Our Story

As a teen, Carla learned to sew from her mom. As an adult her sewing skills went from making clothing to discovering all the creative possibilities of quilting. Besides the creative enjoyment, over time she began to see the many ways sewing and crafting helped her stay sane (mostly, lol) as she raised her three children, went back to college after an extended period of time, and began her own counseling practice in 2021. She began reading the research on the benefits of creativity in mental health, and her dream of one day having a quilt shop grew with her desire to help others reap the benefits of creativity: decreasing anxiety and depression, managing their stress, and increasing positive moods, not to mention crafting beautiful things. After 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shut down, she saw a rise in clients with anxiety, but she also saw how helping people connect with others again and introducing creativity, in various forms, was helping them better manage their mental health.

In 2022 she and her daughter-in-love, Kayla, found an amazing quilt shop tucked in Somerset County, and though Kayla had not previously sewed, she became passionate about the craft as well. Her skills quickly increased as she learned to sew quilts, bags, English Paper Piecing and a new-found love for Tula Pink fabrics! It wasn’t long before Carla and Kayla shared the dream of opening a quilt shop.

Fast forward to today, and you have Creative Pursuits Quilting & More, a quilt shop that provides high quality fabrics, high end sewing machines, notions, patterns, and a place to come connect with others, be creative, cultivate your skills, and celebrate all that is good in life. We so look forward to seeing you soon and helping you get started on your next creative project!