I have ever seen.
Pam, Georgia – I just realized from another reader’s comment that the red and green stars quilt is the 30 Stars quilt.
Pam, Georgia- Beautiful quilts! What is the pattern for the red and green star quilt?
It has been fun riding along on Country Thread’s life story. I was a customer from 1995 until you closed but I not only bought a lot of kits but a lot of yardage too – ha! I still have most of both in my stash.
All the quilts are beyond beautiful! Mortie’s own scrapbook is just precious.
Yesterday I had the first of a two- part surgery. The second surgery is March 10th. March 10 will mark surgery number 7 in less than 3 years! I’ve been through so many surgeries I don’t need to read the pre-surgery instructions. Enough is enough.
So sorry for all you’re going thru😞 saying a prayer right now for you!🙏♥️
Thank you for your prayers Kelli.
Gloria, I did not realize you have health issues, you have a very positive attitude! I hope you recover well and quickly from your mentioned procedures! Hugs to you.
Thank you! Hugs back.
Mortie’s baby book is precious; how thoughtful Cynthia.
The quilts are all beyond beautiful!
Thanks for taking the time to share your Country Threads amazing story, Mary. 🥰
Aren’t animals wonderful! Louise is precious….I wonder where she live. Mortie and Barney are great cats. And that bedroom is breathtaking!!!!! I love the red and greeen quilt made from your pattern. I always enjoy your blog Mary! Happy Shrove Tuesday!!!!!
Carol – Louise lives in LA with a good friend of mine
Loved the history, Mary! Your story was so interesting and sad on the Country Living part. I remember when the magazine changed. I loved the quilts and country settings too. Thanks for sharing your memories. I hope you are able to save it on your computer and print it off, make a special book.
I must say that Cynthia’s album is so precious! Mortie’s own album, so sweet. That Barney looked awfully cute today too, on that table with dried flowers.
Dee – sadly I do everything on my IPad – I no longer have a desktop
I’ve so enjoyed the history- thanks for all the work you did to provide it for us all 🥰
Love the Louise photo! And Mortie is such a sweetie. The quilt photos are beautiful and such fun to view as always
Happy Wednesday to All!
Mary – contact word press who is the company your blog is with and see if they take certain blog posts dates you request to be bound into a book form. I remember years back reading someone wrote her blog so she could do this yearly as a diary kept of her days.
Dee – guess what! Hanks mom is going to do it for me!! Yay!!!
WOW! Pam, your bedroom quilts are so gorgeous!
Sure has been warm here in SE Iowa. We have had almost no measurable snow this winter in SE Iowa. As someone who LOVES snow, I miss having snow. It’s a great time to slow down, and quilt. I watched the men’s ski jumping tonight. The snow coming down up in the mountains Italy was so pretty. Almost like a snow globe. I know, people think I’m crazy. – ha.
Brenda i’m right there with you! I have always been a snow/cold/winter gal (1 in a zillion I know!) And have so enjoyed the gorgeous mountain settings ans snow in Italy
Finally someone like me who loves snow! All my friends here think I am crazy too! Ice skating is my favorite but sadly I have given up watching the Olympics. When they skied down hill I would myself leaning and swaying my body! I love it all!
Hardly any snow this winter here but I doubt winter is over yet.
Thanks for all the memories, Mary. It was certainly a crazy, fun ride for you, Connie, and the staff. It’s sad when a shop has to close. Now on to the life story. 😉
I had to snap photos of all 3 quilts today for my inspiration file. Such a difference the material makes in the “30 Stars” quilt. I really need to look to see if I have that one-or go snoop through the MIL’s collection.