News Main Page >>Shop mixes commerce with comfort

Danville Times
November 24, 2006
by Deborah Burstyn, Staff Writer

Quilt. The very word conjures up images of homey warmth blended with the beauty of a work of art.

It stands to reason, then, that Jane Lewis' Danville shop, the Quilter's Inn, combines a the cozy feel of a grandmother's attic out of a Laura Ingalls Wilder fantasy with the aesthetics of a modern art gallery.

The space is complete with bright bolts of calico and retro print fabric with antique memorabilia and tall Victorian era glass windows that look out on a woodsy scene, thanks to the proximity to the Iron Horse Trail.

At the same time, the Quilter's Inn offers the marks of commerce, as virtuoso finished quilts hang on display and are for sale, as are many patterns and specialized tools for making those quilts or others like them.

But the Quilter's Inn is something much more. It is a portal to the quilting bees and church suppers of yore, a remnant of a haven where women could go and enjoy each other's company without guilt.

Because when they are quilting, women - and it is mostly women - are still producing something of functional use to their household.

"My grandmother saved fabric," said owner Jane Lewis, who grew up in Southern California. "And I've sewn forever, but I didn't always quilt. I used to think quilting was hard, but it is easy. Or let's say it's easier than putting in zippers and sleeves."

Most of Lewis' adult life was spent as a corporate gypsy, relocating with her UPS executive husband back and forth across the United States. When the family moved to Danville six years ago, Lewis found it difficult to meet people. So she joined the Danville Quilter's Guild, an organization with over 200 members. Then she took quilting classes.

"One thing led to another and here I am," said Lewis.

She officially opened the antique leaded glass door to her shop in September 2004. Although it is only two years old, the shop has the feel of a place that has been around forever. Part of that is thanks to the Victorian vintage of the building itself and part to Lewis' eye for antiques — she once ran an antique shop in Atlanta.

And that is just what Lewis wanted. Having moved around a lot, she sought to create a sense of permanence and home within a community.

Lewis looks around at the small, bright shop where her helpers Lori Hirsch, Carmel Fenves, Kathy August and Marby Bennett, all quilters themselves, cut fabric for customers and advise them on their projects.

Lewis' staff of nine women all work part time, to accommodate family schedules. They in turn help create the shop's homey ambiance.

"I could do not do this without my employees," Lewis said. "They are the catalysts that make this place happen. They enrich the shop with their time, effort and love of quilting."

Around a table in a corner, women sit and quilt as part of a regular group that meets on Mondays. The place is buzzing but does not feel frenetic.

Lewis smiles. "I wanted the whole ambiance to be welcoming, to create a place where you could come and stay all day long if you like. Bring your project. We'll help you with it. I wanted a place where people could feel at home."

That's why her logo includes a pineapple. It is a pineapple not in the Hawaiian tradition but that of Colonial Williamsburg, Va., where it symbolized hospitality.

The hospitality beckons not only local quilters but fans from all over. Unlike quilters of yesteryear, farm wives and homemakers, today's quilter is often an affluent empty nester with a yen to travel. Quilt shops have become a travel destination for these women.

Word-of-mouth plays a part, but a book, The Quilter's Travel Companion (Chalet Publishing, $15.95) offers a state-by-state guide to over 2,000 quilt shops. Groups of quilters visit on "shop hops, " as do individual women traveling through with their families. In either case, Lewis says she is happy to offer traveling quilters the essentials: a dish of chocolates, lots of fabric to touch and admire, experienced quilters to chat with and a clean bathroom. Visiting quilters also usually want to have their picture taken in front of the store with the staff.

"New people come every day," said Lewis. "I can't imagine what it would be like if I advertised."

The locals who frequent the Quilter's Inn include women who quilt just for fun but also some who quilt for business, including several who have become internationally known quilt celebrities. A random Monday visit to the shop found well-known quilt pattern designer Verna Mosquera (see related article), children in tow, buying fabric.

Among the group of quilters gathered around the shop's roomy table was quilt book author Cindy Rymer. Her popular books illustrate innovative quilt designs that incorporate digital imaging, including photos. Diane Barnett, head of the Danville-based Diablo Valley Quilt Guild stopped by. Stars of the quilting universe Freddie Moran, Laura Nownes and Diana McClun also live in the area and shop here.

It's more than companionship that draws them to this tiny corner of Railroad Avenue. It is also the more than 3,000 bolts of dazzling fabric that Lewis stocks. From the sweet dainty florals of traditional quilting to the bold geometric prints of Denise Schmidt and other neo-quilters, retro prints and holiday theme motif patterns, the sheer beauty of the fabrics keeps quilters coming back for more.

"We feed on textiles," joked staffer Lori Hirsch, who came to quilting after being involved with other art forms. "It's a tactile thing. Quilters come from many different backgrounds yet everyone who comes here has to touch the textiles. It is very therapeutic."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: The Quilter's Inn

WHEN: 9-5 p.m., Mon. to Sat., Tues. 9-8. Drop-in project classes, Mon. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., $20; Tues. 6-9 p.m., $10.

WHERE: 125 Railroad Ave., Suite F, Danville

CONTACT: 925-837-8458