At this time of year we like to look back and reflect on what has happened over the last 12 months. 2017 started with our Annual Customer Appreciation day in January as well as many classes for our winter schedule. We taught many “newbies” how to sew and quilt, many more how to use their embroidery machines, even more how to make things like bags, wreaths, rag quilts, slippers and more. The stand out class early in 2017 was our Tuffet class. People were amazed they could make a lovely piece of furniture for their home. 2017 saw the start of celebrations for Canada’s 150th birthday and we offered many classes focusing on that. Leading into March, we spend some time getting ready for the CreativFestival out at the Tradex in Abbotsford. We not only had our big A Great Notion booth, but also had representatives in the Bernina, Babylock, Pfaff and Husqvarna booths. We are always very happy to sell just the right machine to the right person.
Jumping into our Spring Schedule of classes was next and we were very happy with the turnout of students again taking all those beginner classes as well as other creative classes. The ladies in both stores really try their hardest to come up with classes they think many people would enjoy. In May, Judi was off the Quilt Market where she got many new ideas and was inspired by what is hot in the quilting and sewing market. She came back with new fabric lines, new notions and an eagerness to get more people hooked on quilting, sewing and embroidery.
Ron Collins was here in June to teach a class full of ladies the importance of fit and to show them many tips of the trade in getting that perfect “store bought” look in a homemade project.
As we entered the summer things started to slow down, but with Row by Row- “On the Go” starting the first day of summer we were visited by many regulars as well as tourists that were out collecting their patterns. We always have such fun meeting new people from around North America.
September is always the start of the new year for us. We feel once the kids go back to school and everyone gets back to some sort of regular routine, our classes seem to fill up. Again we taught many how to use their new machines, how to sew and how to do many quilting projects. We again offered the Tuffet class and as always it filled up fast and the ladies were amazed at how their finished projects looked. Ron Collins was here again for another Ultimate fit class, which was very popular. Between classes and training, our staff is kept quite busy helping customers with all their sewing and quilting needs. In October Keith and Judi were off to visit their daughter as she gave birth to a precious baby boy, making him their fourth Grandson!! Judi is always over the moon when she gets to make a new quilt for one of those boys!!
As the year was quickly coming to an end, we had a very successful Black Friday sale, the 12 Days of Christmas is always a hit with our customers (but oh so much work for our little elves) and now we have a wonderful “Everything you wanted, but didn’t get for Christmas” sale going on until January 6.
We would like to thank all our customer both near and far, those that support us through our catalogue and those that support us by buying local and from a small business. As life online gets more prevalent, we understand the need for people to do their shopping online, but also feel there is an important need for the Brick and Mortar shops to stay in the communities. We love what we do, we love helping you pick out your fabrics and notions, we love teaching you how to use that new machine, we love teaching all the “newbies”, we love helping with your sewing and/or quilting problems and we love to see your finished projects!! Having somewhere to go, to get that “hands on” approach is something the online stores can not give to their customers.
We have seem many new staff members join our family this year, we welcome them with open arms and are happy for their insight, eagerness and energy as they help you with all your sewing, quilting and embroidery needs. For the staff members that left us this year, we thank you for your service, your friendship and dependability.
We wish you nothing but health, happiness and prosperity in the New Year and hope to see you in 2018!!
Until next time,
Susan
e newer generations interested in hobbies. Over the years, life has become way too busy and very expensive and for the most part the younger generations do not see the need to spend money on or participate in any kind of artistic pastime. This greatly is affected small businesses all over North America and beyond and we also see it locally as more and more craft, sewing, and fabric shops are closing. The once very popular craft is becoming a dinosaur. More and more people of all ages are not only online shopping, but they are not participating in classes and clubs that encourage their artistic side. Not too many decades ago there were sewing, cooking, art, music, woodworking and more offered in public schools, but now it seems there is not as big a need for these classes.
