Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Frustration!

Thank you all so much for the kind comments about the tour of my area. I've always had an interest in history, and it's fun to find there is so much significant history that took place locally.

So now, I am returning to my quilting blog.

But I am frustrated! I've signed up for Schnibbles, where we make a new project each month designed by Carrie Nelson. I found a charm pack of Glace by Three Sisters while we were on our trip to North Carolina. Fully assuming that I would be able to find coordinating fabric when I got home.

NOT!

I have called every quilt shop within an hours drive, and no one, NOT ONE quilt shop carries Glace!!!

So what's a girl to do?? I could order it online, but now I will have to wait and I'm running out of time.

Does anyone else have this problem where you live?? I've noticed more and more that the quilt shops in our area do not carry a lot of the beautiful fabrics that I see online. No Tula Pink, less and less of the traditional fabrics. I guess because we live in a tropical area the LQS feel they have to carry a LOT of batiks and novelty prints. When I've visited my BFF in Ohio I am so amazed at all the fabric collections they carry that I LOVE!

Any suggestions??

20 comments:

Mandy said...

I have to order everything online too! Our LQS only carry Nortcott and other names but NO MODA! If they do it's just a bolt and not a full collection.

So I usually shop online and just hope for the best regarding customs!

Anonymous said...

I work at a Quilt Shop, and I still have lots of trouble finding a large enough variety. Luckily, I travel a lot, so I get chances to shop elsewhere. When I simply cannot find what I want, I order online, or wait until I can shop. In this case, if you're out of time, online looks like your only option. If I had any, I'd send it to you myself, because I know how frustrating that is!

At any given shop, you are subject to the whims and tastes of the owner or resident fabric purchaser. I love the shop where I work, and my boss has good taste, but money and space for inventory keeps us from carrying just everything, so the shop owner's favorites take precedence. I would love for our shop to have Kaffe and Amy Butler and Chez Moi and Tula Pink, but it's not possible for most shops to have it all, unfortunately. Don't you wish they could all have all of it? Wouldn't that truly be the quilter's Paradise?

Karen said...

I too have this problem as they carry the lines they like-which I often like too but no Robin Pandolph or no pre-cuts of a line I really like. I am so glad I do have the internet for that reason. I do patronize my LQSs first though.

LyndaG said...

I share your frustration -- however, today I did find a shop that carries a lot of Moda - full line of Glace - and had my order in the mail by noon. http://www.cottoncharm.com/servlet/Categories

I also ordered the kit from The Quilt Shoppe that was included as sponsor in the project.

Quick thank you for the tour as well - my brother lives in Tampa and I will certainly include some of your snaps in my next visit.

Crispy said...

I also have problems with that but amazingly, 3 or the 4 quilt shops try very hard to carry a different line than the other has so at least you know where to go for a certain "flavor" in fabrics. These are all smaller shops so sometimes I do have to resort to the internet.

Crispy

Micki said...

Our local shops are the shame, and I order much of what I need online. Good luck with finding yours.
Micki

Colleen said...

I too order most of my fabrics online. We have two small quilt stores locally but the inventory does not change too often. I really like Hancock's of Paducah because they have a wonderful catalog. It is updated several times a year so with each order I receive a new catalog. With my Batik Puzzle quilt I used an older catalog to cut out paper swatches to use for my planning. It helped a lot to see the choices I liked side by side.

Karen from Sew Many Ways... said...

I so agree with you. We have a small shop in our town, but they don't have much and definitely no Moda. There is one 30 minutes away and they do have more, but not every collection of Moda. They also don't have any of the pre-cuts. My dream is to open a shop and have all the popular fabrics in the whole line.
~Karen~

blushing rose said...

Jocelyn ~ How are you doing? I hope better, my friend.

Love the history tours ... we so enjoy reading about different places. I did a peaceful post today with many more to follow.

Pop over to my friend Gail's 3 day old blog, she is a sweetie ...
shabbycottageshoppe.blogspot.com

Have a great eve. TY for sharing. TTFN ~Marydon

Val said...

I've been too busy selling Grannys quilts to be able to go visit a quilt store! Ha! I am thankful though. Me and my mom always go the first of every month to our favorite store. I can't wait.

Allie said...

Try Cotton Charm as Lynda suggested - Kelly's quick! She carries lots of Moda, and I know she has Glace. Our LQS's are few and far between - I think, when I start buying fabric again, I'll have to do it online. I've not seen ONE that carries fabrics by Sis Boom, and I love her stuff.
I really did enjoy your tour - anytime you want to take us along, please do!

Aimee said...

I can understand your dilemma so very well! Our LQS is owned by a very nice, much older lady who, apparently, has never been interested in what's hot (since I was in H.S., she's carried the same fabric, I think, and it wasn't pretty then!) Anyway, that's my only source unless I want to drive an hour! It stinks.

Cindy said...

Hi Jocelyn, I'm playing catch-up on blogs and computer work after having been RVing up to Yellowstone.

I love this line of fabric. Infact, Fat Quarter Shop (on line) is doing a BOM from this line and I joined. It's into its fourth month now. I loved the fabric so much I bought additional chamr packs.

Too funny you mentioned about not being able to find "things" because I'm looking for the pattern from Pieces of the Heart" called "Happy Jack". I found it on line but cannot find it locally. When we were on our trip, I bought a prepackaged kit but it did not have the pattern included. It's a simple pattern and I know I could adjust it myself and not even buy the pattern but that means "brain power". LOL

an encourager said...

I'll tell you a frustration - I signed up for Schnibbles, have my name listed, and forgot all about it and don't really even know what the rules are. I think I signed up with a midnight vigor and lost it by morning! I've got to get busy!

Anonymous said...

I order more and more on line too....but it is almost better to wait after the line as been out awhile to do that because I'm able to snatch up some pretty good deals.
Maybe you can suggest that Schnibbles be announced more in advance so you can get the same fabrics if you want. I think it will only get worse as time passes and the patterns age. Just a thought.

Amy Friend said...

I notice a lot of batiks and novelties here too...half the store at least. I haven't really begun ordering on line though because I like to touch the fabric and hold things up to eachother. It's so much harder to make decisions on the computer screen.

Shabby Cottage Shoppe said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving such a nice comment. The internet is probably the best way to get the nice fabrics. Our local fabric stores do not offer a wide variety to choose from either.
Gail

Unknown said...

Well if you lived in Canada where I am, you wouldn't ever find Moda in any of the shops. It wasn't until I started visiting blogs, that I even found out about them. I order from fat quarter shop and it's here within a week. How good is that.
And I loved your history tour by the way.

Missouri Star Quilt Co said...

First, thanks for the comment on Jelly Roll week and playing along with us!!

Second, LOVE Schnibbles & Glace!! Though the finding fabric is often part of the adventure :-) We carry Glace, and have a 10% discount when you combine yardage and precuts from the same line. But sometimes it's the digging through LQS after LQS that gives you that satisfaction of finding a one charm pack you've been searching for :) Good luck!

Sarah

Allyson said...

Ebay!

Quiltshops.com is another of my go-to places for fabric. If you haven't scoped them out, you must, They're an online collection of over 225 quilt shops. Best of luck to you! Also, isn't one of the quilt shops that Sinta is featuring doing Glace kits for this?