A stitch in time
By Joanne Lehman
A blend of Amish and Swiss culture is self-evident on winding, scenic State Route 557 through the heart of the Doughty Valley. Note the sight of handmade quilts drying in the breeze on clotheslines- especially on Monday. Before you know it, you will want one of those quilts to call your own.
Scenic Quilts & Crafts is located toward the end of this scenic stretch, between State Route 39 and Sugarcreek. Owner Fannie Yoder opened the store seven years ago in a newly constructed building on their property. "They're all locally made," she said of her quilts. "No China quilts here. There is no machine quilting found in the store. Everything is hand made."
T
his intimate quilt shop is a place you won't want to miss if you enjoy quilts, rugs, wall hangings, pillows and other hand-sewn items. Even on the dreariest day, the scenery surrounding the shop is noteworthy. Inside, the place has a country store feeling. Piled on the tables are stacks of rugs. Shelves hold smaller items, hand-crocheted doilies and other handcrafted items, such as baskets and wooden spoons made in the area. Yoder said she also keeps a few similar manufactured items in order to offer a price range to her customers.
Yoder has several sisters who help her, either by working in the store or making quilts. She said that while she enjoys quilting, she doesn't do as much of it as she once did since the store keeps her busy. She and her sisters make custom projects during the winter season. Women who live in the area sew many of the quilts displayed in the store.
While she may occasionally stock a quilt purchased at a benefit auction, she prefers to get quilts from people she knows. "It doesn't matter so much if the stitches are short or long," she said, "but I look for nice even stitches." She said quilt buyers should also be aware of how a quilt has been pieced and stretched on the frame for quilting. A poorly made quilt will have blocks that are puckered. A good quilt has blocks that lie very flat, with corners that meet perfectly.
Customers come looking for gifts or for something special for their own homes. "I enjoy the people. What I like best is a day when I'm really busy with lots of customers." Yoder said at first she didn't have the ability to accept credit cards but since some of her quilts are priced at several hundred dollars, it made sense for her to have that option.
She particularly likes repeat visitors who make it a point to stop by when they're in the area and those who are satisfied and stop back for a second purchase. She also finds it interesting to work with people to create custom quilts.
"Some ladies came in here one day and they wanted a fire engine red quilt. They brought a sample of the color and we worked to find the right materials for it. They were really tickled with it," she recalled. Yoder stocks a few bolts of fabric but due to the size of the store her selection is limited. At times, people come with material they've already purchased. Scenic Quilts also sells pieced quilt tops, which a customer can purchase and quilt himself or herself.
Quilts occasionally come with their own stories. This is most true for Yoder when she makes a custom quilt for one of her customers. "A lady came and brought a lot of her son's clothing- everything, jeans, T-shirts and sweatshirts- I guess he had died and she wanted something to remember him." Even though her materials weren't suitable for a traditional quilt, Yoder and her family found a way to make a small comforter quilt and preserve some important memories for the woman and her family.
"Another time a woman came and she had been in the Navy. She had a lot of pretty dresses she'd worn and some uniforms. She said they didn't fit her anymore and she wanted us to make her a quilt with all of these materials. She had certain things she wanted included, like an anchor that was on the one dress. I told her at first I thought she should pick a simple pattern like the wedding ring." In the end, the woman made an appropriate choice, although not a simple pattern. "She ended up picking the Mariner's Star," Yoder remembered.
Scenic Quilts & Crafts is located at 2887 SR 557, Sugarcreek, Ohio. The hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The store is closed during the winter months but customers who wish to drop by may schedule their visit in advance. The phone number for the store is 330-897-2602.
