Comments for Missing Pieces

Comment on Coming soon to a computer near you! by Kelly Ann

Kelly Ann — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:09:29 +0000

Susan…excellent news….KA

Comment on How is it working for you? by Susan

Susan — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:50:38 +0000

Janet, thanks for the response! I just really think it is exciting to see how our industry is evolving back into sewing. I used to sew many of my own clothes and had forgotten how much I enjoyed doing so. It is a lovely mix with the quilting!

Comment on How is it working for you? by Janet Mease

Janet Mease — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:47:33 +0000

We have a small, but growing group of stitchers who don’t give a hoot about quilting. These are primarily women in their 50s who are ready to get back to sewing for themselves — so they respond well to our emails announcing the arrival of a small amount of high-end garment fabric…

We also have a group of younger stitchers… older teens, college students, young moms… who are more interested in what they can find on our sale rack — so we try to keep that stocked with closeouts for them.

We have had good luck with serger classes and they usually result in people at least beginning to save up for their serger purchase…

We’re perfectly happy to reach out to the non-quilters in our community!

Comment on How is it working for you? by Sheri

Sheri — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:10:41 +0000

We have just redesigned our website and have launched an online shop. We are seeing more interest in the embroidery side of our business again as Quiltng and Sewing In the Hoop is catching more attention. We still have a lot of requests for classes but still struggle to fill them. What is staying full in Block of the Month Clubs.

Comment on More French feasts by Kaari ZABALA

Kaari ZABALA — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:29:14 +0000

Beautiful Susan – you captured the chateau and the grounds perfectly!
Merci-
K.

Comment on How is it working for you? by April P

April P — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:28:17 +0000

I run a quilt shop only store. As the store is located on a busy tourist travel route, I have a lot of quilters stopping in on their travels. I have tons of kits which meets the demands of the travellers who often have cranky kids and spouses waiting. Being in a tight space, I do not have the room to expand to meet the needs of the sewer as well. The additional fabric, patterns and notions required to do a good job representing both is far beyond what I am able to provide.

Comment on How is it working for you? by Merrie Miller

Merrie Miller — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 13:54:40 +0000

We just opened our store. We are learning the business and our customers have told us what they want. We have sewing/embroidery machines as well as fabrics and notions. Our classes right now are the basics; but we are offering beginning sewing classes and we are open to all sewing. I do like the idea of calling the store a creative sewing center to bring in more customers that may not usually come in to a “quilting” store.

Comment on How is it working for you? by Helen Weinman

Helen Weinman — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 16:48:38 +0000

We find customers buying less quantities of fabric. Still buying books and notions without significanr change from the past. Our best new customer are the students who are taking our Quilter’s Academy classes (from Harriet and Carrie Hargraves books). We try to keep our smaller kits and other special offerings under $25 to encourage multiples purchases. We are offering lots of scrap kits with patterns written in house to reduce the final price of kits.

The problem with garment sewing is that we must have someone available at all times to assist customers and none of my employees (nor I) sew garments. We are not buying into garment sewing at this time.

Comment on How is it working for you? by Nancy J

Nancy J — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 01:15:31 +0000

When we opened our fabric shop 30 years ago, it was totally fashion fabrics for garment sewing. Serious garment sewing…tailoring, knit sewing, alterations instruction…wool, silk, linen, rayon, polyester wovens and knits, plus more filled the shelves. We had three lines of patterns, plus special order Vogue. That’s what I call Fashion Sewing…what I see happening now is “simple easy sewing for fun”! People are simply too busy to do anything else…that’s why the projects are quick and easy, be it a home dec item, a child’s garment OR the super popular “BaG” Just today a customer commented that many of the books, patterns, projects found in magazines are featuring smaller items, lap quilts, kids quilts, wall-hangings, etc. I have been thinking for over a year now that the “quilt shop” is changing…I just am not clear as to where is is headed…27 years ago is was an easy call to switch from fashion to cotton fabrics for quilting…And I think that cotton fabrics still offer the best variety. I will not however be headed in the direction of “Fashion Fabrics”…been there, done that, it was difficult 30 years ago I don’t think it would be easier now.

Comment on How is it working for you? by Laura Estes

Laura Estes — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:42:45 +0000

Though I am not a shop owner, but a pattern designer, I thought I would add a few observations. I have spent quite a bit of time in shops around the Pacific Northwest the last couple of months doing classes and demonstrations. Many of my designs feature ruching and dimensional applique and I have seen a great interest in adding those features to garments, purses, totes and hats. The coin style of ruching, which I use is garment friendly.
As a designer, I have begun creating patterns other than quilts and wall hangings, including some knitting with ruched embellishment, that have been well recieved.
I agree that the economic times seem to have sparked this renewed interest in garment sewing, but also the desire of people to create their own unique style or look, plays a big part as well.