In a cozy home studio nestled above her garage, Stephanie Conner moves effortlessly between her longarm machine and shelves bursting with vibrant fabrics. The hum of the machine lingers in the background as Stephanie expertly adorns quilts that keep her community warm during Alaska’s long, chilly winters. Welcome to The Blissful Bobbin, Fairbanks’ newest quilting haven, where creativity and comfort intersect.
Stephanie descends from a family of sewists. Her grandmothers were skilled garment makers, her mother and aunts avid sewers. However, she felt intimidated by the machine as a young girl. Her quilting journey would later begin during a significant turning point in her life. While navigating personal challenges, she decided to pay her aunts an extended visit. They lovingly introduced her to quilting, feeling that it would be a supportive outlet for her. “It was like a reset,” Stephanie said, recalling the therapeutic rhythm of stitching that guided her through a time of emotional turbulence. Shortly thereafter, she joined a guild as a way to deepen both her newfound interest and her technical skills.
After her husband Alan Conner’s military career brought them from El Paso, Texas, back home to Fairbanks in 2020, Stephanie quickly embedded herself into the local quilting community, working at Northern Threads, the city’s beloved quilt shop. It was there that she honed her longarming skills, mastering edge-to-edge computerized quilting and exploring free-motion techniques. (Stephanie jokes that she sticks with longarming because it is something she could do every day without getting sick of it).
Despite this passion, she never intended to start a full business that focused on quilting. But upon learning that Northern Threads faced closure, Stephanie’s entrepreneurial spirit kicked in, driven by the void that the store’s absence would leave. She was unable to purchase the store, so she opted to turn the area above her home garage into The Blissful Bobbin in 2024.
The Blissful Bobbin is more than a business—it’s a family dream in the making. Alan pitches in, repairing sewing machines, while their albino shop cat, Winter, greets visitors with vocal demands for affection. Depending on the day, you may even encounter Stephanie’s mother or sister offering support with stock or customers. She notes that Alaska’s long winters with limited daylight naturally draw local quilters to bright, bold colors that can bring some levity to the darker months. Other popular purchases include fabrics and kits that reflect the outdoors and nature, along with cuddly or minky backings because of their added warmth.
Stephanie hopes people see The Blissful Bobbin as more than just a home for fabric, notions, and supplies. She wants it to be a point of connection. In a region dotted with remote villages and transient military families, Stephanie sees quilting as a way to bridge gaps and build relationships. She hopes to continue creating spaces where younger quilters and Native artists can share and celebrate their cultures through quiltmaking. “I feel like we’re becoming a stepping stone for the next generation of quilters,” she said.
Stephanie eagerly hosts “open sew” days, welcoming both experienced and novice quilters. She dreams of future outdoor quilting events in her garden and expanding her free-motion longarm skills as The Blissful Bobbin grows. Most importantly, she looks forward to being able to fully employ her mother, who has spent years as a dedicated caregiver for her father. “I’m really still figuring things out,” she said, while reflecting on her first year of business, “but I’m proud of what we’ve done so far.”
Sharbreon Plummer, PhD, began writing for Quiltfolk in 2021. She is an independent researcher, curator, and writer with 15 years of experience in the arts and culture sector. Her research focuses on textile traditions, artistic production, and folkways connected to Black life, especially within the South. She has facilitated and presented work at institutions such as Project Row Houses, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, Rhode Island School of Design, Americans for the Arts, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Princeton University, and several others. Find more of her work on her website and her instagram.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive offers, news, and more!
