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Feature Story : Helping Hands Quilt Shop
Helping quilters and the community By Holly Drake In 1974, Alma Mullet cleaned up the office building her husband, Emanuel, offered her and hung a sign outside. Inside, she was busy piecing and quilting her latest creation. Mullet used the store to house her quilting frame, and spent hours there working on projects. She began helping her friends to sell their quilts through her store not long after she started the business. Today, more than 30 years later, there is still a sign outside, and inside, bolts of fabric, completed quilts, and quilts in frames fill the much larger second store. Amish and Mennonite women can still be found sitting in groups around a quilt in frame, working away at it while enjoying each other’s company. The store inspects and approves for quality, items from more than 400 consignors, most of whom are local ladies, all of whom are Ohio residents. Mullet still owns the store, with the help of her children and store manager Linda Myers. At age 92, she can still be found getting supplies and binding scraps at the shop as well as visiting with the quilters. “She’s been a great inspiration to a lot of people,” Myers said. “She enjoys people, and [the store] is one of the places where she established many great relationships.” Traditional scrap quilts have always been Mullet’s passion, according to Myers, and the store still specializes in them today. For example, Helping Hands Quilt Shop is offering a “stash management class,” this winter teaching how to effectively use what you already have. Helping Hands also creates custom ordered quilts, as well as finishing tops already started. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, said Myers. They are here to help “if you get stumped,” she said. Customers can even call ahead and set up an appointment for advice in starting or completing a project. People from all over come to visit and browse the completed quilts, purchase fabrics and supplies, and watch the hand-quilting process. “You can see a lot of different things while you’re here,” Myers said, adding that even the women working the registers have projects in progress. We like to call it a “destination quilt shop,” where quilters can easily spend all day with many places to eat and sleep all within walking distance. “We value our customers,” Myers said. “Helping Hands--that’s exactly what we like to be to the community and quilters,” said Myers. Their daily effort lies in helping quilters, but the larger picture includes a number of charities that the non-profit foundation is able to assist. Quilts finished in the store are sold, with all profits from Helping Hands Craft Foundation going towards charities local and abroad. Also associated with Helping Hands Quilt Shop is a museum, displaying family heirlooms and antique quilts that are for sale. “They wanted to preserve the craft and show some of the family heirlooms as well,” said Myers. Many of the antique quilts available for sale come with a written history. A video detailing the story of Helping Hands is on display in the Museum as well as the book, Putting Feet Under Dreams, about Alma’s husband, Emanuel E. Mullet. Visit Helping Hands Quilt Shop to take advantage of their End of the Bolt sale, Christmas room, many inspirational and educational displays, hundreds of bed, wall and baby quilts, and fabric club. |
Address: 4818 Main Street Berlin, OH 44610 330-893-2233 Visit Us: M-Sat 9-5 Email Us: orders@helpinghandsquilts.com Visit Our Website: www.helpinghandsquilts.com
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