Cathy Thayer was partly joking when she mentioned a partnership to her son-in-law, Jacob. As a military wife and mother of eight, she operated a quilting business out of her basement. She named it Fabric Bash because working with fabric feels like a party. She was doing longarm quilting, which required a specialized machine, and she wanted to expand her business.
Jacob’s background in electronics provided a natural path toward business ownership, but it was a question from Cathy that set everything in motion. When she asked if he would handle repairs for her own quilt shop, he didn't hesitate.
That conversation transformed a shared vision into a successful family business. In 2019, they acquired an existing store and relocated to their current location on Portal Road in 2021. This year, they opened a second store in Rapid City, South Dakota. It’s a true family business, with several members working in the stores or behind the scenes.
Jacob is more than a repairman, of course. He and the Thayer’s son, Greg, are both general managers for the company.
“I’m the creative and the chaos,” Cathy says. Driven by a passion for the texture and artistry of quilting, she finds her greatest reward in helping others.
Cathy describes the quilting community in Papillion as generous. “You rarely hear anyone say they are making a quilt for themselves. It’s always for someone else.”
When tornadoes hit Elkhorn a couple of years ago, the quilters gathered 300 quilts and donated them to families who had suffered loss.
Quilters and sewers are also a diverse group. One retired Navy veteran began quilting at age 78. Now, at 83, he quilts at Fabric Bash so often he sometimes wears a tee-shirt that says, “Employee of the Month.”
He isn’t the only gentleman quilter. Several husbands sign up for the rental program and use the longarm machines to finish backing after their wives have pieced a quilt.
As the business grows, it is bringing jobs, customers, and opportunities to the Papillion community. Fabric Bash offers machines for sale or rent, as well as fabric, notions, and classes such as Beginner Bootcamp. A giant map on the wall shows customers from all fifty states and around the world.
Cathy isn’t in a basement anymore, either. Beyond her work at the shop, she hosts the Quilting Center podcast and serves as a national educator specializing in longarm quilting.
When the Thayers moved to Nebraska, they expected Papillion to be one stop in a military career. Instead, it became home. They are an integral part of the community's fabric and design, just like the quilts they help create.
402.884.2096 | Fabricbash.com