About Us

Hello! Change is Good! This store has a great legacy. Julie Smith opened the shop in May 2012. Holly Bayley joined her in May 2015 and then bought the shop in September of that same year. In July 2020, Kristin and John Groman have now entered the picture as part of the ownership team.

Holly moved to the Los Lunas area in 2014 with her husband and two teenagers. She had been sewing off and on over the years, but it was the infectious enthusiasm and cheery "don't worry about that little mistake, no one will notice" attitude of a new friend that brought her fully into the wonderful world of quilting.

She has dabbled in different areas of the creative arts and crafts, but quilting really hit home. The variety of fabric is astonishing! The colors, designs, and patterns are so inspiring! But what to create? That’s the hardest part. According to Holly, "Often I feel like a spread of fabric that’s caught my fancy doesn't really fit into any of the pre-designed quilt patterns—then I think: create your own! and that really fires my imagination.

But I'm still learning, and boy, do I have a long way to go. That's where the other aspect of quilting that I love comes in: the quilters. Such wonderful women (and even a few men) who are so ready to share their knowledge and expertise. What a wonderful community of quilters we have here!"

Kristin has been a serial crafter from the age of 7 or 8 and dedicated quilter and hoarder of all things quilty since 2003 and has brought her husband John into the fold. Kristin has a modern and quirky leaning aesthetic with a solid foundation in quilting and sewing skills. Since moving here from the San Francisco Bay Area in 2011, Kristin and John have dreamed of owning a quilt shop, and have patiently watched Gathering Stitches grow into the great community shop it has become before finally taking the plunge.

John is our resident sewing machine mechanic repair guru!

We are so happy to be in this journey with the quilting and sewing community and look forward to learning, creating and gathering with you.

—Holly, Kristin and John