Ilwaco fabric store promises colorful creativity: Owner eager to share in downtown resurgence

Published 9:11 am Friday, August 23, 2024

Hand piecing, as displayed in the hanging quilt behind her, is the personal preference of Kari Kosa who has opened Cotton Lilly Fabrics, at 118 First Ave. S, Ilwaco. “We all have our busy lives, but it gives us a chance to slow down,” she said.

Ilwaco’s business community is enjoying a resurgence.

And Kari Kosa is excited to be part of it.

She has opened Cotton Lilly Fabrics, at 118 First Ave. S, Ilwaco.

“It has taken us five years to find a retail space that was a good fit,” she said. “This one called my name.”

Having begun with online sales, which will continue, she decided the time was right to add a brick-and-mortar store. It opened in May.

More Information

More Information

Cotton Lilly Fabrics

118 First Ave. S, Ilwaco

Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Closed Wednesday and Thursday). Winter hours begin in November, with the store closing at 4 p.m. and also closed Tuesdays.

360-777-3348

cottonlillyfabrics@gmail.com

www.cottonlillyfabrics.com

“The energy that Ilwaco is displaying right now is something I am really feeling and I want to be a part in all this,” she said. “It feels like it’s the beginning of something!”

The store, which takes its name from her rat terrier, has adopted a fox marketing logo. Its opening hours are Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays plus weekends. Kosa works in the store with her mother, Tomi Jean, who has a background in retail and textiles.

Their store sells fabric for quilters and garment-makers, plus related items like thread and quilt and garment patterns. It offers vintage fabric from 2007 to 2010 which is no longer in print. Designer names include Alexander Henry, Robert Kaufman and Moda; the store offers rare Lucien supplies from Japan.

There is an array of fat quarters (pre-cut fabric 18 inches by 22 inches); unlike some fabric retailers, they are willing to cut one-quarter yard pieces, if requested.

Classes forthcoming

But the colorful storefront displaying bolts of fabric and completed quilts is only part of the business. Kosa is gearing up to host classes in the fall and winter in the spacious rear portion of the building.

She has a degree in art history from Washington State University and enjoyed learning fiber arts during her student days — often the only younger person in a class of mature women.

“We like the community involvement,” said Kosa. “We are excited to have the workshops so people can learn from each other.”

Both she and her mother hope students of all ages will be drawn to their classes to learn traditional fiber arts — especially a younger demographic.

“It is not taught in school any more, but it is such a rewarding craft,” said Tomi Jean, also a WSU alum. “It is sad, because it seems like it is a dying thing, it really is.”

Ilwaco proud

Kosa has lived in Ilwaco for nine years and has three college-age daughters. Madyson, who is studying computer coding at the University of Phoenix, works as a nail technician at the Azure salon next door to the store; sisters Isobell and Lucille are studying biology and nursing respectively at Lower Columbia College in Longview.

Pull Quote

‘We want to be able to serve the community. We want to be a kind of hub for people to come in. It is very social.’

Tomi Jean, Kari Kosa’s mom

Kosa’s own creative preference is hand quilting: a king-sized quilt hanging behind the serving counter attests to her skill and patience. “I like scraps,” she said. “It’s traditional, and you can sit on the couch and do it. It is very rewarding, and you can even do it when traveling. We all have our busy lives, but it gives us a chance to slow down.”

An additional feature at the store is consignment offerings featuring dye on silk fabric artwork by Lori Holliday of Kelso.

“We want to be able to serve the community,” said Tomi Jean. “We want to be a kind of hub for people to come in. It is very social.”

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