Building a Destination Quilt Shop | Tony Jacobson, Piece Works Quilt Shop | Bridging the Gap

<p>Welcome to Bridging the Gap, the Madison County Chamber podcast, where local stories, businesses, and community connections come together. In this episode, we sit down with Tony Jacobson, owner of Pieceworks Quilt Shop, to explore creativity, craftsmanship, and how a small shop on the Winterset square became a destination for quilters from around the world. From a childhood spent learning to quilt at his grandmother's side to 30 years in publishing and design, Tony shares how a lifetime of making things led him and his wife to take over the shop next door to the Iowa Quilt Museum. We also discuss hand dyed fabric, the pattern that unexpectedly took off internationally, his work with Quilts of Valor, and why a strong local business community keeps visitors coming back.</p><p>In this episode, we cover:</p><ul><li>Tony's 30 year career in publishing, graphic design, and art direction</li><li>Learning to quilt from his grandmother as one of six boys growing up in Menlo, Iowa</li><li>How Pieceworks opened alongside the Iowa Quilt Museum ten years ago</li><li>Taking over ownership of the shop with his wife in February</li><li>7,000 bolts of fabric and building a destination shop around designers you can't find anywhere else</li><li>Designing more than 60 exclusive patterns, including Iowa Raised, Stellar Joy, and All Linked Up</li><li>The Swatch Book fabric line recreated from a 1920s swatch book to benefit the Iowa Quilt Museum</li><li>Snow dyeing, ice dyeing, and creating one of a kind art quilts</li><li>"Quilting and the art of what if" as a design philosophy</li><li>How a Kaffe Fassett post sent orders for one pattern around the world</li><li>Quilts of Valor, the national board, and honoring veterans across Iowa</li><li>New products including quilter's seating and Cherrywood hand dyed fabrics</li><li>Upcoming classes, monthly retreats, and an appliqué piece for the Clark Tower 100th anniversary</li></ul><p>Whether you're a quilter, a small business owner, or someone curious about the creative people behind Winterset's historic square, this episode offers an honest look at what it takes to build something original and keep a community thriving.</p><p>Learn more &amp; connect:</p><ul><li>Pieceworks Quilt Shop: <a href="https://pieceworksquiltshop.com/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://pieceworksquiltshop.com</a></li><li>Madison County Chamber: <a href="https://madisoncounty.com/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://madisoncounty.com</a></li></ul><p>Don't forget to:<br />👍 Like<br />💬 Comment<br />🔔 Subscribe for more local stories and conversations from around Madison County</p><p>Supporting local shops and makers helps preserve the creativity, character, and craftsmanship that make our communities unique.</p><p>#MadisonCountyIA #WintersetIowa #SupportLocal #CommunityHeritage #Podcast #Quilting #QuiltShop #IowaQuiltMuseum #QuiltsOfValor #HandDyedFabric</p>