The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
One-stop shop offers everything quilting
Abigayle’s Quiltery, a North Olmsted quilting business, is settling in after having to move due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
But the focus still is on offering quality machines, fabrics and overall quilting education, said Nancy Bryant, who owns the business at 4647 Great Northern Blvd. with her business partner, Beverly Morris..
“We’ve been in business for the last 21 years, and we were originally in Olmsted Falls,” Bryant said. “We moved to Berea about six years ago, and then we moved here in June.
“The move has been pretty dramatic. We were one of the first businesses that closed down when the pandemic struck. We waited it out until it was clear that it wasn’t going away. Our rent was pretty high in Berea at that point. We looked into it and found a great rate for rent that was offered here.”
Bryant said it was in their best interest to move the business.
“At the time we were moving, we didn’t want to take the government help with loans for help with salaries and rent and so forth because they are loans,” she said. “We didn’t want to go into debt.
“So, we decided to move. My business partner, myself, friends and family, moved non stop for about two or three days.”
Bryant said she and her friend Ruben Escandon, who helped her move, contracted COVID-19.
“During the move, we had followed all the protocols; we wore masks, washed hands and socially distanced,” she said. “No one else who helped us move got it. He and I got extremely sick. He was put on a respirator for 28 days and came very close to dying.
“I was in the hospital for five weeks, not as sick, but I was not able to breathe and
so forth. We had very serious forms of the virus. So, that was right after we moved here.
“We are doing window shopping. We have it setup so folks can see inventory from the windows, but there is still plenty we are unpacking.”
Sewing machines
Bryant said the business officially carries Bernina brand sewing machines.
“We are a sewing machine dealer of Bernina International, they’re an exceptional machine,” she said. “They’ve been in business for 130 years. They are the best.
“They are pricey, but they are made with metal parts. They are meant to be repaired not replaced.
“We also carry Elma. It’s more of plastic parts. It has more of the bells and whistles, but it’s not meant to last 50 years. Elma is more competitively priced and has more features.
“We sell and service and train people how to use the sewing machines. We sell fabrics. We teach sewing classes of all kinds; anything from beginning sewing classes for both children to
adults. We lean heavily into quilting, but we also teach machine embroidery, applique and things like that.”
Bryant said the business started as a quilt shop to teach and sell fabric.
“We were then approached by Pfaff (sewing machine manufacturer) and later Bernina,” she said. “We always had a very active, very popular location which was appealing to the machine vendors.
“We also carry a product called EverSewn. It was developed by Bernina with more of an ease of use for learners.”
Bryant said Abigayle’s Quiltery also distributes longarm sewing machines.
“The computer generates the quilt design, and the machine moves this design around the machine,” she said. “You program the specific design you want, and then it does the quilting.
“Any bed-sized quilt is difficult for a regular home ma
chine, so this is a much easier way to do it.
“We distribute the Janome longarm machines, which is a sister company to Elma. We also have the Bernina version of the longarm. We sell the longarm and we instruct on how to use them.”
Teaching
Bryant said the teaching aspect has changed with the pandemic.
“Normally, we would have a classroom setup,” she said. “We have enough space for that when the virus calms down some, and it is safe for people to be together.
“Right now, we meet with people one-on-one, and I bring them fabric and help them coordinate their quilt fabric right through the glass. It is safer for me and safer for them.
“Most of the fabrics are on the website (https://abigayles.com/). It’s still a new development for us that we
started in July. We are literally taking every item we have and measure, categorize it and physically put it on the website one at a time, but we are working on it.”
Bryant said the business is adding Zoom classes.
“We are in the process of starting Zoom classes,” she said. “Right now, it’s oneon-one classes, but we want to add more for some Zoom classes.”
The sewing industry has boomed amid the pandemic, Bryant said.
“Actually, since the pandemic, sewing has exploded,” she said. “People are having a hard time buying entry-level machines at places like Walmart. We actually have been selling our used machines.
“The distribution of the supply chain; the products from China were no longer coming in, so we were able to sell our existing stock, including our used machines and refurbished machines. It
was nice because we didn’t have to reinvest.
“There has also been a need for masks and surgical gowns, so we’ve been making a lot of those.”
Great hobby
Bryant said sewing is a great hobby.
“It’s a useful skill,” she said. “It exercises both parts of your brain; your left brain and your right brain.
“You have the creative aspect and you have to be disciplined and math oriented. It keeps you from worrying because you need to be focused on what you’re doing. It’s very therapeutic.”
Bryant said the business also repairs machines.
“So, we sell new machines, and we service your old machines,” she said. “If you have an old machine, that needs to be fixed, give us a call.”