BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Quilting has been the “fabric” of Shelley Ford’s life for years. Now she’s taking her longtime hobby to the next level.
Ford has opened Windy Acre Quilting, LLC, a quilting service for other quilters who want some extra help finishing their multi-layered creations. “Customers give me their tops that are not done, and I quilt them for them,” she explained.
Ford has invested in a long arm sewing machine specially designed for quilting and other large-scale jobs. The Gammill Statler has a larger throat space than a tabletop machine – ideal for stretching out the fabric – and is run by a CAD program.
“It’s so much fun,” Ford said of her dream machine, which she has affectionately dubbed “Sammy.” “It’s a design program that’s amazing. It’s mesmerizing. You can’t take your eyes away from it.”
The business, she said, is named after the very windy one-acre property she owns. In addition to her professional service, Ford has batting available to clients and offers thread color choices and access to thousands of quilting patterns.
Ford, who works in the insurance department for Huntington Bank, took up the craft 15 years ago. “I had a friend who was doing it, and I was hooked from the beginning. It’s very calming. I very rarely use a pattern. It’s usually my own designs.”
She’s particular about her fabric choices, usually traveling to shops in Millersburg, Shiloh, and Upper Sandusky. And she prefers tiny pieces. Many of her queen-size blankets boast as many as 5,800 half-inch squares in their intricate designs.
Ford makes lap quilts, baby quilts, quilt bags, and even 12-by-24-inch miniature quilts. Some are given as gifts, some sold online, and others donated to charities, such as the recent Huntington Bank raffle to raise money for Pelotonia and cancer research.
A Mt. Vernon native, Ford has been sewing for more than 40 years. She picked up a needle and thread when she was nine and was active in the 4-H program for 10 years, completing several sewing and craft projects each year for the organization.
She moved to Crawford County seven years ago to take the bank job. And now, with Windy Acre Quilting, she’s able to share her passion for the craft – and see
firsthand the beautiful handiwork of others who also enjoy it. “Since I started long arming for customers, I really enjoy seeing their designs. They come up with some beautiful things.”
Ford is a member of Fabric, Fiber & Fun in Bucyrus and another monthly quilting bee – the Morrow County Quilt Guild. “It’s a great self-expression for me. It’s the best hobby. I’ve done a lot of different artsy things, but this is not one I ever see myself switching off.”