barnsmall.jpg (16952 bytes) Basketcases Unlimited
Preserving and nurturing the spirit of American craftwork with classes in pioneer traditions since 1995.

HOME PRODUCTS QUILT FINISHING SEAT RESTORATION CLASSES HISTORY FAQ CONTACT

Frequently Asked Questions-FAQ’s

• Who are the owners of the shop?
• What do you have at the shop?
• What other services do you have?
• How can we contact your shop?
• What are your shop hours?
• Where is your shop located?
• What other attractions are in the area?

Who are the owners of the shop?
Donna S. Larson and Carolyn Birch McQuillan own Basketcases. We met in 1991 working together with at-risk youth in DeKalb County. Carolyn retired in 2006 and Donna retired in 2009. In 1995 we became Basketcases and renovated a corn crib on Carolyn’s farm. A barn was built to replace the original livestock barn and it became the workshop you visit today.
At Basketcases we are committed to preserving and nurturing the spirit of traditional craftwork. We are DeKalb County’s oldest quilt shop. We have also been apprentice white oak basketmakers to fifth generation basketmaker, Lestel Childress of Park City, Kentucky. From Lestel we learned the value of mentoring our students and keeping class sizes small so that everyone has an opportunity to learn and ask questions.
We offer quality goods and services at reasonable prices. We want our customers to enjoy their visit, to learn more about pioneer traditions, and to plan to return for shopping, classes, or other services. Our customers almost always comment on how quiet and peaceful the environment is in the country. It is a little way to travel, but it is worth the ride.

What do you have at the shop?
Basketcases is a cooperative venture selling quilt supplies, supplies for making baskets, handmade baskets, wool for appliqué and hooking, some herbs, spices, and fair trade products i.e. coffee, tea, hot chocolate. We also have supplies for chair seat re-weaving like cane, rush, and shaker tape. We have locally produced handmade soap and an assortment of locally produced special products.

What other services do you have?
We offer classes in piecing quilt tops, hand quilting, learning to sew, handcrafts such as embroidery, tatting, wool appliqué, chair caning, shaker tape seat weaving, and basket weaving. We also own and operate 2 Gammill Longarm Quilting Machines one with a Statler Stitcher. We offer machine quilting services to customers who need their quilt tops finished.

How can we contact your shop?
Basketcases Unlimited, Inc.
26271 Malta Road
Clare, IL 60111-9123
Phone—815.393.3414
Website—basketcasesunlimited.com
Email—basketcasesunlimited@comcast.net or basketcasesunlimited@t6b.com

What are your shop hours?
Business Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday--10am-6pm
Wednesday—closed
Saturday—9am-4pm
Sunday—noon-4pm
(We close on Sunday during the summer to cut grass and pick weeds. From Memorial Day-Labor Day the shop is closed on Sunday.)

Where is your shop located?
Basketcases is located 1 mile north of Route 64 on Malta Road in rural DeKalb County IL. The town of Clare has 50 residents, a grain elevator, and a post office. Clare is about 10 miles west of the City of Sycamore which is also the home of the historic county courthouse. Kishwaukee College and Northern Illinois University are just a few miles away in DeKalb and Rockford is a 30 minute drive.

What other attractions are in the area?
Attractions and annual events in the surrounding area include:

DeKalb
• Egyptian Theatre
• Stage Coach Players
• Ellwood House Museum—1880’s home of the inventor of barbed wire
• Weekly summer music concerts at Hopkins Park—Tuesday nights
• Corn Fest (August)
• Afton Prairie Preserve
• Northern Illinois University
• Elmwood Cemetery—many local civil war veterans are buried there

Sycamore
• Pumpkin Fest (last weekend in October)
• Steam Power Show (August)
• Midwest Museum of Natural History
• Underground Railroad House Walk

Genoa
• Pioneer Days—4th Sunday in August
• Kishwaukee Valley Historical Society and Museum

Sandwich
• Sandwich Fair—the week after Labor Day
• Historic Opera House
• Sandwich Antique Fair—the 4th Sunday of each month from April-October

And as always we are proud to be underwriters of our local National Public Radio stations WNIU and WNIJ.

Basketcases Unlimited
26271 Malta Road * Clare, Illinois 60111-9123 * 815.393.3414
Shop Hours: Monday*, Tuesday*, Thursday*,Friday 10 am-6 pm
Saturday 9 am-4 pm, Sunday noon-4 pm, Closed Wednesdays
Closed Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day
*Poker players can stay until 9 pm with advance notice.
basketcasesunlimited@comcast.net