Saturday, August 31, 2013

Guns, Ammo & Fabric?!?!

This is just too funny! 

While on my vacation in Colorado, I visited with a customer of ours (who moved to Pagosa Springs, Colorado a number of years ago) if they had any fabric stores in town, fully expecting her to say, "no." But to my surprise, she verified that there was indeed just one in the back of the gun store! I could not believe it and HAD to go check this one out. 

Yep, there is was, Eagle Mountain Mercantile

Mainly they sell guns, ammo and hunting licenses. But the owner's wife, has her own quilt shop in the back of the store. Oh, and they sell pet supplies. What a crazy combination! But, I have to admit it was not too bad. Certainly better than no fabric at all! 

                      As you can see in the picture here it is quite nice. I bet that she does not have more than maybe 300 square feet of space, but it is nicely arranged with some great samples and surprisingly a very ample supply of fabrics, some patterns and a nice selection of books & notions. Although, she did not have a belt for my Featherweight Singer machine that I brought with me on this trip:(   Oh, well, I really did not expect to find one, but one can always hope!

I am posting a few more pictures of this rare retail store for everyone to enjoy. The first one is a view of her small knitting corner; note the deer antlers hanging from the ceiling. In the next picture is a great juxtaposition of quilt samples with gun holsters! Maybe you could store a quilt in those! And, in the final picture you can see the pet supplies with the fabric bolts in the back. 
                                                                   
  


I'll leave you with a great picture of the gun/hunting portion of the store which is the majority of the shop - at least 1000 square feet! Hmmm . . . who is getting the most out of this shop? Well, at least you would probably not have any trouble talking your husband to going to the quilt shop with you! That is, if he is a hunter! Of course, if you have never visited Sew It Up Studio, you need to know that we do have a hobby shop next door to us that sells radio controlled everything (Hobby Town USA) AND we have a fabulous woodcrafting store on the other side (Woodcraft). I hear that we are getting a breakfast cafe on the other end of our center (Bacon's) as well as a really big salon (Salon's on the Hill). Most recently I have heard that a great gift shop is moving in on the other side of us, Apple Annie's! But, alas, no guns or ammo!


P.S.  People here keep asking me if I have any intention of opening up a fabric shore here in Pagosa Springs, where I hope to retire to in a few years, and the answer is NO! One shop & one website is quite enough! I do hope that I can continue to manage them :)

Saturday, August 24, 2013

No Bears Sighted Yet!

A few years ago I blogged about my summer vacation in Colorado at the family cabin, complete with even a bear event! (August 2010) No sightings this year - thank goodness! At least so far. . .

Naturally, I brought my sewing machine with me to "play" on vacation.   Doesn't everyone? I decided this year to bring my little Singer featherweight; my plan being to finish my first BIG quilt! So, I packed extra spools of thread, extra needles, bobbins, the oil (as I never can remember the last time it was lubricated), seam gauge, etc. I even remembered to check and see if the foot pedal and electrical cord were in the case! But what I failed to check was the condition of the belt. All sewing machines used to be powered by a belt that went from the little motor to the hand wheel to make it go. Well, .  .  . about half way into my project, I noticed some dirt literally piling up under the left side of the machine. It did not take me long to discover its source - the belt was disintegrating:(  Oh dear, was I going to be able to finish my project(s)? I prayed that the belt would make it through the completion of the piecing of my quilt. I do not know if you can see the belt in this picture where it is fraying beyond belief ~ well, I do suspect that this is the original belt on the machine, so that would make it over 70 years old!

Well, believe it or not, it did and then quit!!! I had only filled one bobbin. I do not think that the belt would have allowed another one to be readied for the task.  I checked to see how much thread was left ~ there was only about 10"!  I really could not believe it! Wow, the sewing angels were looking over my shoulder! I can't sew anymore on this trip, but that is OK. We will be heading home in another couple of days and, after all, I did complete the one project that I had hoped to finish. Allow me to share with you my first really BIG modern quilt!



This Quilt is out of Modern Quilts Illustrated, Vol #4, COVENT GARDEN, using Weeks Ringle's new line of fabric "Vintage Modern" for Andover Fabrics. Of Course, Sew It Up carries the fabric and magazine:)