Comments on: Where do you shop? Part 1: Local Quilt Shops http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/quilt-epiphany/2008/07/19/where-do-you-shop-part-1-local-quilt-shops/ Musings on Quilts and Quilting Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:16:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Nadine http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/quilt-epiphany/2008/07/19/where-do-you-shop-part-1-local-quilt-shops/#comment-2513 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:30:43 +0000 http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/quilt-epiphany/2008/07/19/where-do-you-shop-part-1-local-quilt-shops/#comment-2513 <strong>Emma</strong>, how lucky you are that your national currency is one of the strong ones right now! It sounds like you're striking the right balance. I agree with you about the threads <strong>Rian</strong>, I'm not so keen on Mettler anymore, and I never was thrilled with Gutermann. The Arts & Crafts shop here carries Coats & Clark Star thread, which actually competes with Gutermann for the bottom of the barrel in quality, IMO. The shop does have many Superior Threads lines as well, including King Tut and MasterPiece but doesn't always keep every color stocked, which can be frustrating when you're looking for a certain thing. Emma, how lucky you are that your national currency is one of the strong ones right now! It sounds like you’re striking the right balance.

I agree with you about the threads Rian, I’m not so keen on Mettler anymore, and I never was thrilled with Gutermann. The Arts & Crafts shop here carries Coats & Clark Star thread, which actually competes with Gutermann for the bottom of the barrel in quality, IMO. The shop does have many Superior Threads lines as well, including King Tut and MasterPiece but doesn’t always keep every color stocked, which can be frustrating when you’re looking for a certain thing.

]]> by: Rian http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/quilt-epiphany/2008/07/19/where-do-you-shop-part-1-local-quilt-shops/#comment-2510 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:52:15 +0000 http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/quilt-epiphany/2008/07/19/where-do-you-shop-part-1-local-quilt-shops/#comment-2510 We have several quilt shops on the central coast of California but none of them are very good, IMO. They are small and limited, and the fabrics look old-fashioned and are uninteresting to me. I work primarily with batiks, which is usually 10% or less of the fabric they carry, which limits me further. Also, I like Superior Threads, and often the stores carry Gutermann's and Mettler, which are fine, but once you've used Bottom Line or King Tut it's hard to go back. I live 20 miles from the two closest shops, and I drive a gas-guzzling SUV, so I won't make a special trip if I need something. Hence, I do 90% of my shopping online. Red Rock Threads will deliver a package of thread for very little shipping (~$3) within three days, and they carry a huge line. I like the wide selection of batiks I can get from specialty shops online. The shipping costs are much less than it would cost me in gas to go far afield to a place that carries these things. I would like to support my LQS and I feel guilty that I don't, but they have to have the goods I want to buy. It's a real catch-22. We have several quilt shops on the central coast of California but none of them are very good, IMO. They are small and limited, and the fabrics look old-fashioned and are uninteresting to me. I work primarily with batiks, which is usually 10% or less of the fabric they carry, which limits me further. Also, I like Superior Threads, and often the stores carry Gutermann’s and Mettler, which are fine, but once you’ve used Bottom Line or King Tut it’s hard to go back. I live 20 miles from the two closest shops, and I drive a gas-guzzling SUV, so I won’t make a special trip if I need something. Hence, I do 90% of my shopping online. Red Rock Threads will deliver a package of thread for very little shipping (~$3) within three days, and they carry a huge line. I like the wide selection of batiks I can get from specialty shops online. The shipping costs are much less than it would cost me in gas to go far afield to a place that carries these things. I would like to support my LQS and I feel guilty that I don’t, but they have to have the goods I want to buy. It’s a real catch-22.

]]> by: Emma http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/quilt-epiphany/2008/07/19/where-do-you-shop-part-1-local-quilt-shops/#comment-2508 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:58:39 +0000 http://www.dreamweavers-quilts.com/quilt-epiphany/2008/07/19/where-do-you-shop-part-1-local-quilt-shops/#comment-2508 I have a great LQS which I visit frequently and where they know me and my young children; for notions, anything I need NOW, or fabric I want to colour-match, or if I want lots of small amounts of different prints. There are also a few others not far away, including one I use if I need things at weekends. But with the strong Australian dollar, I can get about twice as much yardage for the same cost if I order online from the US - including postage. And there's such choice at my fingertips online, especially in the wee hours when I'm free to sew and the shops are shut. So I have parcels arriving on an almost weekly basis, too. I try to balance supporting my LQS with being able to afford lots of stash enhancement. I have a great LQS which I visit frequently and where they know me and my young children; for notions, anything I need NOW, or fabric I want to colour-match, or if I want lots of small amounts of different prints. There are also a few others not far away, including one I use if I need things at weekends. But with the strong Australian dollar, I can get about twice as much yardage for the same cost if I order online from the US - including postage. And there’s such choice at my fingertips online, especially in the wee hours when I’m free to sew and the shops are shut. So I have parcels arriving on an almost weekly basis, too. I try to balance supporting my LQS with being able to afford lots of stash enhancement.

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