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!