I was SOOOO disappointed when I finally had the opportunity to visit a local quilt store in Ann Arbor last weekend. I'm in Ann Arbor all the time, but this store is a few miles out of the way, in the direction I never travel in. I wanted to buy a specific brand of thread that JoAnn's doesn't carry. Finding that thread was the only good thing about that trip. I was impressed when I pulled in the parking lot. It was a big building. You could tell it was 2 stories. When you walk in they had an enormous doll house displayed, so that made me really excited. I had the butterflies in my stomach and I was anticipating to find really good stuff. The whole entire store carried one type of fabrics. Batiks. I don't care for batiks. They are a mix of colors. I love bright patterns, and cute novelty fabric. Quilters are kind people and usually really nice. Not in this store. People knew you would want by, but purposefully wouldn't make eye contact, and pretended that they didn't see you. It wasn't like I wanted to browse in their area, I wanted the hell out of there!!! I was so claustrophobic! I NEED my personal space, and this store wasn't set up for my needs. It was worse, because I was really disappointed.
This is a Batik. See how it had different swirled colors in it? Not my favorite
This is an example of the kind of stuff I like. This is Pat Bravo's Rock 'n Romance collection:
This isn't the whole collection, but see how the colors and patterns go together? When you cut the pieces of fabric and use a pattern, it will turn into a really beautiful cozy quilt. I actually have most of the collection and will be working on in soon!!!
A local quilt store is more than just buying fabric. It's a place where people come together to share and create what they love to do with each other. It's a place to learn new things and take classes. It's a place to meet people with years of experience and knowledge. Not this store. I'm not sure if you are familiar with Ann Arbor. It's a college town. It wouldn't exist without the University of Michigan. In the 60's, it had the highest number of teenage runaways. Think of hippies. There are a lot of hippies in the town still. Which is weird because it's 2013. Now the other half of the town is rich yuppie. Upper middle-class people that are Ex-Hippies and really super nice, or they are Super Snobby. I don't care for the Super Snobs. And this quilt store was full of them. If you can't hear a 5 foot girl say "Excuse me!", then you should get a hearing aid. It really bugs me when people are rude!! But I'm trying to change that, and think of a quick prayer for them. Maybe they are just having a bad day. Or maybe they are a Super Snob. But I know for thing for sure...this wouldn't be MY new local quilt store. I was really hoping we would be a match because the store is huge and isn't too far away from my house.
Which brings me back to Good Fabric. There is SO MUCH good fabric in the world, that I can not even begin to list them. One of my favorites is Heather Ross. She has some really cute nursery rhyme inspired fabric, see:
I love the vintage look SO much!!
One of my quilting bloggers, prsd4tim2, just reached 350 followers and is giving them away!!! I need them, they are so cute. I want to make a cute bag out of them, or use them in a quilt. If you want to enter, you have about an hour left! Good Luck.
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