Nestled in the lovely Blue Ridge Mountains in the quaint town of Weaverville, North Carolina, 5 Little Monkeys Quilt & Sew has carved out a niche—curating fun, funky fabrics and unique project kits you won’t find anywhere else.

“We pride ourselves on being the weirdos in the quilting world,” explains Angie Lamoree, co-owner of 5 Little Monkey along with her husband DJ. “We also specialize in nerdy things as we are big geeks!”

It’s impossible not to smile when you visit their storefront and peruse the wide variety of bolts and precuts that line the shelves. You can also expect plenty of bold, novelty prints including modern florals, awesome animals, and science symbols. A quick search of the 5 Little Monkeys website even turns up licensed offerings like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and A Christmas Story.

As impressive as their curated collection of quilting fabrics and notions, is their passion for running a family business. Angie started quilting in 2004 during a stressful time of life and discovered that her new hobby helped improve her mental health. Instantly hooked on quilting, she enthusiastically enrolled in classes to learn as much as she could. A few years later, she had acquired a Gammill longarm machine and finished quilts for others while raising five young children (the ‘five little monkeys’).

“That got me thinking about expanding into a small quilt shop,” Angie explains.

After DJ was involved in a life-altering car accident, he decided it was the right time for a career change. Angie and her husband began to discuss opening a quilt shop together.

“Looking back, once we made the decision, things fell into place rather quickly,” she says. “We found the perfect location and the rest is history!”

Serving a wide customer base, 5 Little Monkeys aims for diversity and inclusion.

“Being a young, unique person myself when I started sewing, I saw how people that were ‘different’ were treated by our community,” Angie says. “I am happy to be part of the change.” Sewists of any age, gender, or sexual orientation feel comfortable in their shop—whether they are experienced in sewing or not.

Engaging in the local community is also important to these business owners. The Lamorees have participated in school fundraisers to support the arts and science programs.

“The football team gets lots of money, but the nerds, not so much,” Angie explains.

The staff also makes and collects donation quilts for a number of local charities. “I love how generous quilters are. I feel like there is something loving that draws people to quilting. The fact that there is more joy in giving than receiving is not lost on them.”

The charity efforts get ramped up during a monthly open sew night.  “On these days, we sew from noon until midnight, with drinks, snacks, and sometimes movies,” Angie says. “Our ‘strip poker’ nights are lots of fun and a great way to get those left over strip set pieces out of your stash and into a community quilt!”

Spending face-to-face time with new quilters, Angie hopes to demystify the quilting process and help newbies to loosen up.

“We put too much pressure on ourselves for things to be finished perfectly,” she says. “I often ask people ‘What is the absolute worst thing that can happen if you mess up?’ Once they understand that no one is going to die if the fabric is cut wrong, they let go of some of that weight.”

They also use their social media channels to get some good facetime with their customers and offer video tutorials. On Monday evenings, they use Facebook Live to demonstrate different techniques like sewing on silicone and how to quilt as you go. Then on Wednesday and Friday nights, they hop on to hold sales, share what’s new in the shop and share upcoming classes and promotions.

5 Little Monkeys also hosts a monthly “PhD Challenge” via a Facebook group to encourage followers to finish “projects half done.” Passionate about her own victories over mental health, Angie and her team also emphasize balance and knowing when it’s time to let something go.

“I am also a self-proclaimed ‘hot mess’ with ADHD, and as much as I used to try to keep that part of me in private, I have found my tribe by being authentically flawed on my social media.”

Her openness resonates with customers and draws them to come back time and time again. Also, the Lamoree’s emotional support dog, Frogger, acts as a shop mascot and is frequently seen on their social media.

“Covid forced us to move into channels that were goals not yet realized, like live videos and YouTube tutorials,” Angie says. “I have had to learn many new skills almost daily and my brain is healthier for the challenges!”

Now that she has honed her teaching skills, it has become a primary focus for Angie.

“Though I see a lot of ‘hacks’ being taught online, I see very little ‘skills’ being taught,” she explains.

Angie does her best to show customers how to quilt and also explains the benefits to refining their skills—instead of just throwing something together quickly.

“My generation (X) missed out on a lot of the skills that our grandmothers had,” she adds. “I feel like if I can learn why something is done a certain way, I understand it better.”

Lately, Angie has noticed a trend of handwork like cross-stitch showing up in projects, and she’s observed her customer base looking for ways to improve their processes and ditch the “quick and dirty” sewing methods.

“We believe that crafting is a passion,” Angie says. “It is something that lives inside a person and should find its way into the world through various forms of expression.”

Through their chosen medium of fabric and sewing, the 5 Little Monkeys staff aims to help sewists of all kinds transform their thoughts into beautiful, one-of-a-kind handmade items.

Be sure to follow 5 Little Monkeys Quilt & Sew on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook!