Shopkeeping: a little love fest

If you hear me talk about fabric, especially the prints I carry, you’ll more than likely notice that I love it. I am so happy to see it arrive, delight in talking/emailing with customers about it, and am bummed when it’s gone.

With the recent opening of the storefront (it’s been so much fun, late nights and can’t wait to share more on the party), I have been delinquent in uploading new arrivals to the site. Almost all of the new prints are up, except for some adorable and beautiful Kokka and Nani Iro prints, and it’s insane that there’s more than 100 prints in the New Arrivals section now!

My love fest is with practically every print that’s arrived in the last three weeks. However, I play favorites, I know. What has come in from Cloud 9, Hoffman, Moda, Free Spirit and Alexander Henry are so fun and lovely. You might remember how much I gushed about Cloud 9 and a few of the Moda collections from Fall market and it’s so exciting because they are finally arriving.

You have to check out Summersville from Lucie Summers. I need a whole post just on this collection. It’s perfection. Enough said. Can’t wait for Ellen Luckett-Baker’s Quilt Blocks to arrive either.

Cloud 9 delights have already rolled in with Monsterz and Alegria and I am so stoked for when Happy Drawing arrives. I am about to place orders for the summer collections so let me know if you have any requests by check them out here.

Flea Market Fancy is now here along with the Ghastlies from Alexander Henry. Again, go forth and dive into the new arrivals – there’s too many to list. Will be adding the remaining Japanese Imports on the 26th as well as some long-awaited restocks too!

While I haven’t had time to post picture of the new shop, a wonderful Drygoods Design customer, Cassie, posted some really great photos, along with some very kind words. If you haven’t seen her blog before, it’s a fun, candid read and it helps she has some mad skills (and a dynamite personality)! Thank you Cassie!

You’re Invited!

While this mostly goes out to my Seattle-based customers; you’re all invited for a fun evening of fabric, bites and libations. So excited to open up the flagship for Drygoods Design to everyone!

 

Hard to post but the show must go on

I have struggled with whether or not to make a declaration about the recent events in my life. However, it’s become apparent that my customers are some of the most wonderfully patient and understanding people. That said, I’d like to ask for continued understanding as my response times are a little slower these days and as many may have noticed orders haven’t shipped in their typical lightening-quick fashion of late. A week ago today my father passed away and it’s hit me harder than I could have imagined. My family, me and the world lost a rather incredible and one-of-a-kind man last Monday and now I am trying to figure out what my world looks like without him. For the last six months we knew his time was coming but I still wasn’t prepared. Many trips to Oregon and probably more in the future have had me slower on the work side.

My dad, were he still here, would tell me that the show must go on and it will but I wanted to share this news so I slow down and recognize that I won’t be bouncing back too fast. I remain excited about the new shop, your quilt block submissions (so excited to see them) and continuing to fulfill every order that comes in, however it will just be done with more measured thoughts I suppose in the next few weeks. Custom orders versus fabric orders will take the biggest hit, and I apologize for any extended delays.

There’s some good changes coming to the site and of course new fabric (Flea Market Fancy) always around the bend, including QuiltCon-specific bundles. I will update you soon as it will be mean new customer accounts, better ordering, a new look and more.

Thank you to all the customers with which I’ve already had to share this news and thank you in advance for your continued understanding.

Best,

Keli

Calling all quilters: art block show

It’s hard to categorize this post but what I want to do is merge art and quilting for the grand opening evening of Drygoods Design. It’s taking place April 14, which is the Ballard Art Walk and if you’d like, please send me one quilt block you think others might love as something pretty, striking or moving to hang on the wall. It would be so fantastic to not only represent fabric as art but also my lovely customers, from Seattle and across the world.

Here are the quick details:
What to send: a sewn quilt block, size is up to you but more than five or six inches square is preferred
When: please send by April 6th so I have time to stretch it over canvas and prep it for the show
How: the easiest and least expensive (depending on the size and weight, probably around $2.50 from most U.S. addresses) method will be USPS First class mail

Where: mailing address is 1752 NW Market, #223 Seattle, WA 98107

Please also include the name of the block that you would like included on the label during the show as well as your suggested price. The majority of any sale will go to the artist/sewist of the block. I will just cover costs. If you have any questions please send me an email at hello at drygoodsdesignonline.com!

Offsetting a Monday: a few favorites

It’s one of those blurred days, the Monday where you wish it was still Saturday because Sunday is too close to the working days. With that, I thought I would go Maria VonTrapp style and share a few of my favorite things of late to make the thought of the to-do lists a little lighter.

Forgetting to buy pizza dough was the best thing we’ve done as it motivated me to make this recipe for pizza dough. Halved the recipe and it still only took five minutes to make, ready to use the next day.

One of the results:

This fabric collection. It’s almost counter to the simplicity to which I often gravitate but it’s practically art on cotton. Bonus, it’s vicariously taking me to France.

These prints by one talented artist.

This tutorial on saving a pair of TOMS – so cute! (via thelongthread)

This new quilt pattern from Fresh Lemon Quilts – it’s not even that she used Echo – it’s just beautiful, sweet and clean. Someday I will make a quilt, someday. Speaking of this, stay tuned – I have an interesting request coming your way.

All right, here’s a happy week to you all!

And the winner is…

The lucky winner (selected by random.org) for the Moving Sale giveaway is a lovely Drygoods Design customer, Whitney N. of www.elmstreetlife.com. Whitney runs a wonderful Etsy shop where a portion of every sale goes to a cause. Her creations are beautiful and maybe I am partial because I get to see fabrics I sell turn into pretty outcomes and work with sweet customers like Whitney and you all.

Thank you to all of you who placed orders and therefore entered to win the $20 gift certificate and Echo charm pack!

More soon…

And the winner is…

The lucky winner (selected by random.org) for the Moving Sale giveaway is a lovely Drygoods Design customer, Whitney N. of www.elmstreetlife.com. Whitney runs a wonderful Etsy shop where a portion of every sale goes to a cause. Her creations are beautiful and maybe I am partial because I get to see fabrics I sell turn into pretty outcomes and work with sweet customers like Whitney and you all.

Thank you to all of you who placed orders and therefo