Creative Spaces Studio offers many services, including memory quilts
By Jason Arndt
Editor
Creative Spaces Studio, of Waterford, has found a unique niche in the region as a full-service quilt shop.
The downtown Waterford storefront, in addition to offering quilting fabric and long arm services, also has a gift shop stocked with unique, handcrafted items including art and jewelry made by local artisans.
Co-owned by Barb Hayes and her daughter, Donna Fearing, the business has served the community since 2019, when they opened the shop in a larger building before recently relocating.
Fearing said her mom has been quilting since she was a youngster.
“My mom has been sewing and quilting since I was a baby and I got into art at a young age,” Fearing said.
While Hayes continued to hone her quilting passion, Fearing initially found herself in specializing in fusion glass and stained glass artwork.
The two eventually decided to join forces and bring their strengths together in business.
After some time, Hayes and Fearing opted to focus solely on quilting, while offering some gifts made by local artisans.
“I think we always wanted to be a quilt shop and to be a space for our quilters,” Fearing said. “There is not a lot of local quilt shops anymore.”
They often spend time working on projects for others, including long-arming services, and completing memory quilts for customers who want to honor their loved ones.
A family affair
Hayes said she began selling crafts before finding quilting as a hobby.
“I got tired of doing the craft sales and decided to open a business,” said Hayes, who began working on quilting projects at the request of her friends.
She admitted her daughter did not have the same quilting passion, at least initially, until a few years ago.
“She is my glass artist, so she worked with fused glass and stained glass,” Hayes said. “But she decided quilting was more fun than glass. She’s got a good eye for colors.”
Fearing said she and her mom are both “strong and independent” but when it comes to business, they generally find an ideal compromise.
Her mom agrees.
“There are days when it is very challenging working side-by-side with your children, but we get along, we compromise,” Hayes said. “But it’s fun and I enjoy coming to work everyday.”
Consistent business
Fearing said Creative Spaces Studio experiences a steady flow of customers throughout the year.
However, she noted it’s busier at times, including this time of the year.
“It is almost Christmas so people are trying to get their Christmas quilts done. We do notice kind of a huge uptick in quilts starting in the fall because (customers) are rushing to get their Christmas projects done.”
The month of June brings another influx of traffic, courtesy of a statewide shop hop consisting of quilt shop owners.
“We have a really big statewide shop, where quilt shops throughout the state participate and everyone is encouraged to visit them all,” Fearing said.
Some people perceive quilting as a hobby for elderly women, Fearing said.
She said that’s not the case, especially with quilt shops introducing more modernized fabric and colors.
“It’s a beautiful art form that I think is underrated. You can apply modern fabrics and get crazy with colors,” Fearing said. “We have more modern options and I love sharing creativity with the ladies coming in. I love it. It is not really work when I get to stitch fabric and get creative.”
Creative Spaces Studio often promotes its selection of fabrics – for sales by the bolt, fat quarter size and precuts – and oftentimes assembles sampler quilts to offer a vision for customers.
“When a new collection of fabric comes in the idea is you make a sampler so your customers could see how it is used and then they get creative and inspired to use the fabric,” Fearing said.
Creative Spaces Studio, to 407 E. Main St., Waterford, is open 10 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, visit the website creativespacesstudio.net and follow the shop on Facebook.
Hayes said she always finds pleasure when customers come in and visit.
“We just enjoy seeing people coming in and seeing what projects they are working on,” Hayes said.
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