Piecemakers Country Store
The founders of Piecemakers Country Store in Costa Mesa never meant to start a business. All they wanted was to create a little neighborly fellowship in rapidly growing Orange County. But when they decided to hold quilting classes in addition to their weekly Bible study sessions, they found a need that most entrepreneurs had ignored.
“People had moved here from all over the country, and getting together with others to learn a skill popular in their grandmother’s day made them feel at home,” said Marie Kolasinksi, one of the original Piecemakers.
“We made quilts and held classes in a garage and when we outgrew that we moved to an 800- square-foot shop in a mini-mall,” said Kolasinksi.
By then the Piecemakers were making and selling dolls, teddy bears, ornaments and continued to teach classes. The male members of the fellowship group added tiling, woodworking, cabinetry, furniture-making and carpentry to the rich array of talents and skills to be learned and items to be purchased.
Eventually the Piecemakers Country Store moved into a two-story, 12,000-square-foot building on Adams Avenue. The former bank was converted into classrooms and retail showroom space for supplies and one-of-a kind items made by small cottage industries across the nation. A nearby warehouse handles the Piecemakers’ wholesale division of custom-designed fabrics, patterns and books.
Today they sell supplies for making porcelain dolls, jewelry, paper, crocheted rugs, Christmas ornaments and clothing. Classes include sewing, lace-making, cooking, wool spinning and whittling.
The cooking classes resulted in the publication of a cookbook full of traditional American dishes with some interesting ethnic highlights. “Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan both own a copy,” said Kolasinksi. “The home arts are part of the warp and weft of American culture. They are one of our greatest resources and there is a hunger for grass-roots networks, self-reliance and development of individual talents. The work being done here today will eventually become part of the next generation’s collection of heirlooms.”
Piecemakers is open every day of the year, including holidays. The store includes a full-service beauty salon and clothing boutique with full-figure, missy and petite sizes. Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5:30 p.m. Address: 1720 Adams Ave., Costa Mesa Telephone: (714) 641-3112 Miscellaneous Information: Piecemakers is hosting a Holiday Country Craft Fair Dec. 7-8. The fair will feature food, music and more than 150 booths of handcrafted items for sale. The Piecemakers Calendar of Events, published every two months, lists all classes and demonstration days.
