HAYWARD —  The Calico Hutch Quilt Shop may be in a small town, but it can definitely boast about its widespread appeal.

This weekend, the business will host 120 quilters at one of its annual retreats at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Austin. Quilters from as far away as New Hampshire and Arizona will spend the weekend attending classes, free demos and other activities.

Other retreats will take place in April and November, and there is already a waiting list for those retreats, some of which fill a year in advance.

The retreats are just one of the additions that have helped the quilting shop grow significantly since Carolyn Matson bought the store 16 years ago.

“She’s grown the shop from a tiny operation into what it is today,” said Calico Hutch employee Jessica Steinbach, who said Matson went to guilds to talk about the shop and help expand its customer base.

A variety of classes cater to anyone from beginners to advanced levels. Projects made in the classes vary from panel quilts to patchwork quilts, totes and flower wreaths. Many of the projects can either be finished before the class is over or the participant will be far enough along in the project that they should be able to finish it themselves, Steinbach said.

If not, they can always come back in and ask for assistance.

Steinbach said the staff at the shop truly want their quilters to succeed in their projects, whether they start them in a class or do their own projects at home. Customers can stop by for advice and if more assistance is needed, the customer can sign up for a Git ’er Done class, which allows customers to bring in their own projects they are having difficult with and receive assistance from a class instructor.

This class can be especially helpful for those just starting to quilt or those advancing into more difficult projects.

Steinbach said the need for the classes seems to demonstrate that more and more people, including those in younger generations, are taking an interest in doing more hands-on, do-it-yourself projects, opposed to just buying something from a store.

For information on upcoming retreats or classes, call 507-377-1163, stop by Calico Hutch Quilting Shop at 20520 810th Ave. in Hayward or visit www.calicohutchquiltshop.com.