LQS question
 

I am having a little struggle and I am wondering if anyone else has the same issue. About 9 months ago a quilt shop opened close to me. I am so happy to have her shop close by. She is very nice and I enjoy taking my machine there and sewing on the weekends.

My problem is that I feel guilty when I buy things other places. I do want to support her and I hope she succeeds... but as nice as her shop is, her selection can't compete with some of these on line stores. And some of her prices are 2 and 3 times higher than the same thing on some of the on line stores. I am not made of money so the price is a big factor for me.

I spend waaay more at her store that I should - but I still spend alot other places too. Then I end up feeling guilty

I took a couple of quilt tops to her shop to help pick out the border and binding fabric. And she said that I have to bring them back to show her when they are done. I would be more than happy to show her, but I bought the batting and backing fabric somewhere else. So I would really feel bad taking them back in to show her.

Does anyone else ever feel this way?

I have felt this way before. I consider trying to keep ALL my sources in business! She has no way of knowing if that batting/backing was or was not already in your stash. You dont' have to keep her in business all by yourself either. I would suggest you keep shopping there and continue to keep other sources in business too! (and not break YOUR bank either!)

I can't imagine she would expect you to buy everything at her shop. If you spend a good amount there and tell other people about her shop you're doing your part. Take your quilts in and do not spend another second felling guilty about buying things where ever you want.

yep, I do but the other day I went to my local shop looking for a bit of decorator fabric. They don't carry any. So I must go elsewhere.

She doesn't know that. She's only been open for 9 months, how could she possibly expect that every piece of fabric you own is purchased from her?

I am friends with the owner of a quilt shop that opened about 3 years ago in my town. I actually make some of her shop samples for her, and help her out behind the scenes when she needs a boo-boo fixed or a binding put on.

I do my best to support her, also, but as a practical business owner, she understands that she can't possibly carry everything that I want or need.

Another way I try to support her is by referrals. When I do commission bindings, I arrange to pick up and drop off the quilt at her shop, that way quilters are enticed to shop while they're there, and that helps her, too.

Any business owner that doesn't know "It's not personal, it's business' doesn't need to be in business. I would buy something special every now and then from her but I wouldn't spend extra money at her store because I feel like I had to.

any quilt shop knows that you can't buy all your fabric from them as they can't handle all. Our quilt shop is having a bus to a shop hop to shops in the southern part of Minnesota so we won't even stop at her shop. She knows that you have to shop else where to get more ideas and other fabric that she doesn't handle.

We have a wonderful quilt shop in town with fabulous fabrics. Each year they have a new "Saturday Sampler" and that generates a lot of business for the shop. There are always specials offered to the women who do the sampler. I usually end up buying something on the Saturday we meet, but I know what my budget is and that is my guild line. I also purchase fabric on line. I will have to say that I purchase mostly on line. Don't feel like you have to buy exclusively from your local quilt shop.

Money is a big factor for me also & if I can save $2.00 to $4.00 a yard then that is where I buy. I want quality fabric & I know it is expensive so I need deals when I can. I do also buy from our local quilt store & from the local Amish quilt store so I feel I'm doing my part in helping them out but most of mine is bought online.

Don't worry about it. I work at a LQS, and we are friends with the other LQS in town. Our employees shop at the other shop when we can't find what we need where we work. And vice versa. We make fleece blankets on a blanket-stitch machine at the store, and most of the time, the fabric is from JoAnn's. It's good business to not worry about whether the fabric came from another shop. One of our employee keeps saying, "we're in the friend business." It's always a treat to have customers come back and show us what they've made.