Who has something slated for stitching in 2006? I'd like to do "Jewels Of The Orient" by Dimensions, but I see I can either pay $34. on-line, $50. at my local Michaels, or $72. at my L.N.S.! All three are for the exact same kit.
Maureen
Does your Michael's ad have a coupon for 40% or 50% off on one item? Do the other stores have coupons? I'm always looking for a deal! Barbara in SC (and now in cold FL)
I've started a 25th Anniversary project for my brother and wife. I'm taking Victoria Sampler's 50th and changing the colors. I have until April 11th to get it done.
-- Tamara in sunny San Diego snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net
Hi Maureen,
I would definitely buy it at Michael's with a 40% off coupon. It's a very pretty design.
My 2006 projects include: TIAG's "Gift of Peace", and "Santaberry Pudding" by Shepherd's Bush. I also want to do the Kimono designs by Serendipity. I've had the patterns on hand for years. Add to the list all of my UFO's, etc. I should be a very busy girl.
take care, L>Who has something slated for stitching in 2006? I'd like to do "Jewels Of
Linda, I'd be thrilled if you let me know the next time you're over this way. You have accomplished so much of what I want to learn that it's a treat for me to go to your page for inspiration! I'd love to get together for coffee one day just to meet you in person. Have a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!
Maureen
Ooooh, I like! I already have a couple geisha items kitted up for my friend with the Asian fixation, so probably shouldn't buy another till I have those finished.
I probably should finish my WIP and LTR lists before I start something new, but one project I really want to do in 2006 is the Stoney Creek Disney 50th anniversary kit.
Hi Maureen,
Thank you for the nice compliments :) We are passing through Vancouver at the end of January to go to Harrison Hot Springs. I'm hoping to meet up with my two temari friends who live in Chilliwack, when DH is in class at the CLC Winter School. Unfortunately, the only time we will spend in Vancouver is at the ferry terminal.
It would be nice to get together sometime, but the only time I come to Vancouver is for karate seminars or tournaments and only the odd one at that.
Thanks again, Linda
That's the route I'd take!
Cheryl
Well, I`ll just HAVE to do another of haunted house or church now Cheryl sent me some luminous thread! LOL! Maybe have a face looking out of a window - or something flitting between trees!
Pat P
It does appear on Ebay.
R&D&H,
Cheryl
Not for nothing, but your LNS is a major rip off artist! Wow, talk about marking something up. I know the Canadian dollar is somewhat different, but that's simply amazingly high.
I do tend to buy stuff on Ebay. That said, if I'm buying from a brick and mortar store, I try to buy from my LNS, even if she is more expensive, simply because I'd like her to stay in business. If I buy things from Michaels or Joanns, then I have no right to complain if my LNS goes out of business. Sure, it costs more to buy stuff from her, but I also get lots of advice and she carries much nicer products than the chains.
By all means, buy where you want, but please, please, please, do consider that price really isn't the only factor (although in this case, the difference *is* rather compelling).
Elizabeth
You're assuming that the distributor made the kit available to Maureen's LNS for the same wholesale price that HobbyLobby and Michael's have available to them. That's probably not the case and the markup for the LNS probably isn't as much as you think.
Elizabeth
Amen to that. A lot of small stores see WalMart coming into town and simply surrender. They don't get it that there are a lot of ways they can compete -- you'll never beat WalMart on price, but you can beat them on selection or customer service.
To take the department we're all most familiar with (but this applies equally to other departments), yeah, WM has floss for 24c, whereas LNS has it for 55c. But WM stocks only 3/4 of the colors, and nine times out of ten, at least one of the colors you want isn't there (whether never stocked or sold out). Yeah, WM has floss, but where's the Kreinik? the GAST? the rayons? Yeah, WM has that cute Sesame Street kit for $2 less than LNS, but LNS has 100 different kits, not just 20. And WM has a couple dozen beginner books, but no Mirabilias or Silver Linings or Victoria Samplers for those of us looking for a challenge. Yeah, WM can beat LNS on price for white Aida-14. But there's only one place in town I can get black Aida-18, or Hardanger, or a piece larger than 15x18. Yeah, WM has stitchy stuff, but you just try to find someone in WM who can teach a beginner how to start, and teach it in English.
I'm sorry, but being able to buy DMC310 for half the price doesn't help me when what I really need is DMC311; it's an entirely different color. And while it's nice to be able to grab a $2 tube of 15x18 white Aida (instead of $4 for the same tube at LNS), that doesn't help me when I'm working on a Silver Lining where the stitched area is 16x20. It's those things that LNS can win on.
Ditto for every other department -- there will be things that a three-aisle hardware department, or a 200-square-foot clothing department doesn't have, that a 1000-sf independent hardware or clothing store has room for. You might buy your playclothes at WM, but I don't think too many of us would think of WM first when we need a dress for a special occasion. You ever try to find classical music or foreign/"art" films at WM? Easy enough for independent store owners to pop into WM, see what they *don't* carry, and stock up on those items.
Yeah, LNS doesn't get a lot of my business for floss, but the couple bucks that I've saved on floss at WM comes back to LNS for another chart that I wouldn't have bought, which means I now have to buy a nice big chunk of fabric for the new chart I wouldn't have bought.
"Dr. Brat" wrote
I have found that ordering on-line from the USA sometimes involves ridiculously high shipping costs, which, coupled with the exchange rate, even with the strong Canadian dollar, as well as "special handling charges for foreign orders", minimum orders and duties, can make a "bargain" purchase quite costly. Dawne
Plus customs duty. Dora
I've never has to pay customs duty...just 15% HST plus a $5 fee for them to collect it!
Mavia
Well, whatever it is, it adds up. Dora
It's in the "special handling charges" - Joan sent me a wonderful link to a tiny sampler, about 5 x 7, with a bottle of wine on it with a cute motto. I was going to do it and send it to Sharon in NB - but when I got to the pay desk, the chart which started at US$5 or so, had become over $20. I did email them and the designer responded saying that she always couriers them, puts them in bubble envelopes etc. that's what the 'special' charges are, I told her I thought a plain, brown envelope and US Post was quite sufficient for a chart and would not involve me in possible duty, which UPS always does.
So no bargains for us up here! Stupid really in the case of a chart only, these designers should realize we're not dummies to take to the cleaners.
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