Sunday 6 October 2013

some news...and a giveaway...

first the news...

in the new year i am going to be launching a fabric club. a bimonthly fabric club that you can dip in and out of as you please, order as much or as little as you like...
 but i have a few questions first...
there are a few things i need your help with...

if you fancy helping me out by answering these 3 questions I will enter you in a giveaway for a chance to win a bundle of my fabrics.

fair enough?
so the questions if you please...

:: number 1 :: 

have you signed up to any other fabric clubs and if so have you continued to stay a member?

:: number 2 ::

what would tempt you to join a fabric club? is it the chance to try a range of fabrics that you may not ordinarily be drawn to? is it the opportunity to build up your stash? is it something else?

:: number 3 ::

size matters...what is your ideal size with fabric clubs...charm packs, half panels or full panels?

big thanks for answering these questions for me and i will draw a winner this time next week.

x

(ps exciting?...i hope so...but this isn't even the news that i have soon!)

49 comments:

Ashleigh Brown Studio said...

I haven't ever joined a fabric club as I didn't really know they existed. I would definitely be interested in getting hold of fabric that would be unusual and that you wouldn't necessarily see in stores. I would like a small varied selection rather than full panels but I would most likely be using them for mood boards and inspiration as I am a textiles student, so maybe others would like a size that would be more useable. Hope that helps in some way.

Amy's Crafty Shenanigans said...

I haven't joined a fabric club yet but was thinking about one over at Annie's but I can't decide on the FQ or the 1/2 yard bundles or the reg printed or organic!! I guess I would be drawn to fabrics I know I would use - in colours I love with the odd wild bit that wouldn't normally appeal to me. It is nice to step out of the comfort zone every now and then. For sizes - depends on what it is. I tend to hoard FQ's and 1/2 yards but am more likely to use smaller pieces as they are 'already cut' in my mind so using them isn't traumatic!!!! I LOVE your fabrics - I can't wait to see how you set your club up.

Vonnie said...

From Vonnie...
Yay karen what a great idea! So
1. No but i do subscribe to a monthly craft box and I bought an additional special edition xmas box. I have been a member for 3 months and I like knowing that I have something special for me once a month.
2. I love the idea! And for me it would be signing up to your club because I enjoy your aesthetic and like the idea of stretching my personal craft boundaries a little ;0
3. I'd say full panels because you can cut them to your own desires.

Gill said...

1. No but I have been tempted several times
2.It has to be within my price range and I'm uncertain about committing for a long period
3.FQ's or smaller to make quick projects.

Catherine said...

I have never joined a fabric club. The thought if getting fabric that I probably wouldn't normally choose would be the reason I would join. And for me it would probably be fat quartets.
Can't wait to hear THE news, how long do we have to wait?

Unknown said...

What a great idea! I have never joined a fabric club because in the past I have felt I would end up with stuff I didn't like. However the idea of a blueberry park fabric club does appeal as it is something that isn't widely available & I know I like the vibe of what you do. I am tempted to say full panels but maybe something slightly smaller to make it more cost effetcive - I would want it big enough that I could cut smaller pieces from it if I wanted. Hope that helps :0)

Dotted Whale said...

No idea what a fabric club is. But if it is what I think I absolutely sign in. And to me is better half yard than fat quarter.

Mousy Brown said...

No, I never have...I've been tempted but then I'm not sure I want to relinquish control.
I'd be tempted by the idea of a mixture that I wouldn't be able to get elsewhere.
Not sure on size...think I would quite like a selection there too...

Lisa said...

1 - no, but am considering Annie's (village haberdashery) one.
2- I like the fact that I have no choice over what I get...I can be quite scared of making bold decisions in my fabric choices, so I know my boundaries will possibly be stretched. Also, I just love your designs and would love to know I was getting some every other month!
3 - I would probably go for fat quarters...enough to do something with, but can buy more if it's something I fall for!

Looking forward to finding out more!

Cheryl said...

I have never joined a fabric club as I am afraid I will not get fabric patterns that I like. I would use a fabric club to fill in my stash, aka a color or solids etc. Ideally the fabric club would have different size options, but if I had to pick one it would be far quarters.

malmur said...

1. I have recently joined a stash club to increase the range of basic colours that I have.
2. I would love to join a club like yours to get a range of more unusual fabrics that are unavailable elsewhere.
3. I'd love to be able to choose my size option but if I had to pick one, it would be fat quarters.
Hope you go ahead with it

Lisa said...

1. Yes I've joined a stash club before to get a range of colours of stash fabric as I was new to quilting and needed the basics.

2 yes I stayed with it as it was a good range of fabrics, styles and colours.

3. I would always prefer to choose yardage over smaller cuts of,fabric but sadly funds usually restrict me to FQ.

stuffandwhatnot said...

I haven't ever joined a club. I think the commitment is scary sometimes on a limited budget. I would join to get a selection of fabrics to build stash and try different fabrics out. Maybe a choice of sizes to suit different budgets?

Uncjessica said...

I would love to join your club! #1. Never have but I think it's a good idea. It would be great to do that with designer I know I like. #2. This one would be great because I know I like your stuff but it's fun to get something you might never choose. #3 I would say fat quarters... That way you get lots of different ones but in a flexible size. Especially if it's a larger pattern. Thanks!

Unknown said...

Hi Karen fab idea. I've never belonged or even heard of a fabric club! I am always on the look out for fabric that is not your run of the mill, a little unusual and I loved the fabric that you sent me. I like using a FQ size mainly, although smaller pieces are always really useful for me.

Hope that helps and good luck with the club!
Imogen

Unknown said...

Hi Karen
Yes what a fab idea! I've never heard of a fabric club, so think it's a fab idea. I love to try and find unusual fabrics and love fabrics that aren't the norm! I usually use FQ size but will use smaller.
Good luck!

Ann Marie @ 16 Muddy Feet said...

:: number 1 :: Yes I have and no I didn't.

:: number 2 :: Fabrics that I would want to add to my stash that all went well together. Not that I need any and I can't afford any fabric right now.

:: number 3 ::I like fat quarters or 2.5" strips. Sometimes depending on the fabric 1/2 yards or full yards.

Lucy | Charm About You said...

I did the stash stack club. I would want a range odd colours and maybe different sizes at different prices? Value is obviously important but i would also look for versatile prints i could stash!

Allison C said...

1. No, but I've been tempted to.
2. If I knew the colors and prints were my style I would be more inclined to join
3. FQs or F8s are preferred.

Catrin Lewis said...

1. No, I've never joined a fabric club before.

2. I would be tempted to join a fabric club to fatten out and vary my stash.

3. I imagine that your fabric club would be for your own printed fabric. Although I would usually say that I'd prefer fqs from a club in this case I would say charm pack as it would give greater variety for money and I'd be more likely to use your fabric to make bags/cushions etc than quilts so wouldn't really need anything bigger. If I'd received a charm that I really liked I might then go on to buy a panel.

I think that this is a brilliant idea! Go for it x

Caitlin at Salty Oat said...

1. I've never joined a fabric club, but have definitely thought about it. 2. I'd be tempted to join if the pricing and shipping were reasonable, and would love to try out an assortment of fabrics I may not otherwise buy. 3. I'd be happy with any size, but I think charms or half panels would be great. Such a fun idea!

DeborahGun said...

I would love to join a fabric club but being overseas the monthly cost including postage always ends up too high. The attraction for me is stash building, - receiving colours that I don't usually buy - and the ideal size is fat quarters, or even fat eighths for more novelty fabrics - I think charm sqaures are too small. Hope it all goes well :-)

Tennjenny said...

No, I have never joined a fabric club.

I'm not sure I would have a more specific reason to join than BUYING FABRIC, yo. I have more than enough stash, really, but sometimes fabric just makes me buy it. Perhaps one reason I have never joined a fabric club in the past is that I like to pick and choose. Even with bundles, if I don't care for just one print, that probably blows any savings I might have enjoyed by buying a bundle.

I think I have only ever purchased one charm pack; charms are just so small! However, fabric clubs make me a little nervous because of cost, and as size goes up, so does cost (biting nails). Plus, I'm in America, and shipping is a factor.

I really do love your fabrics, though, so I'm intrigued by what you're cooking up!

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Nope, never joined one (yet), usually too expensive and tbh too much fabric, no real advantage of joining and likely to be at least one grotter (brown!) month!
It would be great to build up a stash of lovely fabrics but I don't really like colour splits - if it was your prints, I would like a different print per month in multi colours rather than a month of pink, another of blue...
I would like fewer/less fabrics at a slight discount, a FQ/panel is more than enough, and maybe 1/2 dozen prints at the most.
I think I would opt for c. F8th sizes and the chance to buy more for a limited time/rest of the month at a reduced cost. So you are receiving usable samples.

Hope this helps; and if I had a lovely book to show me ideas of how to use said fabrics, I would be over the moon! xxx

Charlotte said...

oooh, how exciting!
I've never joined a club before because I generally like to choose things myself, but in the case of your fabrics (which are obviously not generally available) I would love to have a club where you send out, for example, a couple of F16th sized bits a month. Any bigger than that and I probably wouldn't want to cut them (pathetically!). I don't like charm squares very much because 5 inches isn't that useful (fnarr). Hope that helps xx

andri. said...

I have never joined any fabric club:) The attraction for me would be to receive colours which I wouldnt ordinarily buy for myself but in retrospect they are lovely, useful and why haven't I thought of buying that? Hahaha:D how about fat sixteenth?

Pam said...

Brilliant idea, I have never joined a fabric club, probably because all the ones that I have seen are in the US.
I would join to gain easy access to fabric that is outside my comfort zone. Finally I would want fat quarters with the option to buy extra yardage if there was something that I loved. I would be happy to have scrap bags though, I am a scrappy sort of quilter.

Liz Hayton said...

1) Never joined a fabric club - never really heard of them
2)I would want to be inspired by different things you could make, unusual fabric
3) Full panels, I think, so you have more options about what you can make.

Jen said...

I am part of a fabric club for solids. I joined it because I realised I always bought lovely patterned fabric but never anything plain to match it too! I've been a member for almost a year now and love getting my little packages each month.

It would be fun to run a quilt along or something with the fabric you are sending out.

I think that fat quarter sized pieces work best for me as I don't just use them for quilts. :)

Anna said...

1. I am part of the Simply Solids stash club and get 3 half yards a year. Have done all this year, am still pondering whether to do next year and if so whether to change my order.

2. I want to build my stash and get stuff that I wouldn't normally chose to widen the range of fabric I use.

3. I like fat quarter size as the smallest unless it's a pack of scraps that I can use for small projects. I find too much and I want to use it all in one go which can be hard to find a project for and too small and I don't have enough!

Kay said...

1. I haven't joined any yet because I find them quite a financial commitment every month.
2. I would be tempted by an offer it were reasonably priced, this could be done by offering different size bundles as some people really can't afford a lot, it is nice to be able to dip in and out as you say.
3. I tend to buy in fat quarters and half metres for specific projects, I also like charm squares.
Hope it all goes well.
ks(dot)eyles(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

Isisjem said...

Never joined a fabric club. Probably because of the cost and not really knowing what I'm going to get and if there will be more fabric I don't like than do. I think cost, choice and size of fabric would be a big join or not join thing for me.

FQ's or smaller but maybe not charm size would be my preferred. Fat 8ths good.

In fact I just saw what Hadley wrote and I agree with all of that!

Roberta said...

Personally Stash clubs aren't my thing. My fabric money is precious so I like to buy fabrics with a specific project in mind or that are just to gorgeous to be without.
Therefore I would only buy if I could see what was in that months bundle and could then say yey or ney whether I wanted it.
Hope that helps!

Julie said...

Oooh, exciting! I've never joined a fabric club either, but I have been tempted. My problem is always that I have very limited funds, for now, and I'm nervous about joining something that may mean I end up paying for something I don't like. Rather save my pennies for something I know I love than be surprised by something I don't. But that's really less of a concern if joining a club by a designer you already like, if that makes sense.

Still though, I'd probably be more likely to join if something like a charm pack was an option, or fat eighths - I do prefer to have lots of prints in small pieces, rather than one or two in large pieces.

As incentive, something like a colorway not available in the shop might be fun! An exclusive, just for members! Or a little mini-project pattern that you can use your cuts for? That would definitely entice me for sure! :)

Nati said...

1) No, I haven't joined a club. 2) I would be drawn to participate to see new fabrics and discover things I would normally not do otherwise. and 3) charm packs and small pannels.thank you!

Jen said...

1) Yes. Specifically, Pink Castle Fabric's Stash Stack club, Pink Chalk Fabric's Charming Solids Club and Amitie Textile's Liberty club. For all of them I have been a member since they first began.

2) Stash building. I really like the the clubs I am in give me a curated bundle of fabrics that I might otherwise not choose together.

3) I don't know how big a panel is but my favourite fabric cut is 1/2 yard. I probably would not be interested in anything smaller than a FQ (unless, like the Charming Solids Club, the small cuts came with some bigger cuts to go along with them.) For very expensive or precious fabrics F8s would be okay. I really like that that Pink Castle Fabrics club let me choose what size of cut I wanted and lets me change that choice to be bigger or smaller at any time.

Deanna said...

1. I haven't ever joined a club, but I'm tempted sometimes.
2. I like stash building fabrics, ones that read a certain colour.
3. I like fat quarters and bigger.

juceyj03 said...

1. No but I have thought about it!
2. I think I would be more into joining a fabric club if it maybe had a quilt along to go hand in hand or if I was able to pick my fabrics each month.
3. FQ's or F8ths
Hope this helps!!!
Thank you so much for the chance!
*Jessica
juceyj03@gmail.com

Mary said...

Sounds like an exciting plan!
1. Yes, I joined Pink Castle Fabrics Stash Stack club when that started and stayed for a year. Now I plan to just dip in and out if I see a colour I'm lacking.

2. I like getting fabrics I might not normally think about buying - I may not love everything but it's good to go outside of your comfort zone sometimes. I like building my stash as well, of course!

3. My default size for basics is ½ yard, but I like FQs as well. I don't find charm packs useful. An option to offer different size of fabrics for different prices is always good I think.

Hope that helps!

sweetbriardreams said...

Hi, I've never joined a fabric club but I do like the fat quarter size. I love all fabrics, vintage, modern, loud, chintzy. There is always a use and mixing different patterns and colours tests convention. Looking forward to seeing how this progresses. Chel xx

Anonymous said...

I've never joined a fabric club. I don't think I ever would because I'm very picky about fabrics and I don't think there would be very many that I would like. My ideal size would probably be a fat quarter to keep the cost down.

chicken lover said...

By bi monthly do you mean twice a month or every other month?

I haven't joined a fabric club, though I have been tempted. Another store is launching one this month which is very tempting but at over £30 per month is too expensive for me. I like the idea that you can dip in and out each month.
Building stash would be the main reason, hand picked fabrics that co-ordinate though not necessarily from the same line would entice me.
Fat quarters would be my ideal size.
Look forward to see how you develop this in the new year

Leanne said...

I am in a solids club and continue to be a member. I like the idea of trying something new and usual, I would certainly be interested in a club with your fabrics, and size is interesting and depends on the price. I would love to get more smaller pieces of more prints/colours than one big piece of one thing.

Rhonda the Rambler said...

I have never been a club member but think if the price is right (I am saving compared to a regular purchase) I would be enticed. If I were joining it would be build my stash - preferably with usable pieces which brings me to size. I mean they say size doesn't matter but I completely....oh wrong topic. I would say at least a FQ would work as that allows me to use it in bees and such.

Nicky said...

I'm in two fabric clubs - both gifted from my family as Christmas/birthday pressies! For me both happen about the same time in the year so this is a way to spread the shopping fun throughout the year. I'm still in as I subscribed for a year. I have also been building my stash! (do I really need to?) and thereby buying colours I don't automatically buy filling the gaps!
One of my clubs is FQs(different coloured prints per month), the other half metres (solids - range of shades in same colour), but I quite like the idea of a charm pack one! A way to test out fabric and then maybe buy more if I like it. But I love scraps anyway!

PS I am getting better at cutting up your fabric as I realised I can always ask you for more - yehaw!

Good response - you have to do this!

Wendy said...

:: number 1 ::

I signed up to a Japanese fabric club, got stung at customs and pulled out. I've just joined up to The Village Haberdashery's fabric club, I will see how it goes.

:: number 2 ::

The chance to build up my stash. I feel guilty buying fabric, less so when it's something like this!

:: number 3 ::

I'm not sure how big a panel is, I'd want F8s or FQs.

KJC said...

Hi there I did sign up for a year of 10 charm squares a month of new fabric lines but that was inexpensive. I am always tempted to join a fabric club and I see a few others have mentioned the Village Hab one but 10 FQs a month is too expensive for me and really too much fabric for my needs. Five a month would be better. Your idea of being able to order a smaller amount is very appealing. As for size I do love charm squares but a FQ size is more practical for some projects. I am not really interested in building a stash and I have been trying to use what I already have. The last point I would make is that I like all of your fabric designs so I know I would not get a piece I did not like which must be quite disheartening. Although I am open to new designs, fabrics and textures as I am a bit fed up with looking at the many mass produced fabric ranges.
thanks for the chance to win.

Di said...

What a brilliant idea.
1. I don't belong to a fabric club as I don't want to receive too much fabric on a regular basis. It can be expensive.
2. I would be attracted to a club if it added a few fabrics that I might not normally buy.
3. Definitely F8s. I like the thought of the same print in a range of colours rather than one colour per month.

I hope this helps and jolly good luck with your venture.
Di x

Colette said...

I've never joined (or heard of) fabric clubs until this week.
It would be fun to try out different fabrics / colours, I tend to choose similar colours all the time.
I'd like smallish sizes so I'd use them instead of hoard them.