Dawn Reitz has been “absolutely astounded” by the growth her store has experienced since opening here in May.

Owner of The Quilt Lady store located at 206 North Main St. in Kingfi sher, Reitz was the guest speaker of the Kingfisher Lions Club last week.

“Quilting is a passion for me. I stay up late and get up early with quilting on my mind,” she said. “And I have discovered I’m not alone in this.”

Reitz opened her store with an inventory of approximately 300 bolts of quilt fabric and she said her inventory is now well over 1,200 bolts.

She noted that she didn’t go into the business venture blind.

“Quilting and crafting is a $36 billion industry,” she said. “It’s been my hobby for some time and so I was very aware of how the industry works.”

She said she’s traveled to other quilt stores across the nation and she had a “pretty good idea” that folks would find her. She said that has “very much” been the case.

Reitz said customers not only come from Oklahoma, but also from Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, New Mexico and other states as well.

She said her inventory is expanding rapidly and she stays very busy teaching classes and providing assistance and advice to both beginners and advanced quilters.

“I absolutely love it, everything about it,” she said. “I consider myself to be so blessed to be in an industry and be able to make a living at what I love doing. And it’s great for Kingfisher as well. Folks would be amazed at the customers who are traveling to Kingfisher to spend their dollars here.”

She said social media and word of mouth bring customers to her store.

“We’re on Facebook and I have an Instagram account,” she said. “And people who have quilting as a hobby, just seem to be able to fi nd us.”

Reitz was introduced by Lions Club member Mike Combs, who arranged for the presentation.