A STITCH IN TIME

Seven weeks before the scissors hit the ribbon, Charlene Brown bought her first shelf.

That’s how she tells the story of Reasons and Seasons Quilting and Crafts, which celebrated its grand opening this week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony powered by Greater Lafayette Commerce. The shop, located at 2725 Old US 231 S in Lafayette, carries fabric, patterns, books, crafting supplies and classes.

Quilting is, by any measure, a serious American pastime. The hobby supports an estimated $4.5 billion industry, draws between 9 and 11 million active participants across North America and has more than doubled in economic scale since the turn of the century. Nearly 18% of quilters surveyed this year described themselves as new to the craft, up from 11% the year before, and the committed ones spend an average of $3,200 annually on fabric and supplies. The pandemic sent a new wave of people toward handwork. The numbers followed.

The hobby thrived. The stores did not fare as well. Joann Fabrics, the big-box chain that had served generations of quilters, sewists and crafters, filed for bankruptcy twice in less than a year and by early 2025 had begun closing all 800 of its stores. Speciallity fabrics, quilting tools and supplies that once lined Joann shelves have become harder to source, and the tactile experience of choosing fabric in person — testing thread quality, receiving expert advice — cannot be fully replicated online. he Craft Industry Alliance, which tracks consumer behavior in the quilting market, noted that quilters primarily buy from local shops, and that the share doing so has been rising.

That trend is exactly what Brown is betting on.

“We appreciate all the investment small businesses make in our community, and we know that having a small business is not easy,” said Tony Roswarksi, Mayor of the City of West Lafayette. “You have to put your heart and soul into it each and every day.”

The shop is open Wednesday through Friday, noon to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Customers can also browse at reasonsandseasonsquilting.com.

“Seven weeks ago today we bought our first shelf,” she told the crowd gathered for the opening. “And it wasn’t just me. It takes a village. The village that got us here has been truly amazing.”

Brown seems clear-eyed about the work ahead. It took a village to get the first shelf in place. Keeping the doors open will take one, too.