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It started with 25 bolts of calico
Adam and Eve used fig leaves as the very first fabric. In 1982, Laura Shotwell borrowed the idea for the name of her new shop.
A dressmaker who became a quilter
When The Fig Leaf opened in 1982, it was a dress fabric store. Laura Shotwell had just graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Textiles and Clothing and had taken exactly one quilting class. She figured 25 bolts of calico would be plenty for anyone who wanted to make a quilt.
She learned fast. The quilting inventory grew so quickly that within five years it was the heart of the business. The dress fabrics were closed out and replaced with even more cotton.
Today The Fig Leaf is the oldest and one of the largest quilt shops in Northern Colorado, still owned by Laura and her family.
Featured in Better Homes & Gardens Quilt Sampler, which spotlights the top quilt shops in North America.
Four decades in Fort Collins
- 1982
Doors open
A dress fabric shop with 25 bolts of calico in the corner.
- 1987
All in on quilting
Quilting becomes the bread and butter of the business.
- Machines
Brother, then Bernina
Sewing, embroidery and longarm machines join the fabric, along with in-house service.
- Today
About 5,000 bolts
One of the largest selections of quilting cotton in Northern Colorado.
Bring a friend. There’s a sofa.
The Fig Leaf shares its space with a Flexsteel furniture gallery. While you browse fabric, whoever came along can sink into a recliner and relax. Whether you’re new to Fort Collins or just passing through, we can’t wait to see you.