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We are
proud to announce that The Calico Cat was selected as a Top Shop by American
Patchwork and Quilting, a Better Homes and Garden publication for their
1999 issue. |
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Each year the magazine selects
10 shops to be featured in the Quilt Sampler Magazine, a special issue available in
June. Shops must be nominated by customers, and over 250 shops are nominated each
year. The selection process is rigorous!
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| Mary Stanton, owner of the Calico Cat, opened the store
October 12, 1992, with only 600 bolts of fabrics, some books, notions, patterns and
classes. Since then the shop has grown and moved. It now has over 2500 bolts
of fabrics, hundreds of books, patterns, samples, their own printed pattern designs,
features a variety of block of the month programs, and has a mailing list of over 13,000
interested quilters and sewers. Regular classes by creative teachers focus on basic
quilt making skills, projects, applique, advanced piecing, dolls, embroidery and clothing,
but featured national teachers come regularly to teach quilting and dolls. Last year
the shop hosted their 1st bi-annual Doll Symposium, where 3 teachers and 150 students
studied and created for 3 fun days. |
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| "Being a featured shop is truly exciting and is really
the frosting on the cake," said Mary. "It is enjoyment and recognition by
customers that makes the work worth while. The store was photographed last October,
and it was hard to keep it a secret, but we managed. We are excited that our
customers think so highly of us." |
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Each shop in the magazine also must create an original project, which is
featured with the pattern. The magazine is not only a walk through 10 shops, but
also a set of 10 projects. "Our project is a black cat in the garden designed
by Ramona Sturtevant and Linda Johnson. It is staff like these who are the
backbone of a successful store.
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| Being a Top Shop is thrilling! We are working on some
new ideas, new patterns and additional marketing this year. Successful shops not
only need a good staff, supportive customers, creative teachers, but distributors,
wholesalers and sales reps who work to make your inventory arrive when it is
promised. It's fabulous when it all comes together! |
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