Mary Bird

I'm sure all quilters want the same thing - variety! Be sure to find a line of fabrics you love (i.e., Civil War, batiks, 30's, vibrance) and let it be your 'signature'.It'll become the 'draw' to your store. My LQS uses customer service as their draw. There are 2 quilt shops 40 mins. closer to my town of 125,000, but CS is horribly lacking. So a nice 40 min drive on the interstate takes me to a shop where they know my name, greet everyone with a smile, handshake and welcome. Coffee, tea & cookies available. And it doesn't hurt that they have turned the back of the building into a retreat area (2 kitchens, 2 sewing rooms, sleeping accommodations for 34, showers, design boards, garden, heat & A/C individually controlled...in some ways, better than home!). If you're in the area, check out Threads of Time in Danville IL.

peggywho

Where is Calif is that? Would love to find your new store.

marysmom0213

I want to go to Danville...

Mary Bird

Come on to Danville! I work at the shop Mon & Tues, except for the weeks I have a retreat. My retreats are every other month and anyone is welcome to join us! If you don't have a bunch of friends who want to come to a retreat, this is a good way to test it out. Next retreat is in July. PM me if you're interested. Go to the Threads of Time website and check out Retreat Center! It is a marvy place to sew!

kacie

For me, the mark of a good quilt shop is the range of blenders and fabrics that "read" solid (I rarely use true solids). Batiks are the next stop. Colors need to span the color spectrum -- sometimes I really need a piece of my least favorite color. And a nice selection of 108" backings -- those could be a wonderful addition to the color groupings you have in mind.

For notions... We have quilt shops all over the place, but I can't find the Olfa frosted rulers in sizes other than 6x24 except online, so it may as well be your store I order from!

MsSewer

My favorites are tonals and batiks.

AkAngel

As far as color goes it changes with my mood or the season, for instance I don't generally work with a lot of oranges or lime green but I just made a quilt that pops with both and I love it but its Summer and that is what I'm in the mood for now.
Generally I have a tendency to go more toward purple/blue/green
Like many others have said it is difficult to find a good variety of nice cream on creams,white on white, or off whites, true blacks (things you generally use for backgrounds)
I love a good selection of blenders.
Something that is sadly lacking (none existing really) in my area is 30 repros and Civil War repros and Kansas Troubles or Thimbleberries,
I love it when someone brings in a whole line and not just 3 or 4 because it is much easier to coordinate if you have the whole line to choose from.
Other than fabric I'm always looking at new tools and gadgets.

PJL

I agree with the above!

I specialize in I-spy and memory quilts so I like brights and lots of kid's fabrics for fussy cutting the I-spy squares.

Good luck with the new online store!

Peggy Larson
http://quiltingcolorsandfun.com

Alu_Rathbone

I like polka dots... purples, blues, pinks, whites, blacks, greens, and cream... also music notes!

wraez

I completely agree! Also good white on whites.

warm quilt hugs, sue in CA