Retired nurse finds second career as quilt shop owner

Cheryl Hentz

Contributor

February 2, 2026

WOODRUFF – According to Nancy Gerum, owner of Sassy Girl Quilt Shop, quilting has evolved into a modern art form – one that embraces modern technology alongside traditional techniques.

Today’s quilts, she said, feature bold colors and graphic patterns and are made for everything from wall hangings to table runners, not just beds.

Gerum, who has been quilting for 15 years, said she hopes to share her knowledge with newcomers and anyone interested in learning the craft.

Stitched beginnings

Gerum said her interest in quilting began when she spotted a quilt shop in a local strip mall while running errands on her day off.

“I went in, and I liked all the different fabrics,” she said. 

Curious, Gerum said she asked the woman working there how to quilt.

“She handed me a CD she had made, along with a bunch of fabric and told me to go try it,” she said. “I got hooked, just like that. That’s the experience and passion I would like to pass along to other people.”

Though the 72-year-old Gerum said she spent 36 years working in nursing – 14 of which were as a nurse practitioner in the oncology field – her personal passion was always drawn to fabric, color and design.

According to sassygirlquiltshop.com, Gerum views quilting as more than a hobby, describing it as therapy, storytelling and joy all stitched together.

Opening a quilt shop, the website states, was the natural way for her to bring that passion to others.

A self-described Type A, Gerum said she knew she couldn’t just sit at home after retirement, and her love of quilting and fabric meant she could never pass up a chance to add to her collection.

“Which means I have a huge stash at home,” she said. “My thought was when I retired, I would have all this fabric, and I could make quilts. Instead, I started this business. But I’m surrounded by fabric, and I love it.”

Filling the gap

When she moved to the Woodruff/Minocqua area in 2020, Gerum said there were two quilt shops nearby – one in Tomahawk and one in Rhinelander – but both have since closed.

“So, anybody in this area either would have to go to Ironwood or down to Wausau, and those are kind of long hikes for someone to make,” she said. “So, I thought since I was kind of in the middle of the two, it would be a good place to put a quilt shop.”

Because winter in the Northwoods can be unpredictable and bad weather can keep customers away, Gerum said she originally aimed to open her doors in September.

However, she said securing loans from the Central Wisconsin Economic Development Fund and the Oneida County Economic Development Corporation took longer than expected – pushing the opening until November. 

Delaying until warmer weather, however, Gerum said, risked losing the space.

“It was kind of dependent on who would give me a loan and when,” she said. “I couldn’t afford to risk that. This is a perfect space. Several suites had been vacant for quite a while, and then all of a sudden, people were starting to rent them. I’d looked at other places in the area, and they just weren’t as good. They were either too big, were more expensive, didn’t have enough light or were too far out of the way. So, this is the perfect site.” 

However, even with the later-than-planned opening, Gerum said Nov. 19 proved to be a busy day, with about 60 people stopping in.

Though she anticipated slower business during the winter and prepared for it, she said she expects things to improve once snowbirds return and tourist season gets underway.

For now, Gerum said those who do come in are happy to have the shop in the area.

‘Sassy Girls Club’

Gerum said the 2,100-square-foot space she now occupies – along with the unit next door – had been used for storage before she moved in.

When she first viewed it, she said it immediately spoke to her.

“It had so many windows and was really bright,” she said. “You want a lot of natural light to show off fabric because fluorescent light changes the way colors look. So, this is an ideal place. Plus, we’re in an office building right off Highway 47, so it’s easy to find and get to.”

As for the shop’s name, Gerum said it was inspired by her mother, who often described her as “sassy” when she was young.

She said the name was also inspired by a friend she met while working with the woman’s daughter during her time as a nurse practitioner.

Gerum said the two were polar opposites – the mother was easygoing and didn’t mind off-color humor, while the daughter often joked that Gerum was being “sassy” whenever she commented.

Over time, she said the nickname stuck, and one of the nurses even brought in a sign that read “Sassy Girls Club.”

“So, when I was looking for names, ‘Sassy Girl’ was what immediately came to mind,” she said.

Quilting mentor

A longtime customer of Sew Smart in Wausau, Gerum said owner Mary Wilke has been a major help since well before she opened her doors.

“I’ve been a customer of hers for a long time,” she said. “I was a customer at her Rhinelander store before she closed it, then I started going to her Wausau store.”

Gerum said when she called Wilke with questions about opening and managing a quilt shop, she proved to be an invaluable source of guidance and support.

“She’s given me a lot of hints and a lot of wonderful advice,” she said. “She gave me a whole list of vendors I could contact and have them get me on their lists, so they would come and show me their products that I could buy. She’s been very helpful.”

Since she had never worked in a quilt shop before, Gerum said Wilke has been especially informative and a fantastic mentor.

“She’s willing to share and is not worried about competition, [because we’re not in the same area],” she said. “But she drove through this area and said it definitely needed a quilt shop.”

Clubs and hops

Gerum said she has mapped out an extensive marketing plan for Sassy Girl.

Each Wednesday, the shop holds an Open Sew, giving participants a place to work on their projects with like-minded crafters.

Gerum said she provides water, a cutting table and an ironing board – with the $10 fee going toward any store purchases.

The plan, she said, is to start a Table Runner of the Month Club this month and host a Block of the Month Club starting in March or April.

Both clubs, Gerum said, are designed to guide participants through projects, while offering a creative, hands-on way to learn or refine quilting skills.

Each month, she said, Block of the Month Club participants receive materials and instructions to complete a block each month.

“They have a month to do it,” she said. “There are so many months that people participate, and then at the end, they put it all together into a quilt.” 

In March, Gerum said Sassy Girl will join a 13-county quilt shop hop featuring stores across Central and northern Wisconsin.

“When you go on a quilt shop hop, each shop provides something that you need to make a quilt,” she said. “And it’s all different stuff, which is the purpose of visiting all these different shops.”

To celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday, she said each shop owner chose a state from the original 13 colonies.

Gerum said she selected Rhode Island and based her pattern on an Amish star.

Participants of the shop hop, she said, will visit the 13 local shops, collecting stamps/stickers, exclusive patterns/fabrics and entering prize drawings. 

Gerum said shop owners provide buses to take people from one shop to another, with a meal included. 

People can drive themselves if they prefer, but Gerum said riding the bus is usually more fun.

Final details for the shop hop will be posted on the Sassy Girl website soon.

Later in the year, Gerum said she will participate in the All Wisconsin Quilt Shop Hop, which typically runs in September and October.

She said she also plans to hold a grand opening in April or May, once the “snowbirds” have returned.

Local shop advantages

Gerum said though there are many places online to buy fabric, it’s not always the best way to shop.

Seeing a picture online, she said, doesn’t always reflect the true colors, and shoppers can’t feel the material.

“So, it’s really nice to come into a store and be able to look at the material and feel it,” she said.

Gerum said quilt shop fabrics also tend to be more durable and fade-resistant than some mass-produced options. 

Though the shop doesn’t currently offer online ordering, Gerum said she can ship items to customers who call ahead.

Sassy Girl Quilt Shop’s winter hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday – with additional hours potentially being added during the summer.

Gerum said she hopes Sassy Girl – located at 715 1st Ave., Suite 1 – will be a community hub where people can sew, have fun and pick up supplies.

“I love fabric, and my main purpose is to pass that along to people,” she said.