What was I thinking?!

So, let me preface this by telling you a bit about the three of us Hip Stitch owners....Jen is the quiet, easy-going, even-tempered one. Heather? She's the extrovert - she's a woman of the world (I don't mean that in a negative way, so stop thinking what you're thinking!) She's got moxie. And me? Well, I'm the one who decides 3 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS that I'm going to make each of my 2 daughters bathrobes, and my husband a shirt. And then I wonder.....What was I thinking?!
Well, here's bathrobe #1:
I actually enjoyed making it, and it was an easy pattern (I'll stock it in the lounge if you even want to borrow!)
My point is, Jen or Heather would not have foolishly decided 3 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS to make these gifts. They have more common sense. Much, much more. Me? I'm the impulsive, nutty, get myself hyped up on coffee and take on more than I can possibly handle. But I'd like to think that we 3 balance each other out pretty well, and for that, I'm so thankful these 2 women are in my life - as friends, as business partners, as my kindred sisters.
Merry Christmas!

Hunkering down in the snowstorm

Alright, so it's not really a snowstorm, but living in Albuquerque, any snow is reason to light a fire, make some hot chocolate (or pour a glass of red wine), and do something Laura Ingalls Wilder-esque.....like knitting! I'm getting close to finishing my Slouchy Cardigan from http://knitcafe.com/boutique_knitcafebook.html - just have the sleeves left, after putting this project down to knit socks for my girls. (Heather and I are having a mock "contest" to see who can finish our cardigan first....it's just a joke, right Heather?!? Even though I'm going to finish first!!!)

Have you been to the store lately? We got in a shipment of books - gorgeous, get-your-creative-juices-flowing books, and beautiful notecards and journals. Also still there - handmade knitted sweaters, hats, scarves, gloves, and more - Dagmar's "Sheep on a Spring" creations, still lingering from our craft show this past weekend....she'll come by and pick everything up this week, but in the meantime, it's there, for sale!

Tomorrow we hope for a school delay - my oldest turns 11, and we want to celebrate with a leisurely morning of sugar-cereal eating and opening presents!

Happy Snow Day, everyone!

Some more sharing

Kathy Albright (one of our awesome-ly creative customers) has done it again! Look what she created with Amy Butler fabrics - heart shaped placemats! Thank you for the inspiration, Kathy - especially this time of year when we want to make our gifts for others!

It's 11:30 and my head is nodding off....I sewed 2 more tote bags tonight to make my total of 7 - a craft show this weekend (flyers at the store!) in which I'll be selling my Haute Totes. Why are they not all in Hip Stitch fabrics? one might wonder. Well, I've had these cut out for months and months, long before Hip Stitch was born, and they just got put on the back burner until now. Three days before the craft show, and yes, I'm just now making them. I do thrive on doing things at the last minute. I'm a bit disappointed in the Craft Fuse I used....purchased it w/a coupon at JoAnn's, as I didn't want to deplete our bolt at the store. I think I got a bad batch. I just doesn't have the hold that it should. Phooey.

And this is my dream machine - Brother Project Runway edition, purchased at Ryan's Sewing & Vacuum this summer. It just hums along through all my projects! Now, g'night!

Girls' Night Out

Saturday night was just that - my girls and I went to Roller King for a night of skating! Our 1st stop was the Sonoma Coffee Cafe, which is locally owned by friends, for gelatto for the girls and a holiday beverage for me.....have you gotten your Peak Perk gift certificate yet?! http://ccabq.incentrev.com/index.cfm?action=offer&offerid=4656 A $50 gift certificate for $20....(when I bought it it was $25, so you gotta get this deal!)

Then we were off to skate, with my 8 year old wearing my skates (see photo below) from my days of skating in 8th grade. Good golly, I can't believe my little girl is now wearing them! Much has changed, and much hasn't, from when I used to be dropped off at "Wheel A While" in Rockville, MD, every Friday night, to skate, and ogle the cute boys, and whip my comb/brush combo out of my Jordache jeans back pocket to perfect my Farrah Fawcett hairstyle. Sigh......

We left by 8:00, when the crowd was getting a bit, well, bolder - 1 1/2 hrs. was enough for this 40 yr. old mom. We'll definately be doing this again, though - great exercise, great fun!

And now for Hip Stitchin' business.....December has begun and if you haven't made your holiday gifts, now's the time! Half-price lounge times on Fridays and Saturdays in December - a craft show to shop locally. Heather is finishing up her biggest project ever - a quilt, which I can't wait to photograph and get posted for all to see! Jen has been excused from sewing projects right now - she's expecting a baby boy in May (yes, it's a BOY!), and is keeping up with 2 yr. old Olive, who has quite the mind of her own!!

Recycling clothes and Amy Butler patterns

So I went shopping this weekend, at Goodwill, for some "new" clothes. Being that I sew, I knew I could make some alterations here and there if I saw something I liked, but wasn't a perfect fit. Now, I'm not a label snob by any means....but for used clothing, you just have to rummage through the racks to find the good stuff - Ann Taylor Loft, Talbots, Old Navy, J Jill - clothing that is made with good fabrics that will stand up wash after wash, so that by the time it ends up at Goodwill, it's still in great shape!

I made a killing! I found 2 skirts, 2 pairs of pants, and 4 tops, and my grand total was $32.00. So, that brings me to the above picture.....a great pair of pants/Old Navy. One size too big....I took out the waistband and took in the sides, then replaced the waistband.....

...now the problem....how do I move those hooks over to meet up with the 'claw' that hooks around them? They're not sewn on; rather, they seem to be either glued down really well, or are wrapped/hooked through the fabric, like with magnetic snaps. Any suggestions?!

And here's my Weekender Bag! (Not quite finished - the lining gets made/attached today) I worked on it Saturday at our workshop - with Dolores, who cut out her Messenger Bag, and Chris, who made the bias tape cording cover for her Sophia Bag.

There was some frustration with this bag....a bit on my part - cutting out some wrong pieces, having to read a direction 3 and 4 times to understand it. But then it all came together! (Robyn, I can relate to your frustration w/the Sophia Bag - I had to do some major stretching of the fabric to get it to work around the cording. It wasn't a perfect fit!) But, I love the bag - it's size, it's look...don't know if I'll be doing another anytime soon!

A few nifty hints

Last night I was cutting out a new pattern, and thought I'd pass along 2 suggestions....I'm in the habit of putting my pattern in a big manilla envelope, instead of trying to stuff all the pieces back in the original envelope. Just tape the original envelope onto the front of your new one, and there you have a new pattern envelope!

I read this hint somewhere sometime, and thought I'd take a few extra minutes to do it - refold your pattern pieces with the numbers showing, so when you need them, you don't have to unfold every dang piece to find the right ones!

I'm off to make, not buy, a Christmas gift!

Good Grief - the holidays are approaching!

Let's start with this website: http://www.buyhandmade.org/. Will you take the pledge?! I admit, it'll be tough with some recipients who ask for specific items for Christmas - my 10 yr. old daughter wants an MP3 player....hmmmm, don't know if that can be handmade.

I'm now going to talk fabric for a moment. I just finished ironing the hem on some curtains that I'm shortening for someone - one of my occasional side jobs. The tag tells me they're from Walmart, made in China, 100% polyester. And the smell that is coming from them as I heat them with the iron is nauseating!! (I machine washed them to pre-shrink) What is that smell? It reeks of toxicity, chemical, just plain horrid. Now, I'm not anti-polyester, and I'm not about to spout off about Walmart and the working conditions in China - this just isn't the place. But how in the heck was this 'fabric' made?! What is it exactly?! Blech!

And on another note, let's get makin' for the holidays! We have lots of ideas at the store for just about anyone on your list - and don't forget - November's craft night is this Friday, the 21st, and Saturday the 22nd is our "come work on your Amy Butler pattern" in the lounge. No excuses for not getting to work!

(A note to Erin - I'm so sorry you recently came by on a Friday and we were closed! We recently changed our hours around....Thursday is our late day; open 'till 7, so please come back if you haven't already!)

A quote I love and creations for my kiddos

Here are samples of the men's tie pattern that's so easy-peasy to make:

Thanks so much to Pastor Harold, our landlord, who came down to model a tie 'cause we needed a man!

So, my family again went to the Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe - it's becoming a favorite of ours to go to on a Sunday afternoon. My girls love weaving at the Needles + Pins exhibit, and we all love to wander through the miniatures room. It just feels like we're tourists on vacation when we go. So, yesterday, I sat and wrote down what was written on one of the placards on the wall. It's as follows:

"The recent popularity of knitting, crocheting, needlework and sewing among a younger crowd points to a rennaisance of interest in the handmade garment. Personal aesthetic expression embedded in the culture and society of the times is a universal impulse. In 21st century North America, the urge to make something flies in the face of the mainstream, mass-produced consumer culture, signaling an understanding of the human connection wrought by the work of the hands."

I don't know why, but that spoke to me. Summed up why Hip Stitch came into existance, why we love this store and what we do and why we do it. There I go, rambling again....

And here's a shot of my girlies in Hip Stitch handmade items: Claire, who makes her own scrunchies....these are made out of our Tina Givens ladybugs line. The messy hair is just part of her these days.

Jane, who chose Michael Miller's Apples & Pears for a new pair of pajama pants. (look closely and see that the pattern on the fabric is upside down - an fabric estimating error, but she loves them all the same)

It's a non-stop party here!

OK, maybe not non-stop, but between the Amy Butler trunk show and last night's party, we're having some gosh-darn fun! You've just got to come in and see the trunk show and the new fabrics we have in if you haven't yet!

The lounge was rented last night by a group of 80's music-loving moms to celebrate a birthday, and they set to work creating some awesome projects! A purse, skirts, aprons, a huge bean bag cover - man, these ladies could sew!

And for the 3rd time in the last 2 weeks, our adorable UPS guy (are there any who aren't adorable?!) delivered yet even more fabric - our Michael Miller order!! Striking black & whites, more Christmas cottons, including an adorable vintage "holiday hostess" - I'm visualizing aprons, skirts, gifts galore!

Show 'n tell time!

Aren't these adorable? All made by Kathy Albright, a customer, with Hip Stitch fabrics! She made the dress, bloomers, hat and tote bag for her granddaughter, who lives in Germany, then traveled there to deliver in person! The hat was made from Little Stitches for Little Ones, by Amy Butler. The felt adorables are from The Softies Kit, which we're currently out of but have one that's available for use in the lounge - a hit with kids who come and sew! Kathy put the felt softies in the tote bag as an added surprise for her granddaughter! Beautiful work, Kathy - and thanks so much for sharing with us!

Found the camera!

Excuse the stretched-out wonky tee shirt that I'm wearing, but instead, focus your eyes on the cute shrug I made in a very short amount of time yesterday! It's from the book Sew What Fleece that we carry, and I'm thinking that this would be a fun class - don't you?! It's comfy and warm (well, not yet as we're still having hot weather..), and was a breeze to make! Look for this class offered in October!

....and this was craft night! Yes, that's Heather getting a foot massage from Ann, and no, Ann will not be available at every craft night to give foot massages! (Remember that Heather's "paid" job is at Trader Joe's, so she's on her feet all day)

Craft night fun

Last Friday's 1st craft night for Hip Stitch was a blast! If you weren't there, I hope you've been crafting something at home, at a friend's home, somewhere! I took pictures which I hoped to post, but now can't find my dang camera, so they'll have to wait 'till the next post....

So what did we do? Made eye-pods, experiemented with The Softies Kit felties (is that a word?!), knitted, crocheted, made a pillow cover, cut out pants from a pattern, ate a ton and laughed a ton, made new friends, and I don't know how, but the topic of politics actually didn't come up!!

Our next craft night is in the planning stages....we'll be offering supplies to make a corn sack, which if you don't know about this, it'll be your best friend this winter at home!

Hey, check out this link to Fancy Tiger, a sewing lounge like ours, in Denver: http://fancytiger.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html Scroll down a bit to where you see the 3 ladies in skirts they made....does some of the fabric look familiar? Some ideas as to what you can make!

We're finalizing the October calendar....hope to get it out in the next few days!

New fabrics and an apology, I think?

Here are some of the new ones just in....I wanted to get the images out to you if you haven't been into the store yet! The bottom pic. is flannel - look at the designs on them! I could go on and on about how they're just perfectly beautiful fabrics, but you just have to come see for yourself....and don't forget to check out the email newsletter I sent this week - if you're not yet on our email mailing list, get yourself on, by golly!

And now for an awkward subject.....I had a call yesterday from a very angry customer, "personally offended" (her words, not mine) that we were charging $10 for our upcoming craft night, even if one brings his/her own craft. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a word in; she just needed to vent her anger and then proceed to hang up, leaving me utterly flabbergasted. So I'd like to try to publicly make some amends for this horrible wrong we've seem to have committed.

In our minds, charging $10 goes towards: buying food and drinks to provide; purchasing materials for a craft to provide for those who don't bring their own; and towards the cost of staying open 3 hours later - lights on, sewing machines running, music playing (that would be on our PNM bill!) Granted, we don't get paid for the work we do - a sacrifice we're happy to make while we start up this new venture. But we also know that if we don't have income coming in, Hip Stitch will not succeed as a business.

So, I apologize for any offensive action we may have taken, and as we've always stated that we are customer-driven, we'd like to right our wrong by offering the following: if you would like to attend craft night and choose to bring your own craft, we ask that you pay $5.00 to go towards the above-mentioned bills (minus the cost for the craft). If you attend and choose to do a craft provided by us, we ask that you pay $10 for the above-mentioned bills. I'm also wondering that if this doesn't suit you, you may want to think about starting your own "craft night" in your own home, invite your friends, and make it free?! Our hope is that you all are happily crafting, whether it be at our place or another. Happily crafting, I repeat!

On to other news:
I made an ironing-board cover from our Anna Maria Horner's home dec. fabric - it's out in the store to give you some ideas about what to sew! It was a little tricky - I followed the "template" from the old store-bought cover, and sewing the elastic back on was a challenge, but it gives a great fresh new look!

Emily Hedrick, a customer and seller on etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5060851), has some of her bags for sale in the store. She has a great eye for putting fabrics together - and also makes beautiful "blossoms" that she attaches to the bags....come check them out!

Soon to arrive - some funky Alexander Henry bolts!

Lookie Lookie!

My favorite skirt right now....Amy Butler fabric and wrap skirt pattern from "Sew What Skirts" book (we just sold out - more on order!)

Our Grand Opening Saturday - the knitters are busy chatting and knitting! (don't worry, Village Wools, you're THE place in town to knit and purchase knitting supplies!)

My niece, Leah, with her completed hockey stick bag for her boyfriend's mom....no pattern involved, just in her creative mind! (Notice the cool pocket she added...)

Amy's adorable daughter, in her most-adorable ruffle skirt. Amy's made about 3 (4?) of these now - such cute fabrics put together for the 2 layers!

Adorable sewing tote made by a customer, as a sending-off gift to a college student. It's fabulous!!

Our children are back in school, and I must say, as bittersweet as it is sending them off, I just love the moment when I walk into the store in the morning, and the quiet-ness greets me, and the fabrics call out to me...."create! create!", and I get the coffee pot going, and can't wait to greet the crafters and creators who walk through the door.

Yesterday, Sunday, my family went up to Santa Fe to the International Folk Art Museum (http://www.internationalfolkart.org/). We love wandering through the miniatures room and studying all the scenes - we notice something new every time. They have an exhibit now called "Needles + Pins/Textiles & Tools" - the history of textiles/textile arts. It's sooo cool! Weaving, knitting, sewing, needlework - so peaceful to just wander through and realize what a timeless art our little store represents, and how important sewing is - to our minds, to our well-being, to teach our younger ones that they, too, can create something instead of purchasing it from a store...

The September calendar is being finalized - lots of fun this coming month. Let's sew together!

Major bonding

Man, I'm loving these classes! Not just the creating of fabulous skirts and lounge pants, but the talking we all do while sharing this time together - about sewing, about our lives, our spouses and children and jobs and and and.....

I got some fabulous insight into what's ahead for my daughters (now 10 and 8) when they reach their teen years from 2 very bright, wise, fun teenage girls who took classes, and made an adorable mini skirt and a flouncy tank top/tunic. Dang it, I need to remember my camera to capture these creations and post them!

I learned about the test available for the breast cancer gene from an awesome woman who made a wrap skirt, and now am thinking maybe I should take that test to alleviate my fear of "I wonder if..."

My niece has, in my opinion, sewn the most unusual and unique project I have yet to see: a hockey stick bag for her boyfriend's mother, in cotton-candy pink. Did I word that clearly? A bag to hold her hockey stick! Yes, it's about 6 feet long! And she added a strap for carrying and a pocket!! Go Leah - you rock!

Amy is a breath of sunshine when she comes into the store - having made the most adorable ruffle skirts for her little girl. She's gone from almost paralysis in front of a machine to enormous confidence in just a few weeks, and doesn't realize just how beautiful her stitching is - I joke with her about remembering to breathe while sewing! Thank you, Amy, for discovering us!

So, we're so very excited about the Grand Opening tomorrow and Saturday. I'm off to bed to get some needed sleep!

Classes are humming!

Hey there - what fun we've been having sewing! A wide-leg lounge pants class yesterday (Sat.) afternoon produced some awesome creations! Thanks to the great pattern in Amy Butlers "In Stitches", made on some great Amy Butler fabric, they were a hit! I keep forgetting to bring my camera into the store - when I do, I want to post some of this creativity at work!

I think what helps make the sewing time in the lounge so fun is the togetherness women share....making the time to relax, work on a similar project, doing a hobby that's non-stressful and hums along. It's just, well, peaceful. (and men, you're not banned from the lounge - I know there are some male sewers out there; you just need to make yourselves seen!)

In August, we'll do more lounge pants classes, as well as a super-easy wrap skirt. I just made one tonight at home in about 45 minutes (my pattern was already made; the class will include making the pattern)

And we continue to love to chat with our customers - we learn something new every day from you! (Saturday afternoon's tip was from Cheryl, who taught us a simple method of putting pins in the corners of your pattern & fabric - too wordy to explain in this blog - ask us when you come into the store!)

New fabrics to arrive any day now....we'll notify you when they do...after we attack the UPS man when we see him pull up!

Unknown

Unknown? O.K., I'm having a bit of trouble putting a title to these posts...there isn't always a theme, you see, just a bit of my daily rambling...

We set our alarms today and got up at 6:45 to watch channel 13...what fun! Deanna Sauceda, thank you again for the wonderful story and helping get the word out and the creativity flowing.

We're busy busy filling up our calendar with lessons and classes - I'm working on a few wrap skirt classes in August. Coming up in our offerings will be an embellishment class, taught by a very talented gal, Kim, who can do wonders with appliques, adding a ruffle, and many other great ways to liven up a garment! She's also going to teach a class on making a dress for girls - similar to the dress seen in our store on the mini dressform. Those offerings will be posted soon.

Fourteen more bolts of fabric are on their way - about 5 of them home decorator....we can't wait for their arrival - later this week? maybe next? Sorry to be so vague, but we can't get much info. from our wholesaler as to an exact arrival date.

Come one, come all crafters!

Today was fantastic - thank you Susan Stiger for the humorous, fun, awesome article in the Business Outlook of the Journal! We had so many wonderful and excited customers today in the store! We are just so thrilled that this article is helping us to reach a goal of ours - to get those covered-in-dust sewing machines out of your closets, to get you to pick up the phone and call us and say "I want to learn to sew!", to get you to come in and gaze lovingly at the fabrics that we gaze lovingly at each day, dreaming of that future skirt, or pair of lounge pants, or purse, or dress for our small daughters,......

I have a request of those of you that come and tell us what you've done/are working on - BRING IT IN FOR SHOW-N-TELL!! We want to see, touch, ooh and aah over your creativity! Whether it be needlepoint, quilting, a garment, crocheting, knitting, we want to see it! Please!

Kristina and her adorable daughter came in wearing their matching skirts that she made (ahem, Kristina's skirt was made from the Sew What Skirts book that we carry and will be teaching a class from...!) You are one hip stitcher!

What's to come!

Well, first for some announcements: last week was a bit of whirlwind for us as far a publicity....Susan Stiger, a journalist w/the Alb. Journal, interviewed Heather over the phone for her column in the Business Outlook - it'll be in the Thurs., July 17 edition. I had called the paper a few days before the interview to inquire about a possible story on our new store...we didn't expect it to happen so fast! The photographer came out last week to take some pics. for the story - we'll be curious to see which one will be w/the article!

THEN, quite a surprise - we got a call from Deanna Sauceda/Channel 13, asking about doing an interview for a story to air on her morning broadcast. She's doing a series on saving money in today's economy, so she came w/her camerman and talked to us about how the lounge and store help customers to save money by making their own clothing, etc., instead of spending elsewhere on ready-made products. It was quite an experience! She's a lovely woman and a saavy reporter - was very patient w/me as I experienced the "deer in the headlights"sensation everytime the camera was turned on and she asked me a question. I anticipate some heavy editing on those parts!! So we have to thank Michelle, a very special customer to us, for getting that story going!! (Oh, the story should be aired this Wed./16th, at 6:45 a.m., I believe..)

Anywho, (to quote a friend, Paula's, expression), we look forward to more word getting out about our little place. We plan to place another fabric order in the next week or so - a luscious list that includes Anna Maria Horner, Heather Bailey, and more....it was very hard to narrow down to what we can afford at this time.

We're so glad Jen is back from Oklahoma!! It was a tough week for us all as she was off visiting her in-laws....Heather and I missed her - apologies to her family for frequent calls - and I know it was hard for her to be away so soon after opening....

And lastly, check out the schedule of classes - finally they're in place! Hope to see you at the store!

Quieter days in the clubhouse...

We have regulars!! It's awesome! O.K., I realize this is only day 3 of our existance, so they might not qualify as regulars, but they're faces we love to see each day. Our children have been busy bees sewing in the lounge. We have a customer coming in tomorrow to work on her daughter's wedding dress - our first official lounge renter!!

The coffee is flowing, the music is playing, the machines are humming - what more could we ask for in this life?!

Whew!

Heather and a new friend knitting - see - we're not just a sewing store!

Getting used to this business stuff!

End of day 1....exhaustion, disbelief, giddiness, lots of forward thinking! That just sort of sums up today. So many friends and family came by to support us - we're overwhelmed with the shared excitement for this passion of ours!

Words just can't come to me tonight - I'm off to bed to hopefully sleep soundly and wake up anticipating yet another day I get to spend at our clubhouse, I mean, store!

Tuesday it is....

Well, we had really hoped to be able to give a sneak peek to customers before the opening day, but we're just not ready. Yesterday I got slammed with something that sent me to bed with aches and exhaustion (hmmm, maybe it was exhaustion?!) Jen, her husband Michael and her sister Jess worked all day at the store. Heather had a Trader Joe's shift. I went over this morning to grab coffee cream from the store's mini-fridge (I know I'm feeling better when I want my morning coffee when I get up - yesterday, it repulsed me!) The place looks soooo good! Yay!

We're hoping and praying our notions get mailed out today. It's a 3 day shipping - we have to get past our frustration that it's taken this long to get to this point - so we may or may not have notions on the wall July 1. If not, they'll be there the 2nd or 3rd.

Yesterday I was thumbing through a magazine in the waiting room at the pediatrician's office - yes, I dragged myself out to take my daughter to see the dr. for her cough - and I came across a page with an apron made with one of the fabrics we carry! I very discretely tore the page out to post at the store. I never, ever tear out magazine pages that don't belong to me, but I couldn't resist this time....

Hip Stitchin'

The sign is up!! Which is equally thrilling and terrifying - now ANYONE can drive by and see who we are...which we learned yesterday. Jen & I were working at the store when we had a young man stop in who was more the "hip hop" type than the "hip stitcher". He was very nice, and wondered about what we were all about, and asked a sewing question. Jen's husband, Michael and I had the same thought at the same time - we had never considered that a passerby might interpret the our name as hip hop, which would draw in quite a different customer than we imagined. I say this not as a negative; just, well, different!

Today Jen & I have a Room Rehab job. (did I mention our former & current occupation?) Check us out at www.room-rehab.com. We're faux painting a dining room. Heather is off work from Trader Joe's, so she's picking up where we left off on the to do list.

Eleven days...

Yep, it's really eleven 'till opening. Let me take a moment and breathe....o.k., that's better.

Last night I was finally able to place our 1st order for notions for the store. What's that, you say? Why did we wait until 11 days before opening to place our notions order?! Well, I won't go into the long saga, but the company that we're working with (will remain unnamed), has awesome products, great wholesale prices, but has been lacking in the "getting our account going" aspect - we started in April trying to contact them and establish an account. It finally happened this week. Very frustrating, but hopefully we'll have some notions on opening day; ift if not, soon thereafter!

The tables are in the lounge - they're fabulous! We can't wait this week to do some sewing!! Get some demo items made, aprons for us "employees" to wear.

We still plan to have a sneak peek open-the-doors-before-July 1, so check back for when that will be.....next Friday night? next Sunday night? Let's see how the week goes....I can't wait to have 2 gals in particular see the fabric - you know who you are - fellow Amy Butler groupies!

Wow it's hot!

Nothing like stating the obvious - I think it was supposed to hit 97 today. Jen & I found (yesterday) an adorable little bistro/cafe table and chairs for the store, thanks to her stylin' sister, Jessica, who gave us a heads up as to where to find it!

The massive tables for the lounge are just about done - we put a coat of stain on today...we're itchin' to get them in and start sewing on them!

Heather found a similar place to ours in Denver, CO - check out www.fancytiger.com. I looked at their pics. of fabrics in the store and guess what - they're gorgeous and we have many of the same!! It's great to see other women with the same passion and vision!

Tomorrow is Day 3 of Vacation Bible School for Jen and I - it's a whirlwind week!

Sleepy Sunday morning

Happy Father's Day! Countdown - 17 days until Hip Stich opens! This week: Jen and I (Suzanne) each have Vacation Bible School at our respective churches - serving food to the masses! Heather will be working on our 'To Do' list in the mornings, and we'll all be in and out of the store afternoons/evenings!

Heather picked up a Janome machine for the lounge - yay! The tables are almost finished. The sign for our storefront should be arriving any day now in the next week.

Have I mentioned it's crunch time?!

I'm up early

Suzanne here...my husband keeps telling me to get up at the crack of dawn and get over to the store to get it ready....so 6:50 isn't exactly the crack of dawn, but I'm up and looking at what's to do today. I've been building tables for the lounge - thanks to my carpentry mentor, brother-in-law Jim, so this morning I head over to his workshop to finish. They're massive beasts - two 4'x8' tables for all the machines, so they're incredibly heavy. Today I attach the legs and stain!

Heather and I are going to purchase a sewing machine for the lounge. Jen's husband has been out of town for the week, so she's had the challenge of working in the store w/3 children present, but all our kids know that Hip Stitch is just going to be their second home until opening day!

We frequently hear comments like "finally, Albuquerque's getting a real fabric store!" We hope that our customers will be happy with the selections we've made, but we also realize that we need customer input in order to know what to order next!! We've had suggestions for carrying silk charmeuse (did I spell that right?!), linen, raw silk, and more - we have cotton to start - awesome cottons, mind you, but it's our starting fabric. Our customers are our driving force - we want their opinions, their ideas, their creativity!

Enough rambling - my day begins!

We're almost there!

Welcome to the Hip Stitch blog....where we (Jen, Heather, Suzanne) share this journey from dreaming of our store to opening the doors to our customers!

And when will our door open? July 1 - which is in 19 days, if our math is correct.....and what do we have to do to be ready for our customers? Well, let's just say our "To Do" list is being reduced each day.