Quilter and knitting enthusiast Geri Sauter says she plans to open a quilting and yarn shop this spring in Reardan, Wash., 25 miles east of Spokane. 

Sauter’s new shop, to be named Stitch!, will be located in a 2,000-square-foot space at 243 W. Broadway, in Reardan.

Sauter is leasing the space, which formerly housed The Plow Boys antique shop, from building owners Nancy and Randy Baker.

“The landlords have done a lot of remodeling work in recent years, so it’s already a pretty great space,” she says. “We mostly just have painting and installation work yet to do.”

Sauter says the shop will offer quality cotton fabrics for quilting, clothing, and home décor projects, as well as locally sourced yarn.

“We plan to have a soft opening around the middle of next month and a grand opening in May,” she says. “I do hope to hire some employees eventually, but to start, it will be just me, with some family helping out occasionally.”

Sauter says the space also will include a classroom area for hosting classes on sewing, quilting, knitting, and crocheting.

She says the shop’s classroom will have sewing and quilting machines available for people to use, most of which were donated by Sew EZ Too, a sewing and alterations business located in Spokane’s Garland district.

While she’s been quilting for more than 30 years, Sauter says her most recent job was working for the Washington state Department of Corrections at the Airway Heights Corrections Center.

“I’d worked for them for several years in various positions,” she says. “But quilting is a big passion for me, and I decided I needed to get back to it.”