Coming Next Week

What a Fun Idea

So I was just putting out some of the Pillowcase Sewing Cards that I reordered and it just popped into my head(yeah I couldn't think of a better way to say it) that these would make a great little project for gathering of young girls, whether it's a party, a sleepover or a craft day, they're be a fun, really easy project and the kids would have something to take away that they made. Plus the patterns are only $3 and don't require a lot of fabric.....just a thought!

It's Been a Sad Sad Week

Just this week alone I've come across three, yes THREE independent fabric stores that are/have closed their doors. this both scares and saddens me. Two of the stores were online and another brick and mortar.

One of the stores, in Houston, was a store that I immediately feel in love with the style and ideas...drop-in crafting area and more. This saddens me, especially for the Houston store and makes me wonder if people are really out there supporting their local and/or independent businesses as much as we all say. And I can say 'we all' because I am one of those 'we all'. I do support local businesses and shop at a local grocery store and the farmers markets in spring/summer/fall, but I'm also first to admit that Target probably has more of my money than anyone or anyplace out there and sometimes that drive through at Starbucks is so much more convenient than getting the kids out of the car for a quick coffee. But if I'm going to share these great ideals I have about shopping independent stores and spending local whenever possible I need to act that way.

So for the month of February I am not going to Target...WHAT??!?!?! Is that even possible for me? Well I'm going to seriously try and hope that the big ol' bullseye sign doesn't drag me in. Hopefully after that month I will have gotten into a new routine sans Target and will have grown accustomed again to visiting to local places in my area...and maybe even have met some new business owners like myself.

As a small business owner myself I need to do what I can to keep the small businesses that I love in our area-I am currently taking for granted that they are there.

On a completely different note...Dr Suess is coming to the store next week! Well a few themed fabrics are anyways...a customer is doing her nursery in a Dr Suess theme and there is a great new collection out that she picked a few fabrics from. It's taken a bit longer to get here than I would have liked(which is a whole other story-good customer service is sometimes hard to come by-even though you specify I need this right away)...but those fabrics along with some others will be gracing the shelves next week. I'll post pics soon.

Hmmm....I never even realized

So I am finally in the process of getting quotes to get our exterior signage done-I know I've been putting it off for WAY too long, but I haven't wanted to deal with the permitting. Anyways I was speaking with the guy who is going to be quoting me prices and I mentioned that I wanted to add a tagline to my graphic which I wanted 'Fabric for the MODERN SEWER' which I also have on an ad going out this week. Well he asked me how to spell sewer(someone that sews) and I proceeded to say S-E-W-E-R and then he asked me how to spell sewer(as in drain sewer that rats live in)...this is where I was stumped...really do I have advertising for Modern sewers(rat dwellings) all over????

So I've been trying to come up with another tagline that fits what I want to say, but I just don't feel like anything else has the same ring to it. Any ideas that anyone else has are greatly appreciated as well.

Fabric for the MODERN CRAFTER

Fabric for MODERN SEWING

I am also in the midst of a couple of other exciting ventures for my little store. One is possibly bringing on a very talented and knowledgeable fabric/sewing blogger to assist with the blog and/or website, I am looking at expanding/dabbling in bringing some yarn into the store. I've had so many people asking me about it and have recruited some of my customers to give me some ideas of what yarns they would like to see in the store, and I also hope to have some more project examples in the store soon since I have found a couple of great crafters that I'm in the process of asking to whip me up some great items.

Lastly I am so very excited that we are about to start our first Virtual Quilting Bee with me sending out the fabrics this week to the group(I jut have to get everyone's addresses first, so if you haven't sent them please do ASAP). There are just a few spots left so if you're interested let me know NOW!!!

Celebrate the Boy

If you're not familiar with it go check out Dana over at her blog MADE. Starting February 15th she along with Rae over at MADE BY RAE, are going to be doing their series 'Celebrate the Boy' again.

This year my plan is to make as many items as I can so that my little guy gets to take advantage of his mom owning a fabric store(doesn't happen too often). So check it out, let me know what you think and hopefully you'll get inspired to get crafty.

Can't kick the One Yard Wonders Addiction

So I am officially addicted to this book. I turned out these two projects that are also from the One Yard Wonders Book I carry in the store. Each took me less than an hour and less than a yard.

Sidenote: I promise my posts will start containing more content to go along with the pics soon :)

Also check out our Flickr group

http://www.flickr.com/groups/drawstringstudio/

One Yard Wonders

I was feeling crafty today so I opened up our copy of One Yard Wonders and whipped up this cute little jacket for my little girl, in less than an hour and less than a half yard!

So cute-I love it-wish I could pull it off myself :)

The More the Merrier Giveaway

image from http://salsa.wiredforchange.com

So I've often heard the phrase, 'the more the merrier' and I would like to incorporate that idea into this giveaway. The idea is to spread the word about our Drawstring blog and the more 'followers' we have the bigger the giveaway.

Here are the details, if you're not a 'follower' become one now!

If you are a 'follower' spread the word to your friends

Once we get to:

50 'followers', I will give away a $10 gift certificate

100 'followers', I will give away a $20 gift certificate

200 'followers', I will give away a $40 gift certificate

(all winners will be picked randomly from the 'followers' list picked thru random.org)

So get going!!!!!

What Exactly Are You Making...

Pic courtesy of http://www.teenygreenykc.com/Batik_Ring_Sling.php

So I keep forgetting to take pictures of my sling to show people what exactly the sling they will be making at our Class on January 27th looks like...here's the next best thing....this sit he style of the sling, it's an adjustable right style and the fabric is totally up to you...plus an added bonus if you sign up for the class today you get $5.oo off the Class Fee.

Pre-Ordered-Coming in April

I was so excited when I first saw the new collection being offered by Cloud 9 as part of their Designer Series. Cut Out & Keep by Heather Moore. I pre-ordered some of the fabrics, unfortunately they don't come until April, but I will be anxiously awaiting. They are organic cotton and will run $12/yard-pretty good deal for Organic.

Today I

got my FLU SHOT. I debated whether to do this for awhile and kept putting it off while I was pregnant-I honestly didn't have a really good reason, I have never researched it enough to say that I am against vaccines, I just think a little part of me thought I was invincible-silly I know. But now that I have two little ones at home, one that is too little to get the flu shot, I needed to think about them. My mom also went to the Dr today and he told her that it's a really bad flu going around and it's going to be a tough flu season(isn't every flu season). So I sucked it up and gave them my arm and got my band aid and hot chocolate-not really a bad deal if you ask me.

Virtual Quilting Bee

Interested? Please say YES! I'm very excited about this idea and should have gotten a move on it last month so that we could start right away in January, but needless to say I had some things going on :)

Anyways, this is open to anyone in the US-you do not have to live locally. Basically the Virtual Quilting Bee is made up of 12 people who are each assigned a separate month as their month to be the recipient of the blocks. The bee will run then for a year, with each person taking turns making blocks for for everyone else 11 months, and one month sending fabric out and receiving their own blocks back.

So if you are interested please email me at drawstringstudio@gmail.com and we'll go from there. Hopefully we'll get enough people right away that we can get this started. Here's a link to some block tutorials if you're interested as well. HERE