Apply that old adage to the Blackfoot Trading Post east of Bonner, where Dean Souders can be found amid 2,000 bolts of polychromatic fabric, and prepare to be transported to a dazzling galaxy brimming with Montana-themed constellations. Souders discovered that the dexterity and coordination required to run an acetylene torch is remarkably similar to the finesse of quilting. The hand-guided sewing machine head has handles and a laser pointer, which Souders uses to guide the needle along various patterns. But quilting is their bread and butter, Souders says, and in a quilt-crazy state like Montana, you’ve got to have a niche to stand out. He’s collected the secondhand items over the years, and since an entire corner of the shop is currently empty, Souders figures he’ll put them up for sale.

Tags: machine quilting, , souders, quilting patterns, bonner, long arm quilting machines