Our favorite local reporter has interviewed Rick and me in the past about our retirement businesses. When I let her know that we had diversified our shop and added Quilters' Quarters, she came over to visit and interviewed about this new endeavor. She wrote a wonderful article, which I've reproduced for you here.
The editor chose a rather unusual headline for the article, but I'm pleased to say it appeared on page one, "above the fold." Here is Sally's article:
By Sally Applegate
georgetown@wickedlocal.com
Posted Mar. 2, 2014 @ 10:00 pm
GEORGETOWN
Since the 1940s, Georgetown quilters have always known they could get what they needed right downtown at Cressy’s, the unique little store that had everything. When owner Bob Dillon announced the store would close in 2007, Georgetown quilters rushed to the store to get things they knew would not be able to find anyplace nearby
Now there’s a new place for quilters right near Georgetown Square.
Two doors past Perley Elementary School sits Wooden Toy and Gift Shop, the popular home business of Theresa "Terry" and Rick Palardy, at 59 North St. The Palardys have recently added Quilters’ Quarters, an extensive collection of quilting and sewing supplies, to their collection of hand-carved wooden toys and one-of-a -kind gifts, including original quilts made by Terry. A valentine quilt is on display, and Easter quilts are on their way.
"We’re trying to fill the void left by the departure of Cressy’s and its sewing and crafts supplies - there was so much you used to be able to get at Cressy’s," Terry said. "When our local ‘everything’ shop closed its doors, the absence of a one-stop shop was felt by many families. While Rick and I can’t fill that void completely, we are happy to stock things that stitchers are looking for."
Customers will have input into what styles and brands of fabrics and notions will be carried in the shop, Terry promises. The Palardys are working with a wholesale quilt supplier in Massachusetts and can get most things within a few days.
They have opened their inventory with the basics: hand and sewing machine needles, dual duty threads, embroidery floss, packaged and rolled batting, scissors, rotary cutters and blades, mats and rulers. The Palardys say they can help their customers maintain the sewing machines and assist them in finding a professional repair person in a nearby town.
In the large room where Terry’s pretty valentine quilt is hanging many fabrics are on display. There are cotton flannel backing fabrics in prints and solids, sewing notions like pins, needles, zippers and interfacing.
The shop carries blank note cards by Lynne Schulte, quilted bags in prints and solids by Darcie Nuttall, and small purse kits by Ann Lainhart. The shop has a lending library of quilting books, as well as books by Palardy, who is also the author of eight books. Several of these are for sale at Quilters Quarters, including her latest, a new mystery novel called "The Quilter’s Quarters."
"It’s part mystery novelette and part annotated quilt gallery," Terry says. "I'm working on the second in the series now. It will be called "Winter Wonder in the Quilter's Quarters."
Rick and Terry have lived in Georgetown since 1976, moving to their 59 North St. home in 1994. Because Terry is dealing with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) she found herself unable to continue teaching at the Doherty Middle School in Andover.
The nice thing about their current North Street location just two doors from a school is that they can hear the cheerful voices of the Perley Elementary School students when they go out for recess, and Terry enjoys that.
"It’s a happy sound," Terry says.
Rick and Terry married in 1970, and Rick has been a tremendous support in her journey through MS. Rick is a retired Georgetown firefighter and metalworker, and the shop is filled with his creative carved wooden plaques and ornaments.
Terry is offering individual lessons in sewing, and assistance in color/fabric selection and quilt design. If you are interested the lessons, you can call and leave her a message at 978-352-2676. Patterns and kits are also available on request. Quilts can be ordered and made onsite.
As a member of the Merrimack Valley Quilt Guild and the Essex County Needlework Guild, Terry can introduce quilters to professional finish-quilters as well.
Quilters’ Quarters is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For a sneak peek at the new quilting shop, you can visit www.TerryCrawfordyPalardy.com.
To see the article on the Georgetown Record's "Wicked Local" website, you can open this link:
http://georgetown.wickedlocal.com/article/20140302/NEWS/140309908?utm_source=newsletter-20140303&utm_medium=email&utm_term=view_as_webpage&utm_campaign=newsletter
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