MISSION
Castle Quilting and Legacy Archive (Castle QLA) aims to preserve and document textile history, and to safeguard the heritage of quilting by maintaining a comprehensive library of patterns, literature, and technical resources. We are committed to honoring the individual histories of the craft by documenting the provenance of vintage tools and the stories of the makers who preceded us, ensuring their wisdom and artistry remain a permanent, accessible record for future generations.
Mary Paulin
December 1933 - November 2019
ORIGIN STORY
Carrie, the owner of Castle Mercantile, bought a very large estate from an extremely talented quiler that passed away some years ago, Mary Paulin of Mentor, Ohio. Mary's estate contained a very large amount of vintage quilting books, magazines, patterns, fabric and more. To be honest, it was a little overwhelming and Carrie felt under qualified to manage such an incredible amount of history. She didn't know what to do with it all but knew that it needed to be preserved (not sold). She tucked it away for the time being. A few months later Carrie gained a love for quilt history and vintage sewing machines. This is when the spark was lit. She started to think about how to spread this knowledge and these resources to others.
That's where Castle QLA was born. The idea is that within Castle Mercantile a section of the store will be designated to Castle QLA which will house the Legacy Archive. Here you will find a library of books, magazine's and patterns. Some may be checked out and taken home and some, more vulnerable materials, will be reference only and can be used/viewed in house.
In addition to the archive, Castle QLA will take in donations of fabric, sewing supplies, patterns, vintage machines, etc. Castle QLA will sell the non-archive items to fund the mission.
The best part...once the funds are flowing in Castle QLA will use those funds to offer quilting classes to the community at very low, or no, cost.
It is our passion that these efforts will allow the art and history of quilting to live on for generations to come.
HOW CAN YOU HELP
Castle QLA is not yet 501(c)(3) approved, meaning your donations are NOT yet tax deductible. However, we are asking that you donate fabric, sewing supplies, patterns, vintage machines, etc. so that we may sell them to fund the mission. You can also help by stopping in the store to shop. Your purchases help move the mission forward. Every bit helps and we appreciate each one of you. We are so honored to steward the progress of this organization, and to preserve the legacy of quilting.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more please email castleqla@gmail.com
