A New Perspective at Shiisa Quilts

When most people my age ask me what I like to do for fun, they are often dumbfounded when I say I like to quilt. Let’s be honest, it’s not a typical answer a 22 year old graduate student would give.  Some people shrug it off and think I am strange, most people find it very interesting, and surprisingly my boyfriend thought it was cool. 

A few years ago I decided to take a quilting class to keep busy. I was in a new place and had recently lost two friends so I needed something to occupy my time. I caught on very quickly and just loved it, but it wasn’t just the quilting that I loved, it was the quilting family that came with it.

After being accepted into the Master of Arts Administration program here at IU, I started to explore around town.  I was looking to get back into quilting and found Shiisa Quilts.  Let’s just say I was welcomed into this new quilting family with open arms.  These ladies were awesome; crazy, funny, creative, and caring.  They were so helpful with my project that I found myself stopping by just to hang out.  That is when Janet had an idea….

This is my first official week working at Shiisa Quilts. Janet thought she could use some of event planning skills and arts administration knowledge in the shop.  While yesterday was my first day, I have learned more about quilting in 1 day than I ever thought I would.  Did you know that there is glitter thread!?? Did you know how many classes Shiisa offers per month!? It is crazy how much these ladies do! My project list after just one day will keep me busy for years.  They also already have me sewing samples for the shop, which is kind of scary, considering I have only ever made 2, and I repeat 2, quilts in my life!

So, you will be hearing a lot from me over the next year. I hope I can bring a fresh prospective on quilting here at Shiisa Quilts and keep you up to date on all of the cool things going on here at the shop and in the quilting world.  If you are a beginner like me, don’t be scared, these ladies know how to teach and lead you in the right direction.  If you are well-season pro at quilting, you will be in euphoria; I guarantee you will learn something new every time you visit the store. 

Sarah E. Lempke