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MQS was disappointing


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On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 10:23 AM, Janet-Lee said:

Late to the party but enlightening all the same! 
:lol:

Janet-Lee
Founder, MQX Quilt Festivals
New England - April 11-14, 2018, Manchester, NH
Midwest - September 19-22, 2018, Springfield, IL

603-778-6994
www.MQXShow.com

Well, we all know how that one turned out. It makes me sad, since that is the show I always attended in the past. I did go to MQX in Springfield this year. Since I have been out of the quilting world for a few years and am just getting back, I was really surprised that the vendor turn out is not what it use to be. I understand that it is very expensive for them to set up at shows. I guess that was the good old days. I love Houston, except that I miss more than I see, lol. I guess I need to spend more days shopping, lol. 

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I agree, all the shows have scaled down.  I went to AQS in Grand Rapids last year and thought it was a small but a decent show however, I was disappointed this year.  I miss the gotta have 3 days,a credit card and a trolley bag shows of the past.  I wonder what the real cause of the smaller shows (or no show at all) is?  I can think of several, cost to rent venue, cost of booths, Amazon, low attendance, cost to attend a show (travel, hotels, etc.), lack of interest,  availability of cheap retail quilts, oh my?  I think the number of quilt shops is reducing fast too.  I love quilting and embroidery and will continue as long as I can afford it but not sure how long that will be with rising fabric, thread and gadget costs.  Has the quilting industry caught up with other greedy retail industries, hum  something to ponder? :wacko:  Heck there isn't even a quilt guild where I now live :(

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I went to the MQX show in Springfield IL this fall and was also disappointed with the number of vendors and the items they offered for sale. I was prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on fabric, rulers, and whatever else caught my eye. I ended up with a couple of fat quarters and some batting - at least my husband was happy!  In 2016 there was a vendor there with a bunch of Kaffe Fassett fabric. When I emailed her this summer to see if she would be at the MQX show in fall 2017, she said she would never be returning to that show because she lost so much money between travelling and the actual cost of the show. She seemed to still be angry at the entire situation, based on the curt response I received. I'm guessing that vendors just can't compete with online sellers' selection and prices so most of them only attend a couple of really big shows each year. I see their point, but it makes me sad. I like to see and touch the fabric or thread before I buy it. 

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5 hours ago, LynnBarr said:

I went to the MQX show in Springfield IL this fall and was also disappointed with the number of vendors and the items they offered for sale. I was prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on fabric, rulers, and whatever else caught my eye. I ended up with a couple of fat quarters and some batting - at least my husband was happy!  In 2016 there was a vendor there with a bunch of Kaffe Fassett fabric. When I emailed her this summer to see if she would be at the MQX show in fall 2017, she said she would never be returning to that show because she lost so much money between travelling and the actual cost of the show. She seemed to still be angry at the entire situation, based on the curt response I received. I'm guessing that vendors just can't compete with online sellers' selection and prices so most of them only attend a couple of really big shows each year. I see their point, but it makes me sad. I like to see and touch the fabric or thread before I buy it. 

I suggest you go to Houston or to Paducah, that is my plan from now on. I attended Houston this year, maybe next year will be Paducah. 

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12 hours ago, Gator said:

I agree, all the shows have scaled down.  I went to AQS in Grand Rapids last year and thought it was a small but a decent show however, I was disappointed this year.  I miss the gotta have 3 days,a credit card and a trolley bag shows of the past.  I wonder what the real cause of the smaller shows (or no show at all) is?  I can think of several, cost to rent venue, cost of booths, Amazon, low attendance, cost to attend a show (travel, hotels, etc.), lack of interest,  availability of cheap retail quilts, oh my?  I think the number of quilt shops is reducing fast too.  I love quilting and embroidery and will continue as long as I can afford it but not sure how long that will be with rising fabric, thread and gadget costs.  Has the quilting industry caught up with other greedy retail industries, hum  something to ponder? :wacko:  Heck there isn't even a quilt guild where I now live :(

Online quilt stores have taken over brick and mortar stores. That is too bad. I love going to the quilt store. I would love it more if they would have great sales like the online stores have. I mean you can go to the quilt store and buy a book for $29.00 or get it on Amazon for $18. Yes, I want to support my local store, but our money is hard earned and that is a big difference. I agree, travelling to a show, buying your membership, pay for classes, it all adds up and is very expensive. The thing I think I miss the most is the friendship made by being together. We could all share war stories of customer quilts, hitting rulers and retiming our machines. Thread. New designs. And just laughing. 

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Unfortunately; online it is difficult to place your fabric or quilt block beside or on top of a fabric your are testing, walk away, and then look at it from a distance/new angle to decide if it truly looks good.  It is rather rotten to do this at your local quilt store and then buy the fabric online after testing in the store to save a few bucks a yard.  

While I may be an inventor of wire by fighting over a penny with another quilter, I do try to support my local stores.  Otherwise, they will not be there to support in the future.  Plus, I have learned to trust a few of the fabric store ladies to an extent, that I may not love a color fabric combination, but once it is pieced I know it truly turned out gorgeous.  

Cagey

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1 hour ago, Cagey said:

Unfortunately; online it is difficult to place your fabric or quilt block beside or on top of a fabric your are testing, walk away, and then look at it from a distance/new angle to decide if it truly looks good.  It is rather rotten to do this at your local quilt store and then buy the fabric online after testing in the store to save a few bucks a yard.  

While I may be an inventor of wire by fighting over a penny with another quilter, I do try to support my local stores.  Otherwise, they will not be there to support in the future.  Plus, I have learned to trust a few of the fabric store ladies to an extent, that I may not love a color fabric combination, but once it is pieced I know it truly turned out gorgeous.  

Cagey

I agree totally. I have to drive 30 miles to a store, so I already do not have a local store. You are lucky to have a store where you can ask for help. A lot of the stores in my area are not real nice. In fact, there is a shop hop for those shops, then another shop hop for the "nice shops". No kidding, that is what they call themselves, the "nice shops". Sadly, I would have to drive a whole lot farther to take advantage of the "nice shops". I can, however, drive to Missouri Star Quilt Shop where every one is nice and friendly and it is about 40 minutes away. 

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Mary Beth;

I am going to have to make the drive to Missouri Star Quilt Shop the next time I am in the MCI area, and have enough time to get over there and back. I have never purchased from them, but I have watched hours and hours of their videos, and still reference them when I have a question or two on how to do something.  

Cagey

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My "local" quilt shop is 26 miles, but any would be a drive since I am outside any city limits!  It is one of my favorite shops and the ladies are very friendly.  I have told the owner that my job has been to make sure she stays in business so I can keep coming!  Life and income have changed so I don't get to run there on my own like I used to.  I do like to see the fabrics I am considering, especially when they require coordinating with others.

 

Mary Beth, How close are you to Prairie Points Quilts on Shawnee Mission Parkway/Quivera?  I like that shop when I would visit my daughter in KC.  Unfortunately, they have moved back to CA so no reason to make that 6 hour trip, now a 30 hour one to check out a few other places!

 

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8 hours ago, Neher-in-law5 said:

 

 

Mary Beth, How close are you to Prairie Points Quilts on Shawnee Mission Parkway/Quivera?  I like that shop when I would visit my daughter in KC.  Unfortunately, they have moved back to CA so no reason to make that 6 hour trip, now a 30 hour one to check out a few other places!

 

Prairie Point is the closest shop to me. It is about 30ish miles from me. I just googled it...it is 29 miles away. Missouri Star is farther away. I love Prairie Point. I want to touch everything in the store. 

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On 11/13/2017 at 6:05 AM, Gator said:

.....I miss the gotta have 3 days,a credit card and a trolley bag shows of the past.  I wonder what the real cause of the smaller shows (or no show at all) is?  I can think of several, cost to rent venue, cost of booths, Amazon, low attendance, cost to attend a show (travel, hotels, etc.), lack of interest,  availability of cheap retail quilts, oh my?  .....

In my opinion, I think that the quilt show market became waay way waaaaaaaay oversaturated. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Quantity over quality?  I'd much prefer to have a few "really good" quality quilt shows with great quilting class offerings and amazing quilt competitions, rather than the many shows that were springing up everywhere. Oversaturating a market is the cause of its demise, I believe. 

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