Busy as a quilting bee at Wilton Creek Fabrics

Jun 01, 2012

Photo: Shelley Lacelle (far right), owner and operator of Wilton Creek Fabrics serves customers at her 10-year anniversary sale in Harrowsmith on June 2

On June 2, a long line of customers waited for the doors to open at Wilton Creek Fabrics in Harrowsmith, which has become a shopping destination for quilters and sewers from as far away as Ottawa and Toronto.

Shelley Lacelle, the sole owner and operator of the thriving business, which specializes in quilting and sewing supplies and classes, opened her doors 10 years ago. Saturday marked the store's 10-year anniversary and to celebrate the occasion and as a way to thank her many loyal customers over the past decade, Lacelle was offering 40% off all fabrics, books, patterns and notions in the store.

As a special bonus to shoppers, anyone who visited could enter their name in a one-time draw for a Bernina sewing machine valued at over $1500. Lacelle studied fashion design at St. Lawrence College in Kingston and graduated in 1983. She is passionate about everything that has to do with quilting, sewing and fabrics, and her store is stocked to the nines with a wide array of colorful and interesting fabrics, a huge variety of sewing and quilting supplies, patterns, books and Bernina and Brother sewing machines.

On the second floor of the store, which is where Lacelle holds her sewing and quilting classes, there was a display of a number of quilts that students have created over the years. They are just a small sampling of the numerous quilts that have been created on the second floor studio at Wilton Creek Fabrics in the last decade.

The historic two-storey building, which was built in the 1840s, has housed numerous businesses over the years including a hotel, a restaurant and a hardware store before it became Wilton Creek Fabrics.

New this summer, Shelley Lacelle and her daughter Emily, who recently graduated from a fine arts program at the University of Guelph, will be offering up a children’s arts and sewing camp that will run at the store from Monday, July 30 to Friday, August 3, from 9 am – 4 pm. Space is limited and parents should know that the camp qualifies for the children's art tax credit.

Following the arts morning session at the camp, which Emily will be teaching, Shelley Lacelle will be showing campers how to fully operate a sewing machine and how to read a commercial pattern. By the end of the week campers will be creating their own pillowcases and pajama bottoms. Depending on the turnout for the class, Lacelle said that she might consider running the camp for a second week later in the summer.

As usual, beginning again in the fall, she will be offering up her wide array of sewing and quilting classes for adults. Judging by the buzz in the store on Saturday it seems as though sewing and quilting are two crafts that remain alive and well. Lacelle firmly agrees, and said that the store is busier now than when she first started out a decade ago. Anyone interested in finding out more about upcoming classes and particular supplies that she carries can visit www.wiltoncreekfabrics.com. Regular store hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm. Wilton Creek Fabrics is located at 4909 Road 38 in Harrowsmith.