Cozy slippers shuffling across tile flooring. Pillows cushioning the seats of chairs. A T-shirt reading: Sorry. Can’t. Quilting. Bye.
It’s the sight that Linda Papenfus rolled up to at The Creation Station Fabric and Quilt Shop after a tiresome, traffic-riddled drive from Folsom. She carried a suitcase behind her filled to the brim with fabrics to sew placemats, table runners, and a children’s blanket. She’s been to her fair share of quilting retreats but had never been to one in Buellton.
“I think this was probably one of the best organized [retreats] I’ve ever been to, in the sense that I totally felt like I didn’t have to do anything except show up with my sewing machine, which was marvelous,” Papenfus told the Sun.
Sew, sew, and sew some more
The Creation Station is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sign up for the next quilting retreat from Nov. 13 to 15 by calling (805) 693-0174 or by visiting the shop, located at 252 E. Highway 246, unit A, in Buellton. Dates for 2027 are live, too. Find more info at thecreationstation.com.
From Sept. 18 to 20, The Creation Station held its 13th retreat of the year. The shop has been organizing them since shortly after opening 25 years ago. Some retreats are private and others are open to the public, like the one Papenfus attended.
She traveled to the Central Coast with one of her close friends, who was also among the 20 creators attending the weekend event. The pair knew other women who were going to be there, too, through a network of similar events in California.
Called a brownbag retreat, the weekend was a dedicated period when all that guests had to think about were their sewing projects. For Papenfus, that was the best part.
“I just don’t get that very often,” she said. “If it’s not somebody wanting something, then it’s my dog. Not that I don’t love them, but just the actual time. I could literally set my own schedule and not worry about anything else.”
The Creation Station hosted visitors for three to five days of self-guided work in the large classroom-like space next door to the fabric store. Guests brought their own sewing machines and projects to work on. Some hauled in their own chairs and suitcases of materials to make sure they didn’t run out, although many found it hard to resist buying new fabrics from the shop.
“I’m very careful with shopping because I have a lot of fabric, but they had such unusual things. I don’t often see the different vendors that they had there, which was really fun from a quilting perspective,” Papenfus said. “I didn’t go to go shopping, but there’s no way you cannot.”
Retreaters can access the workspace at all hours of the day, and they come together for a potluck and Saturday night soup supper. Those who aren’t local usually lodge at nearby hotels.
When owner Dawn Farrier first opened the shop, she knew her mission was to provide a welcoming space for all kinds of crafters. Before the business moved into the building, Farrier sold fabrics out of her home because she was new to the area and wanted to meet new friends.
She sews to find a sense of peace, and it’s helped her through hard times. Plus, sewing is “cheaper than therapy,” Farrier said with a laugh.
After outgrowing the home operation, she first moved into a different retail space but ultimately found her current spot three months later. Customers have been flocking to it ever since.
“I can’t believe that we’ve made it through all of the crazy times with the economy and the pandemic, and we’re still here, which is kind of crazy,” Farrier said. “But I guess that’s the whole point of the 25 years, isn’t it?”
Building community is at the heart of Farrier’s business. She welcomes everyone inside, no matter their skill level or how frustrated they get with a project. They’ll figure it out.
Retreats allow repeat customers to bring fresh faces into the shop. At the September event, the owner said it was a fun group of ladies. Seven were new to The Creation Station.
“It was really fun to have some new blood in the room and have them travel so far. I mean, a lot of them drove six or seven hours to be here,” Farrier said.
A dozen signed up for one of the 2027 dates, she added.
Farrier credits the success of the shop to her team. She has dear friends who work with her, and each person brings a strong characteristic that balances out the rest of the crew.
“We finish each other’s sentences,” the business owner said.
Another key to The Creation Station’s success is Farrier’s husband, Patrick. He helps oversee sales of Handi Quilter longarm machines at the shop, which are the machines that sew together a quilt’s layers. They are “a big part of the quilting world,” Farrier explained.
Patrick is also a trained technician for the longarm machines, and in late September, he planned to take a business trip to Salt Lake City for advanced technical training on the newer models. Patrick is the only serviceman from Paso Robles to Ojai, his wife said. It keeps him busy.
“He really is the guy in that whole central turf. He’s got a pretty big territory,” Farrier said. “Even though we sell the machines, people who move to the area from their own dealer—wherever that is—and then we become their home dealer. … We have a lot more people that we service and clientele that we service than just our own customers that purchase machines from us.”
Running a small business has its challenges, but the Farriers wouldn’t have it any other way. Married for 34 years now, they cherish evenings together watching TV after a long workday. He sits in his chair, but her hands are always busy sewing.
“I don’t know. It’s in my blood,” she said. “I can’t sit still, and so I might as well use my powers for good.”
Staff Writer Madison White gives kudos to quilters everywhere. Reach her at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in October 1 – October 8, 2026.
