This weekend, I went to the quilt shop in Galena IL. It was my first visit.
I found a few civil war fabrics to add to my stash. Not sure I will make the time to go back as they didn't have any pre-cuts, solids, Moda, Free Spirit, Micheal Miller or really any other fabrics I was interested in.
Not trying to be rude here, just honest.
Have you had this type of experience with a quilt shop before?
kinda of bummed after you get there?
23 comments:
Yup. The vast troves of fabric on the internet make these sweet little shops pale in comparison. It's sad.
Yes. When I lived in Southern MO I was so excited that there were two quilt shops right there in my new town. Neither carried Moda, Kauffman or any other big name. No pre-cuts. BOTH had the same stuff that I could buy at Wal-Mart.
Then, when I moved here I was so excited to move near 4 shops. One is owned by a well-known fabric designer...and she pretty much only specializes in her stuff. Another only handles pre-cuts. Getting matching yardages is a problem sometimes. A third deals mainly in wool and primitive. The fourth has a variety of nice yardages, but very few pre-cuts. It's much easier to find everything I want all in one place on the net; but I'd rather find them in person!!
Yes! Happened just this weekend. I walked out empty handed.
Yes, but at least now you know what they have for future reference.
OH yeah, Illinois is not the place for Innocent Crush lovers. There is a decent shop in Rockford called Acorn quilts--Leslie has a nice mix (Marcia Derse, Michael Miller, civil war stuff) but no precuts (oh, and almost all of Dewberry's line is at least 40% off--she's got an awesome sale room). Another one in Rockford is It's For Quilting, LLC. The carry Fassett, Butler, Tula Pink, as well as art quilt supplies like fibers and paint sticks. Really small though. And they hover. Which makes me feel nervous. Take to the internet my friend!
I have had several of those experiences. the "well you cater to a specific croud that I am not a part of, but yes this is a lovely shop." Most were discovered durring the Western Washington Shop Hop's, then there are the others where it's like "did you live in my imaginary shop in my head and bring it to life?" and I'd drive four or so hours just to go to again!
I have actually been to that shop in galena. It was about 10 years ago, though. At that time, it was a darling shop. They had all sorts of fabric, and were rolling bundles of fat quarters, even at that time. They had Buckets filled with various sizes of yo-yo's for 25 cents. Maybe it's changed hands since then? It was darling at the time.
YES! I actually walked into one and only to turn around to walk right back out. It's very disappointing when you're going for the atmosphere and the heavenly fabric experience. LOL. :-)
Yep, each store has it's own "personality". There's two close-by, and one doesn't cut it for me.
Oh Yes! I live in Northern Ontario, there is ONE quilt shop in my town who has vast amounts of gorgeous fabric...none of which is by any of the designers that get named on all the blogs and one Canadian chain fabric store with the same lack of designers. I think the saddest one I went to was a four and a half hour drive into "no where" Michigan to a shop who advertised fabulously on the internet but upon arrival had an 8 foot shelf (and I am being generous here) with mixed fabrics on it! The kids and I looked for a minute to see if there was anything we could pick up and then smiled and left! When we got to the car my daughter said, "That is really sad Mamma, you have more fabric than her whole store." That about sums up that visit!
Oh those are the small out of the way shops but what do you think of the ones that have sooooo much fabric you can hardly walk through? that is a nightmare too. Overload is what you feel like.Quilter000
Oh yeah! You go in with such high hopes and totally disappointed. Kinda like when you were a kid at Christmas and you got a gift you didn't want.
Yeah, sometimes it seems like the fabrics don't change...they do get new lines in, but not the ones I want. =)
definitely! but I live in Canada and designer lines are terribly expensive (like AMy butler is 14.99 a metre= $14.99 for yard and a 1/4)
so it's not even worth it for me to worry about it. I just order on line :)
Yes. The "local" one for me. It's a 10 minute drive from my house and I avoid it. She gets NONE of the new Moda lines. Hardly any precuts. I pass it on by. I would rather drive the 20+ minutes to the next one. It's disappointing.
Oh man, I have so been there. My BFF and I made a special trip to one about an hour and a half away. One of the Ten Best Quilt Shops in America they say. Maybe their classes put them there because their fabric selection sure didn't. I've never seen so much open space in a quilt shop. No fabrics there that aren't in the place five minutes from me and a stuffy staff. We'd rather shop online or at our closer LQS places.
I have that problem here with all the shops. They don't carry a darn thing I like or want. We had some awesome shops in Southern Ca but here in St. Louis it just isn't happening for me. :-(
I do like what you bought though.
I visited one quilt shop that so many had been raving about. Even a designer who travels the world over said it was her favorite quilt shop anywhere. Lovely shop with the dearest people, but I didn't find one thing that spoke to me. Then, there is a quilt shop in Lovington, NM - tiny little wisp of a town, and I always find lots of 'must haves' there. There is so much fabric out there that I think its impossible for one shop to carry everything and I love exploring new shops wherever I go.
Unfortunately, I have. I do realize each quilt store wants to offer a unique style and may not have something for everyone. But pre-cuts are so darn popular and a great way for stores to sell fabric it baffles me when I walk into a store that doesn't have pre-cuts. And even worse, when there is a quilt run with a busy shop and one person cutting fabric and no pre-cuts.
I wonder if these shops really ever ask their customers what their customers want to see (changed)?
Great SEW-BIZ post! Would be good for more quilt store owners to read blogs. Maybe this is why so many oneline stores are doing so well....they read blogs!
SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
My LQS buys the same types of fabric over and over again. I have asked if they would please carry some Freespirit fabric and the answer was, "I don't have a salesperson". I'll bet if they made a phone call, they could get a response from a salesperson. It's very discouraging...
As a former quilt shop owner, I can tell you that sometimes you just can't afford to stock precuts and bolts too...and sometimes you can't afford to even cut fq's and then have to practically give them away if they don't move...there's a fine line between staying open and catering to everyone's desires...especially for a small (less than 5000 bolts in a small town).
Additionally, each mfg has a minimum $$$ order, so it isn't like a shop owner can order just one or two bolts that a customer wants. Sometimes it is impossible to spend $200-$300 just to get something in that someone may want. Lots of shops have to really streamline their lines and stock the varieties that most of their clientele shop for.
I think we all have entered that quilt shop where we knew we would not be back. It is a shame!
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