Continuing the legacy of quilting in the valley

SEELEY LAKE - "This was a dream come true but a dream I never knew I had," said Sarina Gilpin, new owner of Deer Country Quilts. "If you would have asked me 10 years ago, I would not have thought this is what I would want to do with my life."

Gilpin, who has worked at the quilt store since 2014, looks forward to carrying on the legacy of quilting in the valley and continuing to be a destination quilt store. Her mission continues to revolve around customer service and providing a safe place for people to come together and celebrate their creativity quilting.

Gilpin made her first quilt her junior year at Seeley-Swan High School in home economics with teacher Gwen Schneider. She graduated from SSHS and the University of Montana with a degree in psychology.

After returning to Seeley Lake with her husband Jason in 2014, Gilpin said she would stop at the Quilt Store where her mother LaRee Morris worked and "drool over everything and pet everything." After stopping in every day for several weeks, owner Pam Rose offered her a job. She started working one day a week and then increased to part time.

"As I started to work for Pam, my love for fabric, sewing and making quilts grew," said Gilpin.

More than three years ago Rose hired Gilpin as manager. Along with teaching her all the ins and the outs of the store, Rose took her to quilt markets to give her a broader scope of the industry.

"Sarina was always enthusiastic about everything," said Rose. "She learned quick."

Deer Country Quilts opened for business at Lazy Pine Mall in 1996. Rose became partners with founder Penny Copps and they built the iconic log building on Highway 83 in 2002 specifically to house the quilt store. Rose became the sole owner in 2006.

Deer Country Quilts grew to include nearly 6,000 bolts of high-quality designer fabrics, along with a wide assortment of patterns, quilt kits, precuts, sewing notions and quilting supplies. They offered classes for beginner to experts and were a Janome dealer.

"This is a relationship business," said Rose. "Our main focus is the customer service and what makes us stand out."

Rose listed the business for sale six years ago. After being listed for sale for a couple years, Rose realized the purchase price was unaffordable because of the building and the large inventory. She started downsizing and reducing their inventory. When the sale of the building to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation went through in 2018, Deer Country Quilts moved two blocks to the Bison and Bear Center.

Gilpin told Rose she was interested in purchasing the store more than three years ago. She realized it was an opportunity for her family to live in Seeley Lake, she was good at it and really loved the business. After the sale of the building and reduction of inventory, the doors were open for Gilpin to purchase it.

Rose said Gilpin was a great option because she knew the store, the business and would keep the employees at the store, something very important to her.

"I would not be where I am today without my employees," said Rose. "They all have unique talents and skills quilting and working with people. They have had my back."

Last summer Rose and Gilpin worked with the Community Development Corporation. They created a succession plan and helped Gilpin create a business plan.

"Penny was a mentor for me," said Rose. "I've tried to be a mentor to Sarina and teach her the industry because it is one thing to run a quilt shop here locally but it is a big industry throughout the world."

"It has been super essential for me. I wouldn't have been able to do this if Pam hadn't been helping me along the way and teaching me about the industry," said Gilpin. "I've also learned a lot from every person that has worked here and I've worked with. They all have a different talent in the industry."

Gilpin purchase Deer Country Quilts June 1. Gilpin said she knows the customers and she hopes to make a smooth transition making very few changes at the store.

"We are just trying to get back to the normal of what things were before the pandemic," said Gilpin who added they are still trying to figure out how to hold classes.

As an authorized dealer for Janome sewing, embroidery and serger machines, Gilpin's husband Jason offers qualified repair services. Additionally six part-time employees will continue to work at the store.

"This store wouldn't be what it is without the employees," said Gilpin. "They have way more years of experience and knowledge from sewing and what has worked for them. I still need them."

Gilpin is looking forward to reaching out and helping encourage young people to get back into sewing.

"It is a very useful life skill. While it is not for everyone, you don't know if you don't try," said Gilpin. "The quilting industry as a whole is not dying. We have to keep that excitement alive in the younger people because they are the future for the store."

Rose is embracing retirement.

"I can go home and sew my 20 years of projects now," said Rose who laughed. "I'm excited to be done and see what is next."

Rose and her husband Loren sold their home in Seeley Lake and will be moving to Helena to be closer to family and their grandchildren. They look forward to traveling but will be back and forth to Seeley Lake since Loren is still working at Pyramid Mountain Lumber.

Gilpin said, "I'm honored to be able to carry on the long legacy of quilting in Seeley Lake. I hope that I can do my best to carry that on."

Deer Country Quilts is open Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m .; Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. during the summer. The store can be reached by calling 406-677-2730 or email quilting@montana.com. For more information about classes and products visit http://www.deercountryquilts.com or follow them on Facebook.