Blanchard is hoping store is more than a stitch in time
By Nora Cardec

Maureen Blanchard, owner of Cobblestone Quilts, next to one of her many creations.

Piecing, binding and stitching by hand are the core principles of traditional quilting.

It is these techniques that Townsend resident and business owner Maureen Blanchard aims to bring to her community.

This woman has set out to bring back the basics of quilting. And her love of quilting and the many years she has dedicated to this art has moved Blanchard to open Cobblestone Quilts at 356 Main St.

"A lot of people quilt, but a lot of people don't quilt traditionally," she said.

The resurgence of quilting, which Blanchard said is taking place, is not only appearing in a desire to learn how women from the 1800s quilted, but she said it's also a need to connect with the past.

"Old quilts are very comfortable. Even the process of making a quilt is soothing and comfortable," Blanchard said.

Joan Blanchard, no relation to the store owner, who is one of the instructors at Cobblestone Quilts, agrees with Maureen Blanchard in the revival of quilting and the idea that more people seem to be interested in quilting and in going back to basics.

"It's nice for the locals to have such a traditional quilting shop in town," said Joan Blanchard. "It's conveniently located, it's fun and it's a great place to go."

Cobblestone Quilts, which opened three months ago, is the only quilt shop in town after more than a decade.

The closest quilt stores are in Leominster and in Hollis, N.H.

Maureen Blanchard has been making quilts and providing long-arm machine quilting on commission from her house for over three years, but the dream of having a store has been in her mind for a long time.

"I've always wanted to open a store; always wanted to have a quilt shop," she said.

The 1,200 square foot business is divided into retail, classroom and a space for Blanchard to do her long-arm machine quilting.

Quilts, such as the daisy patch, the harvest and the fall sampler designs, which are from Blanchard's own patterns, decorate the walls of the space.

The store offers an array of reproduction fabrics from the Civil War era to the Depression era.

Bolts of fabric - divided by period, hues and manufacturer are neatly displayed in antique cabinets. Also, fat quarters, batting, books, rotary cutters, patterns, needles and all other notions and tools essential for quilting are available.

Blanchard, along with other instructors, teaches quilting classes at many levels from beginning to advance. The classes are offered day, evening and on weekends.

Besides teaching hand piecing and quilting, instructors also teach the art of piecing and quilting using a regular sewing machine.

The business also offers opportunities for quilters to machine. We provide the space, the instruction and the use of the ironing board," Blanchard said.

To assist the many customers who have been inquiring about already made quilts, Blanchard said she is putting together a database of custom-made quilt makers in the area. The database will be used as a referral tool for people looking to purchase quilts.

Blanchard, a self-taught quilter, had her first encounter with quilting in the 1970s. She said while riding her bike she passed by a house that was holding a quilt show. She stopped in and was fascinated by a woman, dressed in period clothes, who was making a log cabin quilt. From that day on, Blanchard said, she began to learn the art of quilting, mostly by reading books, since at the time there were hardly any quilting classes available.

Today, she is a member of the Squanicook Quilt Guild, has participated in many shows locally and statewide and has completed many projects including teaching schoolage children and adults how to quilt.

Since she loves all things old, Blanchard said teaching the art of traditional quilting at her new business suits well with her.