Oh No Inventory!

I hope that all of you are enjoying your holidays! Around here “Happy Holiday” is quickly followed by “Oh No Inventory”. I have a theory about inventory. It’s required by federal law, but I think it is a religious experience. First you have to prepare and follow the “commandments”, and then you have to “confess your sins” (like forgetting to record markdowns!) that process is quickly followed by “penance”, otherwise known as the tax that is accessed on existing inventory. It’s an exhausting ordeal.

If we have to touch every bolt of fabric in the store, I see no reason to put it back in the same place. Everything gets a new home. This is the perfect time to clean nooks and crannies, clear cobwebs, and corral dust bunnies that are obviously on steroids. The best part is that we also get to incorporate several dozen new bolts that have arrived in the last 2 weeks. This year that includes the entire assortment of chambray blue batiks, the same fabrics that are featured on the current covers of McCalls Quilting and Fons and Porters magazine. A new Laurel Burch line that features her fabulous feline artwork that was in the works before she passed away. A new Peter Rabbit line that will make sweet baby quilts. The Toulouse Collection from Timeless that is a perfect coordinate to the aqua/brown Gatsby Collection and a dozen or more bolts of Valentine fabrics. But as you can see, the process makes a horrible mess! Don't worry, everything will be back in order when we re-open January 2nd.

Although most of you are probably contemplating taking down your Christmas tree, I’m still in the process of putting one together. I know that your first thought is that this must be something that I wasn’t able to finish in time for this season, but actually, I’m WAY ahead for NEXT year! My holiday fabric line for 2008 is called “The Pines” it is my answer to the requests to repeat my Pine Garland line from 1999! This line has the packed pine, sparse pine and a stripe coordinate that will be suitable for all of the original patterns.

Naturally we need to have some new patterns too! This photo is of the Bargello Tree in progress. I’m still undecided on the border and I may change the cream on the bottom to a darker shade to look more like a shadow, but one thing I know for sure, the tree itself will be free motion quilted and I think I’m going to quilt a starry sky into the background. I’ve toyed with the idea of appliquéing red birds that will look as if they are draping garland and maybe a few woodland creatures in the foreground ………. maybe I shouldn't get too far ahead of myself!

Happy New Year! - Karen

PS Do you know that you can post comments to this blog? Simply click the "comments" button at the bottom of this post and feel free to express your opinion!