Beginnings Quilt Shop

Our Mission

At Beginnings Quilt Shop, we strive to create relaxing shopping, learning, and meeting opportunities for each of our customers by offering a wide variety of top-quality sewing supplies, classes, and special events for the quilting community.

What We Do

We carry a large assortment of fabrics, precuts, threads, and rulers, as well as other helpful notions and accessories. On top of all this, we have multiple store displays and sample quilts to inspire your creativity and spark wonderful ideas for your next sewing project. We also a large, bright and well lit classroom for our many classes and clubs.

Our Inspiration

Beginnings Quilt Shop was founded on a love for community. We created the shop with a vision of what any quilt shop should be—a friendly and relaxing place for passionate quilters to enjoy our sitting area and engage in conversations with fellow quilters. We love being a part of the quilting community and love to meet others who live in or travel through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Meet Our Staff

Kathy Neal

Co-Owner

I began sewing in 1986. I started with making a crib set and learning how to read a pattern in anticipation of my first child. I continued sewing clothes for my 5 children and learning the process of straight stitching to heirloom sewing. After they grew up, I turned to quilting which became a passion for me. After moving to Spain and trying to learn a new language and culture, quilting became my refuge. I began to teach quilting while I was in Spain, then I began to get calls to travel to teach. I moved home a few years ago, and quilting continued to be my support as I began to work at Beginnings. When the opportunity came to partner with Todd and be Beginnings co-owner, I felt it was a gift from God.

Todd Simmons

Co-Owner

I'm a lifelong sewer, having learned from my father at a very young age. Sewing has been a passion of mine ever since. I enjoy all kinds of techniques, my current favorites being quilt ing, machine embroidery, and surface design. I also have experience with garment construction and heirloom techniques.You'll find me in the shop helping customers find the perfect sewing machine for their needs, teaching machine embroidery, helping customers troubleshoot their machines, leading serger techniques classes, and more.

Connie Nebesky

I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and learned to sew in Junior High Home Ec. class. I loved it! I made many of my own clothes (and my daughters') until I discovered quilting 30 years ago. Since then I have made close to 100 quilts - it’s therapeutic. I enjoy all aspects of quilting (well maybe not needle-turn applique). I worked in a quilt shop in Anchorage where I also taught classes. I’ve had winning quilts in guild shows in Houston, TX and Asheville. I have also shown quilts at the Houston Quilt Festival and the AQS Quilt Week in Grand Rapids, MI. Working at Beginnings allows me to indulge my passion for quilting. I love helping quilters choose fabrics and, hopefully, expand their horizons. I look forward to coming to the shop. It’s not work, it’s fun!

Marti Sofie

I grew up in a family of sewers. My grandmother made us quilts from the scraps leftover from mother sewing our clothes. That began my love of quilts and fabric. I retired from nursing in December of 2018, and working at Beginnings is my dream retirement job. I love to play with color and design, and of course, pet the fabric! Marti is a talented quilt designer, and has put together many of our quilt kits and sewn samples in the store.

Lynn Easler

Founder

Years ago, my husband and I were impatiently waiting for a greatly anticipated adoption of a baby. To help pass the time, I took a beginning quilt class, which turned out to be a life-changing event. When I finished my first block, I quickly ran to my husband and told him I had found what I could do the rest of my life: quilt! Twenty-two years and 18 children later, I have come to realize what a gift quilting was to me. It gave me creative outlets when I was surrounded by toddlers, and it provided many wonderful friendships when I had feelings of isolation.

In October 2019, Lynn retired from the business to concentrate on her family. We honor her dedication in building a vibrant quilting community at Beginnings.