Photo courtesty of The Quilt Tree
It was “love at first sight”, or should we say love at first stitch, for Lisa Jenner, owner of Rockland County’s only quilt shop, The Quilt Tree.
Jenner, who was a Latin teacher for close to four decades, started to learn how to quilt about 25 years ago after having sewn for most of her life. When she retired from teaching, Jenner took a part time job at a quilt store in Valley Cottage because she loved it so much. Unfortunately, the store closed – leaving Jenner and all of Rockland’s quilting enthusiasts without a place to hone their craft. Yet, it didn’t take long for Jenner to take her disappointment and turn it into action.
“For years, I actually had imagined what it would be like to have a quilting shop of my own,” Jenner says. “So, when the county’s only quilt store closed, we decided to take the plunge into small business ownership!”
Besides selling all the things necessary for sewing and quilting – top end machines, fabrics, notions – The Quilt Shop hosts classes on weekdays, weekday evenings, and weekends throughout the year. Private lessons are also available in an effort to accommodate as many potential quilters as possible.
“We can take total beginners and turn them into avid quilters and sewists,” Jenner states. “Our classes are not just for making quilts; you can make garments, bags, and even tuffets. If you can sew it, you can make it here. We also offer classes in sashiko and mending. We have customers aged 12 to 90 – you’re never too young or too old to take up this hobby!
When asked what makes her business special, the answer is simple: Quilting is community.
Photo courtesty of The Quilt Tree
“Ask anybody who is regular at our shop, and they will tell you that we are more than store,” Jenner says. “I can say with absolute certainty that my employees, my teachers, and my customers are all wonderful.”
Looking ahead, Jenner hopes to have her store in Nyack, serving the county’s current and future quilters for many years to come.
If you want to learn more about The Quilt Tree, you can visit their website, Facebook, and Instagram pages for updates. New classes (for students of all experience levels) begin this month – you can view the list of offerings here.
