Engine House Quilt Shop and Masterpiece Quilting have been selected as Members of the Month for March 2008. The Member of the Month Award was initiated the beginning of 2006 and the side-by-side Main Street businesses are the first co-recipients of the Berne Chamber of Commerce award.

Deb Tumbleson spent several years in the textiles and pattern business as office manager of Paradise Distributors formerly located in Berne on Water Street. When the business owner decided to locate her internet business elsewhere Deb and her husband, Dave, began considering other business options. At about the same time, the former Serv-Us Store became available for sale. The Tumblesons purchased the building and explored opening a quilt shop. The east side of the building was painted and redecorated so Deb could expand her love of fabric and turn it into a retail business offering quilt fabrics, patterns and notions.

While Deb immersed herself in opening a retail business, Dave used his interests in restoration to refurbish the wooden floors and the tin tile ceiling on the west side of the building in hopes of attracting a renter.

As in "The Perfect Storm" three forces came together at approximately the same time. Nancy Scott decided to leave a profession in Indianapolis to move to her grandparent’s home in rural Berne. She had similar textile interests as Deb but directed her creative outlet towards the finished end of a quilting project. Nancy not only purchased a Gammill longarm quilting machine but become a sales representative and instructor for the nationally known company. Long arm quilting is able to quilt by machine in just hours what used to take weeks or months of work by dedicated quilters with nimble fingers. Longarm quilting has grown in acceptance and popularity as quilting patterns have become increasing creative, intricate and diversified.

Deb and Nancy met at a monthly meeting of the Swiss Stitchers Quilt Guild held at in the Social Corner at Swiss Village. Their mutual interests led not only to a friendship but a day-to-day working relationship. The retailer and service provider work closely in offering classes and workshops.

Engine House and Masterpiece were recently involved in shop-hops with other nearby quilt stores. The "hops" encourage quilt enthusiasts to visit multiple quilt shops for a better variety of fabrics and patterns and a chance at exciting prizes. Nancy and Deb worked non-stop catering to out-of-town shoppers in the midst of the promotion.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette took notice of the shop hop happenings in northeast Indiana. Deb was pictured and both Berne quilt shops were featured in an article on the front page of the Business Section on February 29, 2008 issue of the Fort Wayne newspaper.

Nancy and Deb will spend an entire weekend with their Swiss Stitchers Quilt Guild friends at a quilting retreat to be held the weekend of April 18-20. Quilting enthusiasts are invited to join them at C&C Bible Fellowship for the entire weekend or for Saturday only. Classes will be offered or ladies may just come and delve into projects of their own.

Congratulations to Deb and Nancy for creating successful businesses from personal interests and hobbies.