Quilting, fabric, sewing supplies coming to Fergus

FERGUS  – Quilters and sewers will soon be able to find everything they need downtown, as KwiltKozy and String Theory Yarn Shop team up to bring the best of both worlds to local fibre artists. 

Virginia Gallop, owner of KwiltKozy, and Miranda Holmes, owner of String Theory Yarn Shop, will be sharing a space as soon as Feb. 3.

“Ever since I opened, so many people [have come in] looking for sewing supplies, looking for fabric, especially after Undercover Quilts closed back in the pandemic,” said Holmes.

“It’s not that I was completely opposed to the idea. It’s just ... a really huge investment to bring in an entirely different product line and all the notions that go with it, all the fabric and everything like that.”

Holmes told the Advertiser she began seriously considering the fabric business when Gallop moved to Fergus in late 2023.

“I immediately fell in love with this town,” said Gallop. “When we moved to Fergus and discovered this massive quilting community, I was surprised to see there was no fabric shop.”

Not long after moving here, Gallop became friends with Holmes.

“I met her because she came to the BIA meetings,” said Holmes.

“We just got to know each other ... she was enthusiastic about quilts too. She joined the quilt guild, and then she came up with the idea of opening a quilt store, because she saw that there was a definite need in the community for something like that.”

Despite her plan and experience with quilting and fabric, there was one thing preventing Gallop from opening her shop: available space to rent.

“Finding space downtown to rent that would be appropriate has been challenging,” said Holmes.

“So we talked back and forth and discussed different options about what I could do to help and I thought it would be great to have fabric and bring it into the store.”

And just like that, the plan was set in motion.

Gallop called String Theory Yarn Shop an “inclusive, welcoming and warm” place for everyone.

Gallop told the Advertiser that starting a new hobby can be intimidating but “if you’re a creative soul you kind of don’t stay in your lane.”

According to Gallop, the quilting community can sometimes feel a bit intimidating, especially for those just starting out. But she hopes to change that by offering a welcoming space for beginners to “ask questions and find what they need.”

It’s a sentiment she promotes with the name of her business, KwiltKozy.

“You don’t even need to know how to spell the word quilt,” said Gallop. “Anyone is welcome.”

KwiltKozy will be offering fabric, notions, thread, sewing and quilting supplies, batting, rulers, rotary cutters and more. Gallop will also offer sewing machine detailing.

For more information and to stay up to date, follow KwiltKozy and String Theory Yarn Shop on Facebook.