Earlier this month I sent an email to my subscribers (aka quilters) asking for their input regarding my online quilt fabric shop. I got an excellent response from them and I'm so thankful for the insight! I'm going to share the results AND the winner of an Art Gallery Fabrics Fat Quarter bundle!
AGF Swatch Cards
One of the questions I asked was if quilters are interested in purchasing Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids Swatch Cards. The fold out book holds a swatch of every single solid color they carry, including the Signature Colors by Suzy Quilts.
The overwhelming response was NO, which actually surprised me! I have the Swatch Book and it is remarkably helpful when planning out a quilt or trying to match just the right color. Only 24% of those who took the survey said YES, they would love the opportunity to purchase a Swatch Book / Color Card. So we decided to purchase and list three of them. If you were part of the 24%, place an order for your swatch book here.
Solids, Prints, or a combination?
The second question asked was wether quilters prefer to purchase Fat Quarter bundles that are solely solids, solely prints, or a combination of prints + solids. How would you have answered? I would have answered solids! I love to use solids and I love to see the curated bundles in an array of colorways that push me outside of my comfort zone. But what did my subscribers say?
81% of those who answered the survey want to see curated bundles filled with prints and coordinating solids. My goodness! I mean, it wasn't even close. The quilters like me who enjoy solids only pulled in 15% of the vote. But have no fear 15-percenters! I will continue to make some bundles of solids to help you build your stash. You can shop for Fabric Bundles here.
Do you like to search for your own quilt backing?
We just recently jumped into the market of curating and offering quilt kits on our website. I say "we" and "our" because it really is a family affair over here. My husband is so kind to haul in the huge and heavy boxes that arrive from Art Gallery Fabrics, and our college-aged son cuts about 80% of our kits as orders come in. The money we/he makes from quilt kit sales directly impacts his college fund. It's been impressive to see him lean in and learn about customer service, presentation, and accurate cuts. But let's be honest, no one wants to go to the post office so that task is mine alone (wink).
Since we are relatively new to offering kits, I wanted to find out more about how YOU like to shop. Carrying backing fabrics can get tricky because we might only be able to fill 2 quilt kit orders with from 1 bolt of backing fabric. In the past, I didn't offer backing but I see now that might have been a mistake because once again ... my subscribers came through loud and clear with their responses.
64% of quilters who answered the survey would like the option to add backing and binding fabrics to their quilt kit purchases. Duly noted. We will work on making sure every kit has at least one option for backing and binding. We recently added two gorgeous backing options for the Snowglow kits (pattern by Abby Maed). Go check out the kits here.
PDF or paper patterns?
The world is changing. We see it with the closures of brick and mortar shops, and I don't just mean quilt shops. We see book shops closing, auto parts stores closing, and even JoAnn Fabrics is closing (as I write this in 2025). We tend to do more and more digitally and less with paper ... or do we?
I wanted to know how much of a priority I should put on getting my patterns printed in booklet formats. Is there still a demand for paper patterns? I have four of my patters in booklet format and available for wholesale purchasing. If you want to see them in your local shops, have the owners reach out to me. I'd love to start a conversation and give them a free shipping code!
The percentages on these answers were really interesting, so let's break it down:
Only 11% of quilters who answered the survey purchase strictly paper patterns / booklets.
20% of quilters said they buy both paper and PDF but only buy paper when they are in a brick and mortar shop.
25% of quilters said they strictly purchase PDF quilt patterns.
44% of quilters buy both PDF and paper, it just depends on the pattern.
What kind of pattern do you want to see next from crafty moose quilts?
The last question leaned heavily into my plans for 2025. I already have a Halloween pattern that is being tested by pattern testers and I'm working on making two samples of my own. Hey Betty Boo! was supposed to be released in 2024 but I had major shoulder surgery and it was far more extensive than any of us planned for it to be. So Betty and her gal pals had to sit tight and wait for me to be able to use both arms again.
Thanks to the survey resuilts, it looks like I'll be working on two other pattern releases this year in the categories of "Everyday Quilts" and "Fall Quilts". I have more patterns planned than I could ever possibly write so it's been fun for me to get some feedback from ya'll. It helps me with some decision fatigue for sure.
WINNER!
The winner of the Fat Quarter Bundle giveway is Janet R! She is being notified via the email she gave in the survey questions. She said she prefers solid/print combinations so that is what she will be receiving! Congratulations, Janet!
Everyone loves a good sale
As my business has grown and I have less time to use my fabric stash, my niece has encouraged me to list allllll of my stash fabrics at garage sale pricing. If you love a good deal and want to beef up your fabric stash, this is the place for you!
So grateful
Thank you ALL for giving me your input / feedback so that I can best serve you. The quilting community is such a joy!
If you didn't get the link to the survey it means you aren't on my email list. That's easy to rectify, simply follow this link and enter your information. I don't email often and I will not sell your information to anyone. It's just a communication tool I use to keep in touch with people who love to follow Crafty Moose Quilts.
-Happy Sewing-
Annie Moose
I absolutely love AGF solids, but said no to the swatch book only because I already own one; there wasn't a space for me to add that caveat to my response though. I also love and prefer solids; I love the kits I've gotten from you that had solids for backing and binding. I'm rubbish at choosing prints that go together, but sometimes I find bundles of solids with coordinating prints (typically seasonal/holiday themed), I will pick them up. I love all the curated solid bundles I've gotten from you and I appreciate that you offer the bundles in different size cuts (quarter, half or full yard). ❤️ I'm very excited for Sweater Weather Sampler 2025!