Margaret's Memories a 'dream come true'
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
Sharon Fulkerson’s lifelong dream was realized on June 15, 2009. One year later, Margaret’s Memories has flourished into a successful business for local craftsmen to purchase sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery, and cross-stitch materials.
The dream began when Fulkerson was a young girl. Raising five children, Fulkerson’s mother, Margaret O’Cull, turned to knitting and
crochet to help her husband support the family and pay for their
children’s education. O’Cull sold handmade quilts, afghans, and crocheted dolls, and Fulkerson said that her mother’s doll clothes were especially popular.
“She’d get dolls and make a layette for them and then sell the whole set at Christmas time,” Fulkerson said.
Fulkerson added that customers would order items in advance for her mother to make, especially around Christmas.
“She never had a store, but she always said, ‘Sharon, we need to have a store,’” said Fulkerson. “But I worked outside the home.”
Fulkerson is the proud mother of three children and has one
granddaughter, and seven grandsons. She was employed in an accounting position for 35 years, then became licensed to work in a nursing home and served as the activities director for The Laurels of Hillsboro for six years.
After volunteering for Hospice of Hope, Fulkerson was hired for a part-time receptionist position at their Hillsboro office,
allowing her enough time to pursue her goal of owning a yarn and craft store.
“I knew I had to start this before I got too old,” she said.
Today, Fulkerson sells yarn and needles, embroidery floss,
cross-stitch materials, crochet thread for doilies, and a variety of other knitting and sewing “notions.” Fulkerson’s yarn and needles are high-quality items ordered from Germany. In order to honor her mother’s dream
and the years O’Cull spent dedicated to selling handmade goods to benefit her children, Fulkerson decided to name the store Margaret’s Memories and opened the store on June 15, 2009, which would have been her mother’s birthday.
“I’m just sorry I didn’t start it while my mother was still living, but I’m sure she’s smiling down on me,” Fulkerson said.
Handmade gifts, including washcloths, baby clothes, and other gifts for babies made by local artists Karin Anderson and Susan Davis are also available at Margaret’s Memories.
In addition to selling crafts and supplies, Fulkerson teaches knitting classes at her store and hosts “Knitting On the Beech,” a Wednesday “knit night.”
To commemorate the store’s first anniversary, Fulkerson plans to donate 15 percent of all sales from June 15-19 to Got Forgiveness?, a charity comprised of 17 area churches assisting local people with food,
utility shut-off interception, and eviction prevention, according to their official website.
One year later, Fulkerson said that she has greatly enjoyed owning her own yarn store, and she has been pleasantly surprised by the store’s success, especially during what she describes as the busiest sewing months, September through March.
“Really, I think it’s important that we do buy locally,” Fulkerson said. “Locally, (businesses) stand behind their service. I’m not going to the big
corporate chains.”
With much joy at finally reaching the goals that she and her mother shared, Fulkerson feels blessed to celebrate her first anniversary at her craft store, working with people who share an interest in knitting
and sewing, something that she has loved her entire life.
“The experience has been very rewarding,” Fulkerson said. “I’m very pleased. I don’t have [customers] beating down the doors, but I’ve met a lot of new friends and I’ve gotten re-acquainted with old friends.”[[In-content Ad]]
The dream began when Fulkerson was a young girl. Raising five children, Fulkerson’s mother, Margaret O’Cull, turned to knitting and
crochet to help her husband support the family and pay for their
children’s education. O’Cull sold handmade quilts, afghans, and crocheted dolls, and Fulkerson said that her mother’s doll clothes were especially popular.
“She’d get dolls and make a layette for them and then sell the whole set at Christmas time,” Fulkerson said.
Fulkerson added that customers would order items in advance for her mother to make, especially around Christmas.
“She never had a store, but she always said, ‘Sharon, we need to have a store,’” said Fulkerson. “But I worked outside the home.”
Fulkerson is the proud mother of three children and has one
granddaughter, and seven grandsons. She was employed in an accounting position for 35 years, then became licensed to work in a nursing home and served as the activities director for The Laurels of Hillsboro for six years.
After volunteering for Hospice of Hope, Fulkerson was hired for a part-time receptionist position at their Hillsboro office,
allowing her enough time to pursue her goal of owning a yarn and craft store.
“I knew I had to start this before I got too old,” she said.
Today, Fulkerson sells yarn and needles, embroidery floss,
cross-stitch materials, crochet thread for doilies, and a variety of other knitting and sewing “notions.” Fulkerson’s yarn and needles are high-quality items ordered from Germany. In order to honor her mother’s dream
and the years O’Cull spent dedicated to selling handmade goods to benefit her children, Fulkerson decided to name the store Margaret’s Memories and opened the store on June 15, 2009, which would have been her mother’s birthday.
“I’m just sorry I didn’t start it while my mother was still living, but I’m sure she’s smiling down on me,” Fulkerson said.
Handmade gifts, including washcloths, baby clothes, and other gifts for babies made by local artists Karin Anderson and Susan Davis are also available at Margaret’s Memories.
In addition to selling crafts and supplies, Fulkerson teaches knitting classes at her store and hosts “Knitting On the Beech,” a Wednesday “knit night.”
To commemorate the store’s first anniversary, Fulkerson plans to donate 15 percent of all sales from June 15-19 to Got Forgiveness?, a charity comprised of 17 area churches assisting local people with food,
utility shut-off interception, and eviction prevention, according to their official website.
One year later, Fulkerson said that she has greatly enjoyed owning her own yarn store, and she has been pleasantly surprised by the store’s success, especially during what she describes as the busiest sewing months, September through March.
“Really, I think it’s important that we do buy locally,” Fulkerson said. “Locally, (businesses) stand behind their service. I’m not going to the big
corporate chains.”
With much joy at finally reaching the goals that she and her mother shared, Fulkerson feels blessed to celebrate her first anniversary at her craft store, working with people who share an interest in knitting
and sewing, something that she has loved her entire life.
“The experience has been very rewarding,” Fulkerson said. “I’m very pleased. I don’t have [customers] beating down the doors, but I’ve met a lot of new friends and I’ve gotten re-acquainted with old friends.”[[In-content Ad]]