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A Quilter's Folly
Photo by Joe Olivieri
Photo by Joe Olivieri
Photo by Joe Olivieri
Photo by Joe Olivieri
Photo by Joe OlivieriShop offers supplies, servicing and support
Quilting is not just for little old ladies. Mary Ellen Clifford would know.
Her Brodie Lane store, A Quilter's Folly, outfits crafters of all ages and experience levels, she said.
Clifford said a new generation is discovering quilting through websites such as Pinterest and putting their own flourishes on the traditional folk art.
"I always tell people that there is no such thing as 'the Quilt Police,'" she said. "Quilting can be whatever you want it to be, whether it is a baby blanket or something you saw on Etsy."
Clifford began quilting roughly 30 years ago while she was pregnant with her second child. The former hospice nurse kept quilting as a hobby, culminating in a blue ribbon at the Austin Quilt Show in 2010.
Clifford retired from nursing and bought Austin Sewing and Vacuum from a friend's family. She renamed the shop A Quilter's Folly in March 2011.
Like many locally owned craft suppliers, A Quilter's Folly faces competition from chains that can offer discounts.
Clifford said A Quilter's Folly offers extensive customer service; staffers are willing to help customers with projects—even those that are not purchased there.
"There's a lot of hand-holding that goes on here," she said.
Any project can be broken down into simpler parts regardless of its complexity, she said. Clifford has seen crafters work on functional bedspreads, decorative wall art, table runners and pillowcases.
The store hosts several classes, including summer camps and birthday parties for children.
Many crafters create quilts as gifts, especially as heirlooms to loved ones.
"It is such an expression of feeling and love to give a quilt," she said. "It is not just a blanket. The person receiving it may not realize [what went into it], but the crafter does. It's a fabric hug."
"Quilting is putting three layers together—the panels, the batting and the backing—with stitches," owner Mary Ellen Clifford said. "From there it can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be."
How long it takes to make a quilt depends on the project and the quilter. Some quilts can be completed in a week with steady work, she said.
A Quilter's Folly sells Brother, Husqvarna Viking, Janome and Pfaff sewing machines, Clifford said.
The store has hired a new certified technician and services all brands of sewing machines.
Until recently, A Quilter's Folly repaired vacuum cleaners—a holdover from its days as Austin Sewing and Vacuum. The store has stopped offering this service.
A Quilter's Folly stocks roughly 3,000 bolts of fabric, including 100 percent cotton and flannels, Clifford said. The shop sells needles, threads, quilting tools, patterns and other supplies.
She suggested getting ideas by visiting the following websites:
A Quilter's Folly hosts classes for quilters of all levels of experience.
A Quilter's Folly, 8213 Brodie Lane, No. 100, 512-899-3233, www.aquiltersfolly.com, Hours: Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., at. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
