Tapping Into My Creative Side At Thimbles

Hi Everyone! My name is Mariah and I am back again with another adventure through the Corridor. This week’s travels lead me into a shop filled with colors, crafts and creativity. 

Thimbles is a quilt shop located in the downtown Lockport area where you can buy quilting supplies and sewing machines. 

When I arrived, I met up with owners Tammy Newton and Jane Tickle Hartl to talk about their company. Both women have been in the quilting business for about 15 years. One day one of their favorite stores closed down, encouraging the two to open up their own shop.

The location as to where their store sits in, holds a lot of value also.The building was built back in the 1800s and they are only the 3^rd tenant to ever use the space. 

Walking up to the building, I can tell with its old stones and character that it was pretty historic.

As we continued to chat, I found out that Thimbles not only offer supplies, but a variety of classes. From Beginner Quilting, to Sewing Techniques, Tote bags and a Sewing club. You can go to their website to check out their calendar and sign up for any of their classes available each week. 

Most importantly what I loved most about Thimbles is the way they have created their own community which helps support and connect others. 

They’ve created what’s called the Clubhouse where around 150 members meet monthly and share different lecture demos, show & tell, and door prizes. This encourages a safe place for people to come and make new friends. 

While walking through such a fun and vibrant store, my eyes lead me to a quilt that hung right in the front. I noticed there were landmarks of Chicago, which was joined by the Route 66 Rode. It shoes how well connected everything really is. 

Being from Chicago, it felt nice to see a little piece of home just a few miles up the road. With something that was beautifully made with lots of love and care, it was my favorite piece of them all. 

So, if you’re driving down State St. in the Lockport area, be sure to stop by and browse through Thimbles and see what catches your eye. What's nice is that you don’t have to be a professional quilter to feel inspire by what they do. 

You can find them located at 940 S State. Opened every day from 9:30am-4pm and noon to 4pm on Sunday’s. To check out their classes you can visit, www.thimblesquilts.com