In 2005, the well-loved Old Town Quilt Shop first opened its doors. Michelle Strunka purchased the shop in 2015, and the following year, her daughter Stacy joined the team. Since then, they have experienced significant growth, expanding their selection of fabrics, notions, and classes, all while fostering a strong sense of community among local quilters.
Michelle, with decades of quilting experience under her belt, took ownership of Old Town Quilt Shop, while Stacy, previously focused on a career in retail, learned the art of quilting upon joining the team. Together, they have transformed their 1400 sq. ft. space with vibrant, modern fabrics, a variety of creative notions, and patterns ranging from ByAnnie bags to quilts and apparel.
Today, Old Town Quilt Shop thrives with a dedicated team of quilting enthusiasts: Dolores, Linda, Michelle, and Stacy.
Delores, their resident color expert, teaches beginners. Linda, who adores handwork and paper piecing, doubles as a ByAnnie pattern tester—her keen eye and thoughtful input are invaluable to us!
Their creative staff has crafted numerous samples displayed throughout the shop and clubhouse, designed to ignite your inspiration.
Together with their dedicated customers, they have fostered a vibrant community of quilters in California’s central coast region.
This spirit shines through in the heartfelt comments left during our Local Quilt Shop Contest.
“As a beginner, all my moments in the shop are special. They are always willing to guide me.”
— Shannon“It’s such a beautiful little store, simple but abundantly stocked with beautiful fabrics. And most importantly, (they have) the friendliest and most helpfully-relaxed staff.”
— Patricia
In addition to their knowledgeable staff, Old Town Quilt Shop is known for their fabulous classroom, adjacent to the store. Lovingly called the Clubhouse, it has everything you’d want: design walls, ironing boards, and cutting tables, plus large sewing tables for each participant. There’s even a kitchen and plenty of parking!
The classroom is the perfect setting for hands-on workshops and guild retreats. The space is available for rent for guilds and sewing groups.
Old Town Quilt Shop has a full schedule of classes — including ByAnnie bag classes, of course! Be sure to check the calendar often and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on all the latest information.
This year, Old Town Quilt Shop really spread the word about the LQS Contest. Not only did they win for California, they also grew their class numbers and new customers found them!
Michelle said they received many comments from customers saying they were glad the shop had such a large selection of ByAnnie products — in fact, the largest in the area!
“The charming, friendly staff, the great selection of fabric, the great classes and mostly, the sense of community you get from the staff make Old Town Quilt Shop an outstanding local quilt shop!” — Carol
When you visit…
The central coast of California is a beautiful place to visit, so make sure to visit the Santa Maria Valley. Known for their strawberries, orchards, and special Santa Maria-style barbecue tri-tip. Michelle recommends making a reservation for the famous Hitching Post restaurant in nearby Casmalia, CA.
Everyone can find something to love there. There are wine tastings at local vineyards, boutique and antique shops and the world famous Pismo beach is only a half hour away!
If you live near them (or are planning a trip to the Central California coast), be sure to stop in to Old Town Quilt Shop and check them out!
