Shopkeeping: Moving sale week 4 – Last week to save big!

It’s the last week of the moving sale and it means your last chance to save big! While the inventory was moved to the new space this past weekend, the sale is in full effect (not one to go back on my word). This will be the last week of major savings until May (mark your calendars for the Drygoods Design Anniversary sale)!

You can still save on both regular priced (have you seen the new arrivals??) and sale fabrics when your total before discount equals $100 or more – 30%. Use code MOVING30 and enjoy free domestic shipping through February 29th.

All other products are 15% with code MOVING15 – no minimum purchase through February 29th.

And the grand finale of the moving sale – all sale fabrics are 35% off with code MOVING35 – no minimum purchase! Due to sale volume; all yardage is subject to availability. You will receive an email if your yardage is available in full with options for refund or exchange. Offer valid through February 29th!

Shop Now - and enjoy these savings on more than 150 sale fabrics and fantastic new arrivals from Andover, Timeless Treasures, Free Spirit, Oilcloth and more!

Giveaway!! All purchases made between now and the 29th that use one of the moving sale coupons will be entered to win a $20 gift certificate and a charm pack of all 20 Echo prints (most prints now sold out)! Winner announced March 1, 2012.

Please note that codes cannot combined and offers are while supplies last. Please feel free to email or comment with questions!

For now, here’s a sneak peek from the shop – first round of vintage missile fin boxes getting ready to hold the fabric (thank you T+D)!

I can hardly pick favorites of fabric that comes in but the current collection that I am coveting right now is Washi by Rashida Coleman -Hale. The greys, pinks and blues are just right and the handle on this fabric is sooo soft but with just enough structure. Buy it all up but do save just a little for me:).

Why Hello, Pilgrim

Another out-of-the-ballpark-homer for Lizzy House is now in! Hello Pilgrim is a green, mint, raspberry and deep plum delight. Two of her trademark basics, Pearl Bracelet and Jewel are back in fun new colors along with some fun with berries, butterflies and leaves. Here are just a few of the prints – to see and buy go forth!

Also received another shipment of Pearl Bracelet from Outfoxed in Ruby too!

Shopkeeping – Figgy’s Patterns have arrived!

I am so excited to have my first selection of patterns be from Figgy’s Patterns! My jaw dropped the first time I ever saw these and I immediately pinned them on Pinterest. There’s so much to love about these patterns but I love the double duty of each. You get a top and a bottom with the Sunki and Ayashe patterns and with the Nituna jacket you can go reversible or lined. Shelly of Figgy’s Patterns is funny, sweet and wickedly talented. Bonus, she’s from Oregon (represent!!) and it’s always nice to have NW representation on the site.

There are some more apparel-friendly weights of fabrics headed in very soon. The nice part of many of the midweight and quilting cottons is that they really can serve as great material for apparel. In case you’re wondering, I ordered an extra pattern of each just so I can make all three ensembles for the little lady and the big boy the jacket.

Shop Now!

Shopkeeping: Moving Sale Week 3 Specials

February is flying by and the move to the new space is starting this weekend! So happy that many of you were able to grab some beautiful fabrics at a steal yesterday. It’s the start of a new week of specials and before I dive in, definitely check out new arrivals - a bunch landed this week, including the first round of fabrics from Kei and Yuwa, Alexander Henry, Curious Nature and Pezzy Prints (if you want these, grab them now as they are no longer available from Moda). Arriving any day is Washi from Rashida Coleman-Hale and first delivery from Art Gallery Quilts.

From today through next Wednesday, 2.22 enjoy 20% off all sale fabrics! No minimums; Code: MOVING20 – please note that if you’re total before the discount is $35+, your U.S. order will ship free, even if post-discount total is less than $35.

The specials that are taking place all month:

All fabric orders of $100 or more save 30% with code MOVING30 (plus free shipping!)

Save 15% on all handmade goods and packaging, including custom orders (subject to longer fulfillment times)! Code: MOVING15

Please note that all codes aren’t eligible to be combined with other offers.

Stay tuned for more specials next Wednesday as well as more surprises too:).

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The reviews are mixed about celebrating Valentine’s Day but with little ones in our house, it’s hard to ignore. Particularly with a preschooler that has a party to go to at school today. Thankfully, there were some supplies at Drygoods Design HQ that came in handy late yesterday. Thank goodness for hot glue guns, right? Our son diligently selected which scribbled on heart should go to which classmate, so cute.

And before I forget, there is a Valentine treat for you! The move is just around the corner so the biggest deal yet is here! For today only all fabric orders of $40 or more save 40%!!! Expires at midnight, PST. Not valid with other offers. Code is VALENTINE40.

Shopkeeping: Moving Sale Week Two Specials

Wow, the first week of the moving sale is now complete and it’s astounding the deals that many of you happened upon with the 25% off sale fabrics and 30% off $100+ orders. Now it’s time to share even more deals.

First, MOVING30 works all month to save 30% off all fabric orders of $100 or more. MOVING15 will save 15% off all custom, handmade and packaging orders until 2/29 as well!

Click here to shop these fabrics now!

 

Quick note: newsletter duplication

I am guessing that there was a network issue with my newsletter platform which caused some of you to receive more than one copy of the newsletter. While the sale is good, no news is good enough to bother you with two emails and for that I am sorry!

Just wanted to send a note without sending another email:). Enjoy the sale and here’s a promise to ensure that this issue doesn’t occur again.

Shopkeeping: Extra, extra read all about it

To know me is to know that I am hesitant about inspiration quotes. However, there are a few that I do love, which help remind me why I am here doing what I love. The above is one of those keepers for me. It helps prioritize and focus all the ideas and activities that are continuously coursing through my brain and veins.

So why I am even talking about this? Because, I have some big news (to me) to share. Drygoods Design is going big time. Well, maybe not big time but I am moving into a larger space which will be open for retail hours starting this spring. Drygoods Design at Studio One (located on Ballard Ave NW, adjacent to Cugini Cafe) will not only provide Seattle-area customers with the opportunity to shop fabrics, handmade goods and packaging in person, it will also mean that online selections and content will grow!

My hope is that the above quote will continue to drive all that Drygoods Design Online is about and the future retail shop. I am so excited to share more about the expansion as well as photos very soon. It also means that there are going to be some AH-mazing deals on fabrics during the month of February. While I am just moving across the street, my back and that of my husband would like to carry as little as possible:).

Moving sale deals will be first announced tomorrow via the newsletter. Are you on the mailing list? Be the first to know about the deals by signing up here. If you’d like to join the retail-specific newsletter to know hours, events and more, sign up here.

We interrupt this program

If someone had told me ten years ago, let alone two, that I would be on the edge of my seat in excitement over the second season of a Masterpiece Theatre Classics program I would have laughed with a big, “Um, yeah right!” However, last winter we (my husband and I ) fell into the world of Downton Abbey and in love. It’s one of those shows that embodies what great television and film is all about, executing on all fronts – writing, cinematography, music, and design, both set and costume.

Before I go any further I should apologize to anyone who was expecting fabric or design related information. If it helps, I did come up with the recipe that follows while I was cutting and prepping fabric to sew:).

We wanted to have a viewing party for premiere of the second season tonight but with two little people in the house and jobs, we have cut down on our school night festivities. However, I couldn’t resist mixing up a cocktail for the occasion. You may have none or some of the ingredients but it’s something you can enjoy during next week’s episode too!

The Dowager
One of our favorite characters in the Dowager Countess, played by Maggie Smith. She’s tough, sharp tongued but actually quite charming. This cocktail is a little of that too. I did a little research (nerd alert) and found out that some of my favorite ingredients were very popular in Britain in the early 20th century. Though I did use bourbon instead of gin since it’s winter and the story lines are going heavier than lighter – again nerd alert, on many levels.

I winged a little of this and actually made a last minute addition to make it just right. There are easy substitutions for some things.

Ingredients
Serves one
Juice of half one Small lemon, I used a Meyer lemon
Juice of half of one Satsuma or clementine orange (a small blood orange would be great too)
2 measures Bourbon or rye whiskey
Half measure St. Germain or elderflower liqueur (optional)
Half measure Calvados or apple brandy (could substitute another brandy here)
2 dashes Bitters, I used rhubarb but others would work
Half measure Sweet vermouth
Ice
Champagne, prosecco or cava
Orange twist

Put cocktail glass in freezer or fill with ice cubes and water to chill. Squeeze citrus fruits into shaker then add all ingredients except for champagne. Add ice and either stir or shake (top on) until very chilled. Dump out ice water from glass or take from freezer and pour the drink into the glass. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with orange twist.

Cheers!

Easy to make this festive and non-alcoholic. Take the juice of the lemon and orange, add in some elderflower syrup (they sell this at ikea and even stores like trader joes and whole foods), then top with sparkling water. Garnish with mint or orange.

Pure Laziness or Genius: A tutorial of interesting proportions

Ever since I started the shop and received my shipment of chalk cloth, I have wanted to make storage bins with it. While you could definitely sew these and you could have a pretty liner (which I still plan to make), you can seriously make one of these in about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how long it takes you to find your stapler. Stapler, you ask? Yes, a stapler. That’s how I made this storage tote where you, or your children, can write on it for labeling and organizing or just because it’s fun to draw on things not typically reserved for creative expression:). Side note, please excuse the photos they were taken from my mobile device since this was a very impromptu project.

Because of how easy (and cheap) it is, I am torn between feeling really suspect or brilliant. Maybe it’s a mix of both. To see how you can make your own continue reading.
Supplies
-Chalk cloth or oilcloth will work but avoid laminated cotton unless you want to interface and line it to provide structure. You choose the size but here I used a leftover half yard which I then cut into an 18″ square.
-Scissors or rotary blade cutter
-Ruler or straight edge
-Pen, marker or tailor’s chalk
-Chalk, crayola style
- Stapler, loaded

Step one Cut your square.
Place the chalk cloth onto where you’ll cut with your cutting tool and cut it into an even square or rectangle. You can also sketch out your dimensions as I did here so you can make sure your math is right. Since I had an 18″ square and I wanted it to be at least four inches deep, I decided to go from there.

Step two Mark your corners
I used tailor’s chalk to measure 4″ inches in from each corner, both horizontally and vertically.

Step three Prime the chalk cloth
Using chalk cloth, you need to prime it before you use it for the first time. It’s super simple – just take a piece of chalk, on it’s side and cover the entire piece you’re using with it. Be careful not to press too hard as it can create scratch marks, but overall it creates a nice patina. Once it’s covered, erase with a chalkboard eraser or use a scrap piece of flannel or a towel like I do. Rub a little harder just to be sure you get the dust all the way off.

Now it’s ready to roll.

Step four Align corners and staple seams
Right sides together, line up each corner, the inward cut sides, by folding it on the diagonal.

Grab your stapler.

Starting on the end closest to the fold (which will be the bottom edge when it’s complete) line of the staple about 1/4″ from the cut edge. You can go deeper but this seemed to work just fine. Staple the staples as close as you want to each other, just be sure to get one as close to the top edge as possible for easier turning. I put about three on each seam.

Repeat Step four on all four seams.

Step five Turning to right side out
This is probably the hardest step since chalkcloth isn’t the most pliable of fabrics. Work at each side and then use your thumb or finger to push each bottom corner fully. Be careful not to pry the staples. I only had one I had to redo but it was a cinch (that’s why getting the top one as close to the edge will be helpful).

Ta-da! You now have a tote. It will have a floral like shape left empty but once you fill it, it will go back to its square shape.

A couple of notes – you could also use snaps, sew it and other fastening devices. Enjoy this method as a quick way to make some storage happen for as little as five dollars. You can change the sizes and shapes based on your needs.