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Make the Most of Mannequins

mannequins

Did you know customers are more likely to notice mannequins than any other fixture in your store or window display? This is simply because mannequins look like them. Read on for six ways to dress a form to add to your store’s environment.

How to Dress Mannequins

  • Be dramatic: Think of items you can style on your form. The goal is to spark interest to products customer wouldn’t have otherwise thought of to increase sales. Pro tip: use items that are experiencing a sales slump!
  • Add-on: Consider adding surprise items, such as a button necklace, to your mannequin. This might entice shoppers to head to your lightly visited button area in the corner of your store.
  • Tell a story: Use your mannequin to tell a story about the product. It’s a much more effective way of connecting with customers compared to showing a slew of choices in a strewn-out manner.
  • Think light: Less is more. Try not to overdue props or supplies as the product should stand for itself.
  • Try marketing: Use your mannequin in social media. Consider adding a competition for followers to name the mannequin (where the winner gets a prize)!
  • Be intentional with color: Colors that highlight current trends (think Pantone’s Color of the Year) are a great way to show your signature style.

Inspiration for this post came from “Dress Them Up” by Anna Woodward published in the August 2022 issue of American Quilt Retailer.


If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you. And don’t forget, you can always purchase single issues if you prefer that instead.

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2021 Autumn Trends

Autumn trends

This week marks the first official week of autumn. With Quilt Market being postponed, we thought we’d help you get ahead of this fall’s trends.

What’s Trending

True to the autumn season, velvet is hot. More specifically, stock your selection with crushed velvets. The variegated tones are a nice change from the typically solid-toned texture.

Knitting is also back! Get people prepped to spend a winter indoors with patterns for sweaters and other applications for the chunky knit design. While stocking your yarn, keep in mind cream is this season’s favorite color.

Speaking of yarn, Western styles (with fringe included of course) is going to be everywhere. Fringe will especially be seen on scarves, coats, and other layering accessories.

Autumn Favorites

Earth tones have always been a staple to mark the transition to winter. This year’s top color is a warm brown-orange (think clay) or more specifically the color Adobe by Pantone.

On top of this, greens are back. Any green from the range of a true tone to a loud and bright one, verging on the brink of neon. This might be due to the hints of the 80s we keep seeing around. A lot of these hints include mixed prints also.

What are you waiting for? Add the above themes to your store (that I’m sure is already decked with pumpkins, gourds, and cinnamon-like smells).


If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you. And don’t forget, you can always purchase single issues if you prefer that instead.

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Summer 2021 Quilting Trends

Summer trends

Summer is officially here. To celebrate, we’ll be covering some of the hottest trends to keep your new quilters inspired. Did your business see a boom of new quilters this past year? You’re not alone, and you won’t be surprised to discover they aren’t going anywhere!

Picnic blankets – perfect for summer

People are making their own quilt staple these days—the picnic blanket. Try to keep fabrics around that encourage a summer theme (think fruits, the beach, and even astrology are hot topics right now). New quilters love to brag about their DIY projects. Now they can show off their skills over an outdoor lunch.

Framed quilts

Another way new quilters like to show their skills off are with framed quilts or wall hangings. These are more design oriented, with a focus on colors and shapes that bring rooms together. Color contrasts are hot right now (yes, even blacks) and hexagons are a popular modern shape.

Table placement

Functionality is important to new quilters too (hasn’t it always?). Think any sort of table decor including placemats, potato cookers, hot pads, push pins, table runners, etc. They’re great beginner and easy projects that keep quilters coming back for more.

Patchwork

Nothing screams quilter like patchwork patterns. You’ve likely noticed the trend already. Patchwork is appearing on all articles of clothing including jackets, purses, hats, and even socks.

Be sure to make yourself available as a resource to new quilters. Think about your preferred machines, tools, fabrics, and more. As they expand their horizons, they’ll be looking to someone with experience to guide them in the right direction.


If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you.

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Quilt Market Trends

Quilt Market Trends

Fall Quilt Market 2019 has come and gone and if you haven’t heard, American Quilt Retailer’s digital issue covering all-things quilt market is now available! And did we mention it’s free? Head to our website to download your copy, after reading this shortened version of the trends we noticed at this year’s market.

Textured Fabrics

One of the trends at quilt market was textured fabrics. Textured fabrics were added to the edges of pieces or used on summer blankets. Some of the patterns matched the different textures making the projects double cool. Consider things like wool, fabrics with ribbing, and ultra-soft fabric for the warmer months, too.

Travel

Quilt market had the travel bug this year with travel themes present at multiple vendors. Whether it be place-specific (with images like the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben) or how you get to different places (planes, trains, and cars) travel is definitely a craze. Consider adding a hometown pride project or display in your store to capitalize on the fad.

Gifts

Tis the season of giving, and quilt market knows it. Vendors had a variety of gift options for a variety of clientele. Gifts included useful items like shear sets, or cute gifts like themed tea towels. Organizers, craft sets, and colorful kitchen utensils were all a part of the gift sets too. Consider getting gifts that aren’t Christmas-themed so they can be used all year long.

Kids

Want to gift the young ones in your life something special? Make their gift! Quilt market had loads of options; patterns include cloth books from quilt blocks that tell a story, embroidery pieces that together make a beautiful doll house, and another embroidery piece of a handmade mat that an imaginary town could be built on.

These are just a few ideas of fads to add to your store. Quilt market doesn’t tell all though, what have your customers been asking for lately? Any trends you’re noticing? Leave your comments so the quilt retail community can stay up to date.


If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you.

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Fall Trends

Fall Trends

New York Fashion Week may have ended, but Fall trends are just beginning. Stock up on these items in your store to stay ahead of the supply and demand game.

Fall Trends

  1. Brush strokes. Step aside tie-dye, this print is adding pops of color in new ways.
  2. Monochrome. Forget about black, wearing all of one color (either in one shade or multiple) is one of this Fall’s trends.
  3. Colors. Speaking of color, orange, pink, and yellow were seen time and again during NYFW. Even though orange could be found everywhere, pink was another standout. Don’t think of the soft, subtle shade known as millennial pink but instead get bright, bold, almost fuchsia-like shades. Speaking of generations, Generation Z seems to have opted for a pastel and muted yellow to define it’s generational mood.
  4. Half and half. Color may be coming back, but with this new trend you don’t have to pick just one. The half-and-half trend manifests in both horizontal and vertical folds.
  5. Over the top. The more glitter, rhinestone, or shine a material provides the better. This season is all about being in-your-face so don’t shy away from loud fabrics.
  6. Leather. Faux and real leather has always been around, but leather pieces could be found from head to toe.

As the weather transitions to shorter days and cooler temperatures, you may also be transitioning your store and inventory. What trends have you noticed from suppliers or competitors? How often does your store make seasonal changes? If you’re business is in the process of getting rid of summer inventory and restocking for winter, keep the above trends in mind.


If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you.

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Quilt Market Audience

Believe it or not, quilting is a $3.7 billion industry.

With a number that large, it’s easy to feel optimistic about the futures of our businesses. The next step is to figure out who is contributing to that market, and cater to their wants and needs.

There are anywhere from 7 to 10 million quilters in the United States, and 72% of them are dedicated quilters showing this industry has both quality and quantity within it’s following.

The average dedicated quilter is a 63 year old female with a household income of $93,000 according to this report. They spend over $3,000 a year on quilting and prefer traditional quilting over modern techniques.

To keep in mind the future of the industry don’t forget quilters aged 45 and under, otherwise known as new quilters. Although they are not considered dedicated quilters due to time constraints with work and family, they still spend about 10 hours a week quilting and have an average household income of $98,000. They get their information mainly from video and social media and prefer modern quilting techniques.

By 2020, 72% of all social media posts will include video. Even though video can be a daunting task, it is what the industry is moving to—better to start now rather than later! Making your own videos will make it more likely that new quilters will attend an event in shop considering only 26% of new quilters attended a quilt show last year.

This article isn’t trying to persuade you to only cater to dedicated quilters or new quilters, variety is a good thing! Keep doing what you’re doing and continue to be your community’s expert on all things quilting.


If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you.