Author: Marissa Swearngin

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Jenny Reminisces on the History of Missouri Star Quilt Co.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “home”? To me, home is family. I can always be myself with them. Home is comfortable, it’s welcoming, it’s my happy place. Over the past year, we’ve all spent a lot more time at home, but the time is soon coming when we’ll be able to venture out again and I hope to see you before too long in my hometown. You’re always welcome in Quilt Town, USA. We have so much to be thankful for and so much to celebrate during National Quilting Month! We want you to know that wherever you are, you can always come home to quilting at Missouri Star. 

Looking back on that first quilting tutorial, it’s incredible to see how far Missouri Star has come. There I was, stitching with my home sewing machine and the iron I’d used for years, sitting down (because I’d broken my foot!), and teaching a simple 4-patch block using a jelly roll. I had no idea what the future held for our tiny company. Twelve short years later, many wonderful milestones have been reached thanks to your support and love of quilting. Let’s take a look back at all the steps that have led us to where we are today (click on the links to learn more or for some major throwback nostalgia!):

November 2008-Missouri Star Quilt Co. Founded
November 2008-First Longarm Quilting Machine
February 2009–First Video Uploaded to YouTube
February 2009-First Purchase Made at Missouri Star
April 2011–First Building Renovated
July 2012-Grand Opening of Missouri Star Main Shop
January 2013-Missouri Star Website Launched
August 2013-First 100,000 Subscribers on YouTube
October 2013–Sewing Center Opens for Retreats
December 2013–Sew Seasonal Opens
February 2014-First Issue of BLOCK Magazine Published
April 2014–Penney’s Quilt Shop Opens
May 2014–Missouri Star Mercantile Opens
July 2014–First Shipping Warehouse Opens
November 2014–Batik Boutique Opens
May 2015-Missouri Star Owners Awarded Small Business Persons of the Year Award
March 2015–Licensed to Sew Opens
September 2015–First Birthday Bash Celebration (Our 7th Birthday!)
October 2015–Backing & Trims Shop Opens
November 2015–Machine Shed Opens
December 2015–Modern Shop & Kids & Baby Shop Opens
February 2016–Man’s Land and Floral Shop Opens
June 2016–Main Shop Grand Reopening 
April 2017–First Missouri Star Live Facebook Video
May 2017-First Missouri Star Academy
June 2017-New Shipping Warehouse Finished
May 2018–Missouri Star Named One of Forbes’ Best Small Businesses of the Year
May 2018-First Jenny on the Road Tour
August 2018-First 500,000 Subscribers on YouTube
July 2019-Missouri Star & NCMC Apprenticeship Graduation
August 2019-Missouri Star Theater & Education Center Opened
October 2019-Missouri Star Cares Charity Founded
Coming Soon! Spring 2021-Missouri Star’s Grand Reopening!

Now, our hometown has been revitalized. Strolling down the streets is a joy as I walk past thoughtfully restored quilt shops filled with beautiful fabrics, bursting with inspiration for quilters of all kinds. It was not what I originally had in mind. It’s so much better. 

The quilt shops came about in an interesting way. Over a decade ago, we had just one little brick shop, but then we started selling many different types of fabric and we thought it would be a good idea to group them by style. So, the individual quilt shops came about naturally. The main street in town had many empty storefronts and we have fixed them up one by one to house each different fabric collection. All our lives, we never had the money for a brand new house, but we had plenty of fixer uppers. My kids took on this project with enthusiasm because they weren’t afraid of these old buildings. And look at what they’ve become!

Thank you for your loving support over the years. We are constantly amazed at what our little hometown has become, a literal Quilt Town, USA! And it’s all possible because of you. We hope to welcome you back very soon. 

Love,

Jenny

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Gee’s Bend Quilters: Abstract Art from the Rural South

Almost 20 years ago, the tiny, rural community of Gee’s Bend was brought into prominence when their quilts were discovered to be works of art, not just the simple bed coverings they’d always believed they had been making. Their quilts were purchased by collectors and displayed in art museums across the country causing quilting to be elevated from folk art to masterpieces. In one of the first reviews of their artwork in 2002, Michael Kimmelman of the The New York Times called the Gee’s Bend quilts “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced” comparing them to renowned artists like Henri Matisse and Paul Klee. 

The exceptional modern art style of Gee’s Bend quilts might be attributed in part to their unique community. Their isolated town is nestled in a crook of the Alabama River, surrounded on three sides by water without a bridge or ferry. Being a close-knit group of only a few hundred, the quilters of Gee’s Bend have passed on their knowledge and skill to subsequent generations, untouched by outside influences, allowing their patterns and variations on patterns to live on. In their insular community, they have taken traditional quilt blocks and molded them to fit their own preferences with astonishing results.

Another reason the Gee’s Bend quilters’ style is so unique is their utilitarian spirit. They are a make-do group of women who have taken old work clothing, worn out blue jeans, scraps of corduroy left over from a sewing contract with Sears in the 70s, and just about any kind of fabric they could get their hands on, to make their incredible abstract quilt designs. Without the means to simply buy fabric, they made their scarcity into a feast for the eyes. 

They design innately, inspired by their surroundings and what they have on hand, creating organic quilt compositions that go far beyond the precise, mail-order quilts they had once produced back in the 1960s for the Freedom Quilting Bee to sell in department stores like Bloomingdales and Saks 5th Avenue. They allow their quilts to wibble and wobble. The colors alternate as they see fit. They don’t have straight borders. These quilts don’t play by the “rules.” 

It’s such a pleasure to marvel at the improvisational prowess of the Gee’s Bend quilters—a surprising addition of yellow blocks in a mostly blue, brown, and maroon quilt is a welcome sight. A half-log cabin quilt with blocks turned this way and that feels so freeing. Rows and rows of blue jeans with faded knees turns into a master work when discarded work pants are pieced together just as they are, allowing them to speak clearly of their origins.

In the Gee’s Bend quilts are innumerable variations of the well-known “housetop” quilt block, that many of us might recognize as “courthouse steps,” a variation of the log cabin. They take this block that is built strip by strip, and add vibrant centers or ignore the centers altogether, focusing more on the contrast of light and dark in the strips themselves. They add a few pieces of striped fabric for interest wherever they please. Patterns and solids are used in wildly varying combinations and the colors just seem to work.

After taking in such freely interpreted designs, we hope you feel yourself filled with the desire to play with fabric again, cut it without squinting at the markings on a ruler, and sew it together without a pin in sight. Why not? There are no mistakes to be made when you simply allow yourself to create.

Souls Grown Deep

Ever since their quilts have been discovered to be the works of art they truly are, the quilters of Gee’s Bend have experienced a renaissance of creativity in their community. Those who had long since put down the needle and thread have picked it up again in the fervor of renewed quiltmaking, and those who had never been interested in the art of making quilts before suddenly found themselves longing to be a part of this vibrant group of quilters. All were welcomed in and during the past 20 or so years, more quilts have been made than ever before. And they’re just as beautiful and inspiring as we remember. 

To help this community continue to promote their art and to protect the livelihoods of these quilters, Souls Grown Deep has partnered with Nest to help the quilters of Gee’s Bend. The Nest team has spent time in Gee’s Bend with the quilters there, building relationships and getting to know these wonderful women to help them market their world-renowned quilts and make sure their unique stories are heard. 

Gee’s Bend has an average annual income of $12,000 and more than half of their population struggles with poverty. Many don’t have internet access in their homes and as a result, it has hindered their ability to connect with those outside their community and reach a wider audience to sell and to display their quilts. Souls Grown Deep, with their partner Nest, is working with these wonderful quilters to help them receive fair payment for their quilts and build a strong foundation for future financial success. 

To learn more about Gee’s Bend Quilters, view their quilts online, and purchase their works of art, please visit: www.etsy.com/featured/black-history-month#gees-bend

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How to Organize Your Sewing Room on a Budget (or in a Tight Space!)

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had large quilting studios with plenty of space for cutting, designing, ironing, fabric storage, and multiple sewing machines? Yes, that would be ideal, but it just isn’t the reality for most of us. The truth is, many sewists are squeezing their hobby into tight spaces and we’re here to help you fit everything you love about quilting into whatever space you have to make creating a pleasure again.

Back to Basics

When you think about it, all you really need to sew is a place to set your machine and work with fabric. A sewing machine isn’t that big in and of itself. It could comfortably fit on a side table or a portion of your dining room table. If you’re struggling for cutting and ironing space, think about converting a folding tray table into a temporary cutting and pressing table that you can fold away when you’re through. You can even use a sturdy ironing board with a mat on top for cutting—and it’s height adjustable! As for supplies, they can be packed up into a tote with a handle that you can pick up and put away when you are finished sewing.

Stash Storage

Finding space for a sewing machine is just the beginning. Quilters all know that maintaining a small (or large) fabric stash is key—it can be a source of inspiration, but it can also be a headache to manage all that fabric. So, where to start? Pull out every box and bin and literally gather up every piece of fabric you own. Make a HUGE pile! Once you’ve done that, the magic begins.

Organize your fabric stash
  1. Sort your pile of fabric into three categories: keep, donate, or sell. This can be tough for many of us who love every piece of fabric that comes our way, but if we’re honest with ourselves, there is fabric in our stash that will never be used and it can be used by someone else.
  2. Once you’ve whittled down your stash a bit, take the time to fold it neatly and store it once more. Chances are, you’ve already cleared up some space. Way to go!
  3. When you go to put your fabric away again, consider how you like to access it and display it. Maybe you have a shelf for pretty precuts that you like to look at or deep bins for larger cuts. Be wise as you put your fabric away so you can easily access it later on.

Tips for Fabric Storage in Small Spaces

Below, you’ll find top storage tips from four of our favorite quilters. Of course, Jenny and Misty pitched in their favorite tips as well as our senior copywriter, Nichole, and our educational producer, Liz!

• Try a Dresser “I can fit tons of fabric and notions in my drawers without worrying about shelves getting messy. My dresser also doubles as my cutting table.” -Liz

• Keep It Visible “I keep scraps of the same color in clear bins so I can see what fabrics I have and use them up.” -Nichole

• Hang It Up Larger cuts of fabric or panels can be hung up in the closet on hangers for easy access later on.

Organize your sewing room

• File It Away Put an old filing cabinet to use for more than old papers and fold your fabric so that it drapes neatly over the empty paper files. When you open up the drawers, you’ll be treated to an organized fabric stash!

• Shelve It Utilize shelf space for fabrics by either folding them up neatly and stacking them, or you can cut down pieces of cardboard and wrap fabric around the cardboard like mini bolts that can be stored vertically on the shelf like books.

• Organize by Project “I don’t have a lot of stash to organize, but I do have fabric with specific projects in mind. I have quite a few clear project bins that I use to keep all the needed fabric for each project together. It makes it easy to clean up and store when I want to work on something different for a little while. They’re only a few inches deep and about 12″ square, so they’re easy to stack up and store, but I can still tell quickly what’s in each bin.” -Misty

Notions Storage

Sewing notions may be small, but they sure can pile up, too! Before you go to organize your notions, do a similar kind of whittling down like you did with your fabric. It’s easy to keep doubles and even triples of everything as quilters and those items may just be taking up space. Take a look at all your notions and decide what to keep or donate and then move on to setting up your space for success. 

Because notions are easy to lose track of, it’s important to organize them in a way that is visually appealing and accessible. You know those neat peg boards that have been used as garage organization for tools? Why not use them for sewing! Storing notions vertically opens up space on your sewing table. You can also hang a couple shelves over your sewing table and arrange your notions up above your workstation to keep your table clear.

Notions Organization and Storage

Jenny’s sewing studio is packed with everything she could need to create her next project and she says, “I like drawers for thread and rulers, although I prefer a hanging pegboard rack for the rulers I use often. I also like containers that are decorative and useful.” Like our cute little thimble containers! We just can’t get enough.

And don’t forget about pins! Jenny always says, “You can’t have too many pin cushions and we agree.” Liz mentioned that she likes to keep, “several pin cushions and put different kinds of pins in each—keeping them organized and being able to grab a whole pile of the ‘right’ ones for whatever I’m working on.” What a great idea!

Finally, when you’re organizing your workspace, think of the overall layout and how everything works together. If it’s a tight space, you may not have to walk far to your pressing station from your sewing machine, but do you prefer it on the right or on the left? Or are you always tripping over the iron cord? Keep these considerations in mind when setting up your space so that you’ll always feel comfortable and your creativity will flow easily. Another great tip from Liz is, “Think about laying out your ‘golden triangle’ of workspace. You can learn all about this on home improvement shows about kitchen layouts with an oven/sink/fridge, except our golden triangle of sewing is cut/press/sew—make that layout work for you and you’ll love even a tiny space!” Wise words indeed.

No matter what size space you sew in, you can make it work for you with some careful consideration about your fabric stash, sewing supplies, and overall layout. Share your beautifully organized sewing spaces with us at #msqcshowandtell. We can’t wait to see what you’ve done with the place!

DISCOVER ORGANIZATION AND STORAGE SOLUTIONS >

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Year in Review – A look at 2020 with Missouri Star

As we look back over the past twelve months, we’re simply amazed! We were touched by the love from our followers, the support of our customers, the kind hearts of each and every one of our hardworking team members, and the selflessness within the quilting community. Despite this challenging year, we’ve been able to accomplish so much together.

Thanks to you, Missouri Star is celebrating yet another great year of quilting! It’s been filled with inspiring stories from quilters all around the world, brand new products created with you in mind, exciting tutorials that have inspired many, and some unforgettable, first-ever online events!

Let’s celebrate the end of 2020 by looking back on some of the good things that happened this year:

FACE MASKS

Wow, quilters! Thanks to your passion for sewing and your big hearts, you were able to play an important part in the fight against a global pandemic. Since March 1st of 2020 – 56,973 of you have purchased fabric from Missouri Star specifically to create masks to help keep your communities safe! That is amazing – thank you!

In the comments below, tell us about all the ways you were able to help your community this year! Here’s what we did for ours:

  • Close to 6,500 yards of fabric has been donated to area groups and non-profit organizations who are making masks for healthcare workers
  • We have donated 350 N95 masks to the local regional hospital and 2 local businesses who provide food delivery and cleaning services for our community
  • We provided tutorials for creating masks to keep you safe
DIY Face Masks

TOP TUTORIALS

Morning Star Quilt Tutorial

MORNING STAR

Jenny Doan demonstrates how to make a beautiful Morning Star quilt using 2.5″ strips of precut fabric (jelly rolls). This pretty star pattern was designed by Tara Faughnan for ModBLOCK. It’s an easier version of the old block known as Morning Star, Lone Star, or Star of the East.

WATCH TUTORIAL >

Jenny's Easy Carpenters Star

JENNY’S EASY CARPENTER STAR

Jenny teaches us how to make an easy version of the classic Carpenter Star using 10″ squares of precut fabric (layer cakes). This traditional quilt is often made with squares and diamonds, but Jenny uses half square triangles because they’re so quick and easy and don’t require y-seams!

WATCH TUTORIAL >

TOP MISSOURI STAR LIVES

Our First BLOCK Party

Together we celebrated BLOCK Magazine Vol. 7 Issue 4 with our very first BLOCK Party hosted by Jenny and Natalie!

WATCH BLOCK PARTY >

Zig Zag Placemat and Napkin Kit LIVE

Placemat & Napkin Kit

Back in January, you let us know loud and clear that you loved this fun tutorial. These pretty placemats make a sweet addition to your table!

WATCH TUTORIAL>

NEW SERIES! THE FINAL STITCH

We introduced a brand new tutorial series by Jenny’s daughter, Natalie, that’s a fresh take on finishing quilts. Follow along with her and get beautiful results every time!

SUBSCRIBE NOW >

THE NEW, IMPROVED BLOCK MAGAZINE!

BLOCK MAGAZINE

This year, the BLOCK team released a brand new design to BLOCK Magazine. New cover look, more educational content, more stories from our readers, and more!

Digital version of BLOCK Magazine

DIGITAL BLOCK

Each issue of BLOCK comes with an interactive digital version! It’s kind of hard to wait for each issue to arrive, so we wanted to give you an early treat.

SEE HOW IT WORKS >

Best of BLOCK

Best of BLOCK

We recently released our first-ever special edition of BLOCK Magazine. It’s a compilation of the last seven years with 25 of our favorite patterns and over 200 pages of quilt-y fun!

PRE-ORDER TODAY! >

SEW-ALONGS

This year we introduced two new sew-alongs to make quilting easier than ever. As you follow along, month by month or piece by piece, your quilt will take shape! By the end, you’ll have a lovely quilt that’s handmade by you!

ALL STARS BLOCK OF THE MONTH >

Jenny released her first-ever block of the month in February of this year. It contains 11 of her favorite star blocks from 11 of her favorite tutorials! Become an all star and join in on the fun in her Facebook group! >

INTO THE WOODS QUILT PATTERN >

Inspired by her children’s love for the outdoors and their adventurous personalities, Misty created a gorgeous quilt designed with them in mind! Get the pattern and join her Facebook group >

BIRTHDAY BASH – AT HOME

This year we celebrated Birthday Bash like never before! Thank you for stitching along with us for 12 wonderful years and joining the party from the comfort of home. It was an experience we’ll never forget! Relive the Best Moments >

DONATIONS

Thanks to your support, we were able to donate $10,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation! All through October, we fought breast cancer one stitch at a time by shopping pink! Learn more >

Project Linus is an organization that provides love, security, and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or are just simply in need of a handmade blanket. As one of the many ways we’re trying to spread kindness this year, we chose Project Linus to receive a $5,000 donation from us at Missouri Star. Learn more >

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO MAKES THESE DONATIONS POSSIBLE!

GIVE LOVE

You are one of our biggest sources of inspiration! Although it’s been a tough year for many, you continue to show optimism and spread joy through all the kind things you do.

“I’m 11 years old. My Grandma taught me to sew. This is my very first quilt!  I used 10 squares. I had it quilted at Missouri Star. I Love my Grandma!  It was the best day. Ever. (It was my idea to have her embroider a Secret Santa for people to find.)”
– the grandson of Laurie S.

“For several years now I have been donating quilts to the Linus Project.  I get to be very creative and I try to think about the kids that will receive a quilt and make them more than just something to snuggle under…  I average about 10 quilts a year.”
– Wendy G.

“We are a small group of ladies that support needs of nursing homes… We have made over 60 fidget pads, over 30 clothing protectors, over 20 baby dolls with blankets, crocheted over 40 caps, covered over 40 Small pillows, for wheel chairs, 100s of masks… Love these ladies and their servant hearts!”
– Nancy D.

“I volunteer with the “Helping Hands” sewing group my church.  We make various items from donated fabric and yarn… lap quilts for first responders to give to children in trauma situations, bed quilts and kitchen goods for our missionary families, quilts for orphanages, and window curtains for loft houses our church builds for homeless families.”
– Cindy M.

Quilters, thank you for being an inspiration to us and the world. We look forward to seeing all the great things you’ll continue to do in the new year!

Happy quilting!

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Take a Look Behind the Scenes of BLOCK Magazine and Join Us for a BLOCK Party TONIGHT! 🎉

BLOCK Magazine is an “idea book” designed, produced, and published by Missouri Star Quilt Co. As you flip through each glossy page you’ll find gorgeous photography, fun patterns, brilliant ideas, and one-of-a-kind stories! For seven years – hard work, creativity and pure love has been poured into each issue!

SUBSCRIBE TO BLOCK MAGAZINE

Go Behind the Scenes

Q: How many people does it take to make an issue of BLOCK Magazine?
A: It takes a team of about forty people!

Here’s how they do it:

Each issue of BLOCK starts with thoughtful planning months in advance. First, the design of a quilt is put together by Jenny Doan and her daughter, Natalie Earnheart. They choose patterns and themes and then request the fabric they want to use. Once the fabric arrives, they team up with our sewists to complete the quilt tops.

Next, the pattern writers break the design down into steps, figuring out precut fabric and yardage requirements, and noting when any tools or templates are needed. Then, they outline the sewing process, piece by piece, so you have a visual of how the block comes together.

Then the quilts are sent over to our Machine Quilting department to have batting and backing added and are quilted up on big longarm quilting machines. Afterwards, our sewists carefully stitch on the binding and voilà – a completed quilt ready to star in BLOCK!

This magazine isn’t just quilt patterns though. There’s so much more to discover like, inspirational stories, educational articles, and amazing photography.

The copywriters for BLOCK collect the memoirs of Missouri Star family members and employees as well as inspiring stories from quilters from all around the world. They then use those to create story prompts and begin crafting beautifully written stories that will make you laugh, cry, feel inspired, or overjoyed. Our copywriters truly have a way with words and you’ll get all the feels with the stories they whip up!

“When I write stories, I often get to reach out to people, Jenny included, and ask them about their own stories. It’s so much fun to hear their stories and bring them to life in BLOCK. I love writing, so it’s all fun to me.” – Nichole Spravzoff

The team also follows up with the latest trends and performs a ton of their own research in order to share with you the most top notch techniques in quilting and sewing!

Once all the quilts are quilted and the stories are written, our photographers help piece it all together by providing a scene that will bring the quilt to life.

The photo team is very resourceful when it comes to finding or crafting props and they have the most intuitive eyes for seeking out the right location for each quilt. When food is involved, they even prepare meals such as a Thanksgiving turkey for a fall scene or baking cookies for celebratory backgrounds.

Once the photography is done, everything is then tied together to build out proofs to be sent over to the printer. Each issue is then shipped out and ready for you to enjoy!

Together – several different departments work together here at Missouri Star to bring to you a quality magazine at a great price.

Fun Facts

  • The first issue of BLOCK was printed in 2014
  • It takes 4-6 months to create each complete issue of BLOCK
  • BLOCK is published locally in Missouri
  • All the quilt designs, stories, and photography are original works of art
  • BLOCK doesn’t require ad revenue, it relies on subscriptions from readers like you
  • Over 60 original quilts and other fun projects are made each year for BLOCK

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Join us for a BLOCK Party!

Join us tonight (Friday, November 20) at 4:00 PM CT for a LIVE BLOCK Party with Jenny and Natalie to get a sneak peek into the next issue! ➤

Until then, enjoy this message from Jenny and a behind the scenes look at the cover shoot for the December 2020 issue of BLOCK Magazine.

SHOP BLOCK FRIDAY DEALS