I am not going to Quilt Market this Spring* ( but do catch me in the Fall where I will be speaking at Quilt Market – Houston!) but I wanted to do a small series on the people that I think you must meet. While I think many shops are feeling a real pinch and wondering about the financial viability of market in this age of Instagram ( check out this article by Abby Glassenburg) I think that market can be approached in a strategic way that means that your store can make money ( yes, I said make money) by using market as a time to analyze the critical trends that will help make your shop more sales and thus more happy customers. ( Keep an eye out for my new project just for shop owners – No More Dismal Days for more shopkeeper positive insight)
Quilt stores and the shoppers who frequent them are changing, these changes are happening fast these days. Shoppers are looking for new and different ways to express their creativity past that of the quilt. At my shop (SPOOL) we are meeting that need by bringing in fun new projects and supplies (can you say wool felt?) from some designers that you might not know but totally should.
Best looking gang mugshots ever!
Today I wanted you to meet Jodie Carleton who is making the very long trip to the states all the way from Australia! I first met Jodie last year through an introduction from Flaun Cline. Instantly I knew that Jodie was my Australian spirit animal and that we would be fast friends.
Both her fabric and her pattern lines are fresh, interesting and a departure from many of the collections we currently see. This brings something fresh and fun to our shoppers that they might not see in other places. – Being unique is very important in a day when too many shops have too much of the same thing and customers get bored!
Jodie was hip deep in market prep but took the time to answer my questions about how to best introduce her pattern lines to your store. If you will be at market you can check her out at both her own booth and that of Creative Abundance which distributes her work. While you are there seeing her… tell her I think she has ” nice poofs!” — really do it.. she will think it is hysterical and will give you candy!
Meet Jodie Carleton –
Maddie: Your creations make me unreasonably happy, just looking at them makes my day better and yet here I am pushing 50. Who are you creating for when you make your adorable little friends?
Jodie: Thanks Maddie, they make me unreasonably happy too. I love making toys, I think about it all the time and am at my happiest when I am creatively
problem solving a tummy tuck or an ear wrinkle to achieve the perfect little face or body shape. In my mind my toys all have little personalities and
back stories and these help me to know just how the look–whether they have a great big grin or crazy wild hair or a tiny little tilt of the head (never underestimate the
head tilt- it makes grown women go awwww) . My whole range of patterns has grown from me wanting to make things that make me happy. I love that they sometimes have the same effect on others.
Who is Making Stuffies
We are very excited to carry your patterns at SPOOL. While we started as a fabric/quilting shop I see todays customer branching out and making a lot of
things besides quilts. What sort of shop carries your patterns and what are the items they should also stock to make the most of a RicRac pattern sale.
I am excited to have my patterns at Spool too. Chattanooga sounds great, it has the world’s longest pedestrian bridge after all ! My patterns are carried by loads of quilt shops but also by more generalist craft stores. I think it is true that people are branching out and I see as many dedicated garment sewers as quilters attending my toy making classes. The things I get asked about all the time are felt and safety eyes. I answer those emails repeatedly. A good quality wool felt is a great addition to my patterns and so are safety eyes. People don’t want to have visit three stores to get their supplies, they want them all in the same place. The Creative cards (a mini pattern) like Elliot are super easy to kit up and are at a very reasonable price point.
Elliot is a charmer
Stitcher’s Night Out
I think of your patterns as a great thing to do as part of a stitcher’s night out. Which of your patterns do you think are fast enough for a 3.5 hour get-together and what pre-work could a shop owner do to make this sort of venture a success.
Any of the creative cards would be perfect for a stitcher’s night–and the ones that have embroidery–like birdhouse and apple house are great because people get to sit and chat as well. Now this might sound weird, but photocopying a pattern for each person is a great idea !!! Obviously each person buys a copy of the pattern but I find so many people don’t want to cut their original pattern that they spend hours tracing it all out again. I am a librarian in my day job and I think of it as an archive copy. People want to archive the original and have one to work from. Shop owners can give them their beautiful original copy in their kit and then a copy for chopping up !
How does this fit in different stores?
You use bright happy colors but I suspect if done in primitive colors your patterns would be equally adorable and thus right for all sorts of stitchers and shops. What sort of material do you like to work with and do you ever use recycled goods in your work?
It always blows me away how the fabric choices change a pattern. I love seeing what other people do with my patterns. I especially love it when I am teaching and someone brings out a fabric that I personally think is ghastly and am sure will never work–of course I am always amazed at how their vision plays out and have to eat my words. Experimenting is the best !! In my personal work (toys I make but don’t release as patterns) I often use recycled goods. I dont tend to use recycled goods in the toys on the cover of patterns or I will be answering emails about that exact fabric till the end of my days only to say I chopped up a thrifted skirt or jacket.
And Now for the REALLY Important Questions –
Do your stuffy animals have butt-holes? I once did a small needle felted cat for a friend and her children. I put a little tiny puckered up spot right under the tail..it was yes.. cat ass. While my friend and her kids adored it I fear this might indicate my general level of depravity–please ring in on this matter.
Butt holes are super important to cats!!! Just as important as a snout or curlytail is to a pig…a cat would not be a cat without it ! Again in my personal work I often make bizarre things, like a jar of plush sperm for a friend who was having a vasectomy but I cant recall any butt holes. I made a doll version of my daughters boyfriend for Christmas a few years ago and made dreadlocks and embroidered his tattoos in place . I loved that project !
Visit Jodie in lots of places!
You my dear are amazing. Tell us what you have coming up for Spring market,dish us some good dirt…all of your secrets please!
Market is four solid days of bonkers ! I will be on two booths and will be talking a blue streak to anyone who slows down long enough for a chat. I love the chatting part of market meeting people and finding out things excites me. I have already packed four bags of Caramello Koalas in my suitcase so you should pop buy and I will give you one! I am staying on in Salt Lake City after market because it takes about 400 hours to get there for Australia and there is no way I am ready to get back on that plane after only a week.My new range Bunny Trails will be on the Ella Blue booth number 219 and my patterns are on the Creative Abundance booth dead opposite number 216 Come by and I will give you the grand tour. I won’t try to sell you anything but I will quiz you about where you live–I find America totally fascinating and want to visit every single part of it !!!
New fabric line… hint hint
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** I am not at market due to the fact that I booked myself and Flaun into a couple day business seminar – sometimes you just have to make choices. But if you happen to see our Quilt Sampler Quilt there please take a photo of it for me!!
