It made me think about how supporting our local Quilt Shops helps to keep their doors open. It's hard sometimes, as Quilt shops are becoming more and more scarce, at least in our area. Some have veered away from carrying traditional fabrics. It seems because we live in the deep south, some of the shops have limited their lines to tropical or modern fabrics. I like these just fine, but as a traditional quilter, I do so love the traditional fabrics like Civil War and Reproduction fabrics.
The other day I stopped in at Country Quilts and Bears. It's a small shop but they carry the type of fabric that I like. On the day I shopped, they were offering a sale of 30% off if you finished the bolt. When I have been to this sale previously, there were many shoppers, cleaning out the end of bolts. But this time, there were few in the shop. Actually there were only two other people. I was there looking for fabric to make a baby quilt for a friend. I could have gone to the big chain store, but decided that I would make my purchase there. I found this cute fabric with the ladybugs, and already had a pattern in mind.
I also came across this Jo Morton fabric that I can use with a Civil War pattern.
So I dug out my pattern.
And have started working on this baby quilt.
As fabric prices continue to escalate it will be harder and harder to buy much fabric from my Local Quilt shops. But I will try to shop smart, and watch for sales.Are you finding it harder to support your local businesses?? Do you buy fabric online?
26 comments:
It is so important to support one's LQS(s)... I have only one LQS and they don't carry traditional fabrics so I'm forced to other sources, mostly online.
I've noticed the newly arrived fabrics are $10.99/yd... so I shop sales... and my stash.
I love that ladybug fabric your found... it's going to make a beautiful quilt!
My husband and I own and operate a local sheet metal/heating business, so we depend on the locals to keep our business going! In turn, we support local small businesses, even if it costs a bit more. I do some shopping online, but only if I can't find what I am looking for locally.
We support all local stores, including local businesses...we just had a new furnace AND A/C unit installed and used a local heating and cooling man instead of using a large chain. We got personal service and wonderful workmanship...
I've never shopped for fabric online ... I worry that the colors won't photograph true. But it's getting harder and harder to find traditional fabrics (I'm not into batiks, 30's repros, Civil War repros, big prints, etc.). I shop for specific projects (rather than shopping to grow my stash) and I usually do a more controlled scrappy, so it's getting harder and harder to find enough different fabrics in all the colors I'm looking for at most of the LQS in my area ... there aren't that many, and they're all so small that I just don't get the selection I want/need. And there's the difficulty of finding wide backing fabrics (I hand quilt, so I need unseamed backing ... and I really would like something that will coordinate with the quilt top instead of the standard white muslin). And I haven't even touched the surface of the cost of fabrics at my LQS. I would really prefer to shop at LQS (local for me meaning 30-45 minutes away), it's beginning to look like I'll be doing more and more fabric and quilting tool shopping online or in the bigger chain stores. :-(
When I do buy new fabric, it's mostly from chain stores or online. But a lot of the online shops I buy from are someone else's local businesses, so I suppose it works out in the end.
Sorry to hear about the Patchwork Pig.I support the local shops every chance I get. When we travel I stop and shop. Everyone is so different. I rarely buy on line. Our town is all about "shop local."
I only buy on line if I can't find it at my LQS.
The chain store near me does not have the quality fabric that I want....if I'm going to do all that work I want good fabric.....
I buy both ways and probably equally. I go to my LQS regularly. I want her to stay in business!!
I love our LQS, but I've also got hooked on one in Lexington, KY when my daughter lived there and I order from them as well.
It's all I can do right now to keep up with the aprons! but I do have several quilts just waiting for my time. XOXO
I only shop online when I can't find what I want at the LQS. I always check there first.
My LQS stocks mostly traditional so for the newer more modern stuff I have to shop online.
Two lines of fabric that I was recently interested in I made it a point to ask if they were getting it so I could buy there if they were.
They also have a discount room where everything is 40% off and 50% if you finish the bolt so I usually look in there first if I am looking for specific colors but not necessarily a specific print. My thought is even online I'll end up paying $10 a yard by the time you figure in shipping. My LQS doesn't carry Kona solids either which I use a lot so I always get them online.
Our LQS is in the closest town, 30 miles away. It is tiny, but try to support them. The other day she was having a 20% off your entire purchase to celebrate an anniversary. I was the only one in the store. The other quilt store is 75 miles from our ranch, in the opposite direction. It is in a tiny town, but it is large and I always do a lot of damage there. :) Alas, I have to make a special trip so I only get there about 2-3 times a year. When we go to Amarillo for the Ranch Rodeo Championship, I shop in 2 shops there. I also buy online through the year, but I try to support the local businesses.
I wish I had local quilt shops to support. I have to buy everything online. Even Walmart stopped carrying cheapo fabric that I used to use for some less important projects and has done away with most sewing stuff. I don't know why. Seems like there are plenty of quilters out there.
I love my favorite local quilt store, Quilter's Cubpoard in Atascadero CA..even if it is a forty minute drive from me. Having over bought in the past though, I am shopping mostly from my stash. And often I worry about how they are doing but can't really sanely do anything about it but speak highly of them. I guess I need to sew faster too :-)
oops! mispelled Cupboard LOL!
That baby quilt is darling! :)
It's sad to see small stores close. I love book stores. Your bedbug quilt is adorable.
I must say I buy at both LQS and online. I dropped over $100 at one ten miles away, and another $80 at one six miles away. And online, I probably spent another $100 this week! Uh-oh! time to put the brakes on again!
About 2 years after one of LQS closed, another op-ened, owned by one of the women who worked at the old LQS. The prices are higher than those on ;line, but I love being able to walk in and talk quilting, aqnd get the Cheers feeling -- you know, where everybody knows yoyur name. The also have a wonjderful open space, and will be hosting one Friday night sewing night a month. $15 gets you a night of sewing with old & new friends, plus pizza and snacks. I think that's what bricks and morter store need to do to stay aklive -- build a sense of community that draws quilters in and keeps them engaged.
There are 3 shops within 25 mins. of me, and another 2 or 3 within an hour. I do buy most of my fabric and supplies online, because I wouldn't be able to make anything if I didn't. The cost of yardage at my LQS's runs up to $12.50 a yard. The lower priced stuff is not from an equitable manufacturer. I do try to shop sales from them, and stop in for magazine, scraps, notions and such. I agree with shopping local and helping our small businesses, but can't do much more than that right now.
I will always shop my LQS first as I believe that supporting local is worth the few more pennies I might spend on a yard of fabric. I'm disabled and when the weather is bad I can't get out. I can call them,tell them what I want and someone will bring it by my house on their way home. They not only do this for me but anyone else that can't get out for whatever reason. Lisa will bend over backwards to help her customers, everything from ordering a special pattern to letting someone use one of her machines when theirs are out for service. Can't get that kind of service from a big box or on line.
There's only one tiny store near me left - it mostly sells Bernina machines, but they do have a fabric and notions section. I do buy from them as I'm able. The only other quilt shop in the area, the gals are not nice unless you know them personally! I have been shopping there for many years, but only if I'm desperate.
Your little ladybug quilt is looking so cute!
I do believe in supporting my local business...if it makes sense to do so. Most of the stores in my area are "reasonable" about their prices, but unfortunately my LQS is not. She is charging $14-$15 per yard for fabric that elsewhere is selling for the SRP. I don't want to be taken advantage of just so she can stay in business...it's a question of "principle" for me.
I have a LQS that I sew at every week and try my best to support. But with the price of fabric I find digging in to my stash is where I have been....but I do try to buy from local shops when I can.
It is more or less impossinble for me to shop locally because of the price of fabric here - if I'm lucky I get quilt quality fabric at a minimum of 20 dollars per meter. I do go to the fabric stores to look but I just can't afford it. I will have to finish my studies and get a well paid job before I can think about supporting local stores.
I do buy most of my fabric at my local shops unfortunately we had one close too. The owner just wanted to spend more time with her family. I can only imagine how much time is involved in owning a shop.
Good looking quilt so far.
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