Supporting our LQS
 

I am a beginning quilter, having only finished 1 quilt top so far. We just got our LQS about 6 months ago. I've taken 1 class there, and am now having my top LA'd there. Am taking another class next week, so went in to purchase my list of supplies. The owner helped me choose fabrics. He stated "now let's take our time & make sure you have exactly what you want". I needed 5 fabrics, plus background & border. He spent over an hour with me, with both of us pulling fabrics out to see what combo I wanted. My total purchase? $50.53 for 5.75 yds of fabric (Moda Butterscotch & Roses & others that coordinated).

I really doubt that I could've bought this fabric online any cheaper, figuring in the shipping costs. And I wouldn't have had the assistance the owner gave me. I mentioned to him that I loved shopping in his store vs online. He stated that online is killing the LQS. They can't compete because of overhead. But I can't see true color on my monitor, can you? Can you tell if three fabrics are going to blend perfectly, or be a total eye-sore?

Guess this is just an appeal to shop your LQS. At least give them a chance to survive. Could I live without mine? Sure, have for 60 yrs. But do I want to? No!

Pat

wish I had one near me too!

My lqs doesn't have much of a selection, but just recently I went in with just an idea, and they spent two hours with me figuring out how to turn that idea into two quilts for my grandbabies. I only spent $60, but they were there for me! Let's hear it for the LQS!

I only have one small LQS near me. I do like to go there when I have something in mind and don't want to wait for it but the selection isn't huge. I will admit I like Missouri Star Quilt Co. I had bought a jelly roll online and I couldn't find a match for the backing at my LQS and didn't want to go to JoAnn's since I wanted a little higher quailty. So I emailed MSQC to see if they could tell me what would match from the line I was looking at. Within an hour, I had a response. She had looked at 3 different colors, the ones I asked about, and told me that one didn't match at all, one matched but didn't have enough, and the other matched as well and they had enough in stock. And she was right, the color I went with matched perfectly and everyone loved the quilts.

I would love to support my LQS more but being that their selection is slim, sometimes I can't. But with the service I got from MSQC, I stick with them for any online purchases I want.

Side note: I do love the ladies at my LQS. They are super nice and when I have to take my daughter, the older lady usually takes her around and plays with her.

I shop at my LQS on occasion. They have a great selection of patterns and fabrics. If I were not retired, I would spend more $ there. They also have a Friday 'social gathering' which I plan to attend sometime soon.

I live in a small country village, picture us as the hub of a wheel. The spokes are outlying towns, 20 - 35 minutes away with quilt shops in 4 directions. With the rising price of gas and quality fabric prices going up, it would really save me to shop online. I try and stay within the fabric collection when ordering online. I'll have to admit it is hard to match online when you're trying to use fabrics to go with your stash. I like to support my LQS's, I'm afraid if we don't, they'll be gone. Then I won't be able to go get a fabric fix, feeling and eyeing the gorgeous selections.

Our LQS is much pricier than yours! Most fabrics are $12/yard. I already have more yards of fabric in my stash than I am likely to use up in my lifetime, so I find it difficult to buy yardage at that price. I love buying individual patterns, but I find they price these at the very top of the market also. Often I can find the same patterns online for considerably less.

Our LQS is thriving, though. They offer many classes, trips, etc. and they are actively involved with the local guild for planning retreats and special events. My problem is I don't really need any more classes, and I'm not interested in trips or retreats.

I hardly ever even visit the LQS anymore. However, I also don't shop online much anymore!

although i do buy online sometimes, most of my fabric buying is at the lqs. we are very lucky to have several to choose from here. each one has a certain feel, or vibe, that makes them different. ie: bright fabrics, thimbleberries, blenders, etc. the one thing in common is the help and support. i do always start with the sale table first. if i don't find what i want there, or what calls to me if i don't need anything particular, then i check all the new stuff. they also have some tools that you can't buy at joanns. and those specialty items like small pieces of wool and silk for applique.

I love supporting my LQS, the owner does some pattern designing and really pushes us to improve in all of our skills. Even though I am a pretty experienced quilter. I am taking a block of the month class (Marti Michell) and we are not using the fabrics in the MM Sample but each of us are using different some way out fabrics and she has us using our imagination on fussy cutting etc. I will post some pictures when we get a little further down the line.

That being said - when the LQS doesn't have what I want, or I find something I need way cheaper (even with shipping) I do shop online.

Don't get me wrong, I think shopping online is necessary sometimes. I needed a backing fabric for my quilt top, which the LQS didn't carry. He didn't hesitate to suggest I look online. He could order it for me, but said if I wanted to , I should just order myself. Even gave me some sites to look at. I didn't feel put off at all. Actually appreciated his honesty.

Quilting people are just the nicest people! And the LQS owners know that customer service is what keeps them in business.

We just lost one of our local shops so sad

Most of the time it's all about the project and price. A person has to do what a person has to do.

To most of you, we are an online store... but to our customers nearby (western NY) we are a local shop.

And we receive e-mails and phone calls quite often, asking our advice on what fabrics go well together and whether a design would be suitable for the project the customer has in mind.

We give just as much time and help to the online customers as we do to our walk-in shoppers. More, probably, because it is harder to answer the questions by e-mail than it is to just talk in person.

:-)

There are 3 LQS's I frequent. I drive 45 min to 1 hour and 15 minutes and it is well worth it. I only buy my fabric from LQS's, it may cost a little more than purchasing it online, but the customer service can't be beat. I can pick up the phone and just give them my name, they know me. One of the shops will ship me anything I want if I can't make it to the shop, and just put a bill in the package. I feel like I am at home at these shops and it is a wonderful feeling.

I spend my $$$ where the service is best. My LQS is not service freindly.. .there fore what better way to comunicate than speaking with my $$$.
I have gotten some incredible service from internet shops... that hands down beats my LQS. Many of the internet shops are small businesses that employ a handful of people, who also have families to support.

Our LQS is going out of the fabric business, not out of business. It has LA services and is a machine dealer. That will stay. There are two other LQS in the area that we can buy fabric from. As one respondent says, you got to do what you got to do. Even the shop owners.

Totally agree with you, have gotten fabric online i couldn't use, wasted money wasted shipping charges, could have saved if I had just gone in, plus its more fun to go in the shop and see everyone's creations. I only order fabric online now that I have seen in person at a LQS.

You have a great shop! Keep supporting them

My nearest LQS is 30 miles away. It is a lovely shop but very small. I travelled 50 miles today, to find 1 yard of fabric to co-ordinate with the triple Irish Chain I am making. Thankfully, they had a fabric that (I hope) will work. The price--$15.49 a meter (40 inches)--gulp!! But I was able to take along my other fabrics, lay them out on the cutting table, in the design specifications, and then audition other fabrics. You just cannot do that online.

I would dearly love to support any LQS, if it meant that I did not have to drive an hour to get to them, and if they did not treat me as a pariah for bringing in non LQS fabrics for projects.