Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Buying fabric for the shop...

I came across the old Westminster fabric samples that I spoke about back here. I had forgotten just how nice they really were. Nice heavy, dark-colored cardstock with an actual fabric sample. Not a huge sample, but fabric none-the-less.



These are the present sample cards from Westminster from which to order. This is the "classic" line - which means it can be re-ordered for more than one season. They are nice too and they are big. They make it easy to know exactly what you are ordering.






And, this is how we order the rest of the new fabrics (between quilt markets). The ones that are not "classics" and might only be available for a season (or two possibly - it depends upon the manufacturer). Free Spirit, Westminster, Alexander Henry, and Michael Miller are better than many manufacturers when it comes to keeping some of their fabrics available for longer than one season and I like that.


It's certainly easier to order from your computer screen and it's probably even a timesaver for everyone involved. I'm kinda old fashioned though....I MISS seeing and touching real fabric samples and visiting with my sales reps!

3 comments:

Brenda said...

I'm with you -- the reason I sew and quilt is I like touching fabric and even fondling it -- looking at the screen is just not the same!

Northern Deb said...

Those samples are just BEAUTIFUL... I agree with both of you... I love feeling fabrics. My husband laughs at me when I'm shopping because I'm always TOUCHING. Will you be ordering Kaffe's shot cottons? Those are my new obsession!

Diane J. Evans said...

What do you do with your outdated samples?? Ever think about piecing them together for a really small quilt? They're so beautiful that it seems a shame to waste them. And I can't wait to see the new ones you're bringing into the shop.

Diane