No, your eyes and ears do not deceive you — there are two brand new Mt Airy quilting shops. Cut & Sew will soft open beginning this Thursday, May 19th, 12–6pm (an official grand open will happen later this summer), while Needles & Bolts will host its own grand opening the weekend of June 10th. And while it’s notable and maybe even a little odd that two quilting shops are opening at the same time in the same neighborhood, they’ll be the first to tell you that their shops are different enough to complement one another.
“We really see this as a community, not a competition,” says Melissa Clouser-Missett, owner of Cut & Sew (and a graduate of the PhillyiHub program!). She and Stella Singleton, owner of Needles & Bolts, met for coffee to learn more about each other’s shops, and came away feeling good about their respective prospects and goals as neighbors.
“It’s insanely amazing that there are two different types of quilting shops within three blocks,” says Stella. “And,” she adds, “it’s great to see such creative makers in Mt Airy, from Wild Hand’s yarns and loyal following to Buddha Babe’s classes and products.”
Melissa sees Cut & Sew, at 7051 Germantown Avenue (in the former Ralston My Way), as a sewing studio first and a quilting shop second, although the latter is fully equipped with a longarm quilting machine available for rent. Classes are available for kids, teens, and adults. Needle & Bolts, at 6819 Germantown Avenue (the former home of Handcraft Workshop, who also had sewing classes), has a focus on retail fabric and notions — sewing accessories — as well as classes and events.
And they’re only six-minute walk apart. Cut & Sew will take over the @GoMtAiry Instagram tomorrow (Wednesday, May 18th), and Needles & Bolts will do the same in two weeks (Wednesday, June 1st). Check out Cut & Sew when they’ll open their doors this Thursday, and do the same for Needles & Bolts beginning Memorial Day weekend for their soft opening. Or wait for their grand opening the weekend of the rescheduled Mt Airy Day.
See the first paragraph for each shop’s official grand opening date, and Go Mt Airy Sew Mt Airy!
