Saturday, January 28, 2023

Support Your Independently-Owned Quilt Shop

Observed each year on the 4th Saturday in January is Local Quilt Shop Day, celebrating independent business owners across the country. In support of locally owned and operated quilt stores, I've created several graphics and images which are free to use to honor the people and places who keep this industry alive and thriving.



Quilt shops, sewing and fabric supply stores are just several of the industries which have been devalued by our obsession with giant corporations and online retailers, but remember; there are plenty of things which can't be bought at such places! A cardboard box dropped at your door will never include seasoned advice, help from an experienced craftsperson, or suggestions and interaction with a knowledgeable store owner. Those experiences are priceless attributes provided by real people, running local businesses in your city or town, and those connections and conversations are what bring joy to many who enjoy making and sharing their love of fabric art.



There is someone out there in internet land who has put wonderful information into a blog post explaining why choosing "real people and places" is the better decision, Scott Fortunoff. I've put several of his statements into featured quotes here, but please, go read the entire piece for yourself.






Spending with independents builds a stronger fabric of community connections. That’s something we as humans crave and need, no matter how many times we say we love the ease and convenience of online shopping. Real conversations and advice are things we forget about each time we notice an indie store charges $2.55 more, because we LOVE to criticize and blame and feel disloyal.....yeah, even to the people who have proved their worth and value a hundred times over.....even to the local business owner who's donated prizes to local causes for twenty years. We see that price difference and I swear, we lose our freaking minds, convinced we're being ripped off and overcharged, while we fail to make the connection between helpful instruction and advice which allow us to create beautiful things.... and a chat bot.





See the album for Independent Quilt Stores on the Facebook page of "Go Independent Shop Small (Anywhere, USA), and then go out and spread some love where you live! Visit a favorite shop, find a new one to explore, or sign up for a class or event. Let's celebrate the people behind the counter who contribute so much to our world by fostering the joy and inspiration of real artists, because those are things we can all use more of. ♥️



Links:





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