Love of history turned into glamorous business

Business ventures come out of all kinds of quirks.

For Margo Krager, a love of history combined with a love of
quilting led to the creation of http://www.Reproductionfabrics.com —
her online store with more than 1,000 different cotton
fabrics in authentic prints from 1775 through 1950.

By KAYLEY MENDENHALL Chronicle Staff Writer

"We sell reproduction cotton fabrics," Krager, 55, said.
"Fabrics that were printed this year, but they look like they
were printed in 1775 or 1810."

The fabrics are used throughout the world to replicate and
repair quilts or create a sense of era for living history
museums. Krager’s selection of fabrics has been used in
television shows like "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman," and
many movies. At the moment, she is working with the
producers of a new movie called, "Cold Mountain," about
the Civil War starring Nicole Kidman at the moment.

"We try to act real calm when these people call," Krager
said as one of her employees reported a phone call from Miramax Studios. "We get 10 to 15
e-mails a day."

The messages range from college students looking for fabrics for history projects to National
Park Service employees in need of costumes for historical roles.

Krager buys most of her fabrics from other companies but she also recently produced her own
line of prints called "Dargate Doubles." A few years ago she purchased an authenticated 1830s
book of fabric samples she said may have been owned by a fabric salesman.

"A year ago January, a gentleman called me and said, ‘Would you like to reproduce some of
those prints?’" Krager said. "He was the broker between me as the designer and a firm in Japan
who printed them."

Just two weeks ago, Krager received the first shipment of her reproductions. Some community
members are making a quilt and an 1830s-style dress from one of the prints to celebrate the
new line.

"I have been very particular about getting it exact," Krager said. "The 1830s, in dresses and
fabrics, it was a very romantic time."

For Krager, recreating history is all part of the fun. As a graduate student at Montana State
University in the history department, she brings enthusiasm and knowledge to her work. She
graduated with a degree in medical technology in 1971 and worked in that field for many years
before making a switch.

"I tell people I changed needles," she said.

Most of Krager’s business is conducted on-line, but she also has a brick and mortar store called
Patchworks tucked next to the Bozeman Creek on East Mendenhall Street. The store will go for
a week without any customers walking in, but visits from regulars like Rose Toth are always
appreciated.

"I didn’t actually like reproduction fabrics to begin with," Toth said. "I’ve been quilting for 20
years. I used to use whatever the newest stuff was coming out. I suddenly discovered
reproduction fabrics. They are cozy. They remind me of my childhood more than anything
that’s new."

Quilters alone probably couldn’t support the business, because Toth said those who use
reproduction fabrics are only a subset of the quilting community. But by supplying fabrics for
historical purposes, Krager has created a prosperous business niche.

"It’s very important when you are trying to set a scene to have exactly the right prints," said
Margaret Woods, textiles curator at the Museum of the Rockies. "In the Tinsley House, we ask
the volunteers who work their to use authentic fabrics."

The Tinsley House is used by the museum to show what life was like for homesteaders on the
frontier. Woods said the costumes volunteers wear are worked in and worn out. They need
authentic patterns and fabrics to create the frontier feeling.

"I used to have to send away for them, but now I can get them right here in town," Woods said.
"Margo is very enterprising. She is interested in fabrics and their history."

Kayley Mendenhall is at [email protected]

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