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A new partnership program on the Coletterie

greys-fabric-small

Over the last four years, we’ve worked with some amazing small businesses. The independent fabric stores that stock our patterns often carry amazing fabrics and supplies, and have the kind of caring service you only really get from independent businesses. We’ve even had the chance to meet many of the shop owners and staff in person.

For a long time now, we’ve been trying to think of ways to work with these businesses more. I know that you guys, our blog readers, are interested in supporting small businesses, and in learning where to buy cool fabric online or in your neighborhood.

On the other hand, I think we all get sick of being bombarded with ads. I know that for many blogs it is the price of admission for all the free content they offer. But I decidedly did not want to go the route of plastering our blog with advertising. Here is what we’re doing instead.

We will be featuring just one fantastic small business each month.

Each of these businesses will be relevant and interesting to you guys, whether they provide fabrics, classes, or cool supplies. Most of them will be from our family of retailers.

We’ll tell you what makes each special, and might even include other fun stuff like giveaways, discounts, or swatch reviews and suggestions.

Because we are only featuring one at a time, we feel like we can really take the time to show you some great stuff, rather than merely stick some ad buttons in your face.

Support indie businesses

Have you heard the saying “a rising tide lifts all ships?”

A little corny perhaps, but it’s something I definitely believe in as a small business owner. The more we work together, the better off we all are.

Our goals for this new program are to make it fun and interesting for you guys, by introducing you to these wonderful shops and services we’ve worked with for so long. Our first partner, starting today, is the wonderful Grey’s Fabrics, and they are the perfect shop to kick us off. We’ll be writing more about them and their fabric offerings a little later, but I am thrilled that we’re starting off with such wonderful people (we met Sarah and her staff last year when they hosted our party in Boston).

Let me know what you think.

[image above: Photo from our party earlier this year at Grey’s Fabric]

Sarai Mitnick

Founder

Sarai started Colette back in 2009. She believes the primary role of a business should be to help people. She loves good books, sewing with wool, her charming cats, working in her garden, and eating salsa.

Comments

Sarah

August 1, 2013 #

Love it!!

Melanie

August 1, 2013 #

What a great idea! It’s always nice to find a great place for supplies and it can be hard to sort them out on my own. I will be very grateful for Colette recommendations.

Melanie

August 1, 2013 #

great idea! I am adamant about supporting small businesses and would love to hear about more of them.

Tina C.

August 1, 2013 #

Great idea–will it be specific to your area, nation wide, world wide?

Sarai

August 1, 2013 #

It is worldwide, both online and brick and mortar.

Carla

August 1, 2013 #

Love it! I knew them thanks to your party pictures. Now I follow them on facebook. Love to see the fabric options. Here in FL not good alternatives.

Lindsay

August 1, 2013 #

I like the idea – it would be great if it would feature world wide suppliers though as postage from the US and customs is too high to make most US suppliers worthwhile for me and I know there are some great independant businesses stocking Colette Patterns in the UK that I’d like to know more about.

Rachel

August 1, 2013 #

We agree! As Sarai noted, it will be worldwide.

giusy

August 1, 2013 #

this is cool! as an independent maker and trying to have my spot on fabric design this look to me admirable. thanks for this!

sarah

August 1, 2013 #

Yes! I recently dug up old blog posts from your book tour to find out which cool shops you visited — so that I could visit them if I’m ever on vacation. That’s how I ended up exploring Grey”s Fabric on a recent weekend in Boston. Great shop.

(Any tips for Seattle? I’m going there next.)

SewSewcial

August 1, 2013 #

This is awesome. I wish I knew more cool indie shops around Virginia. Fascinated to see online stores I can get into.

LLBB

August 1, 2013 #

“a rising tide lifts all ships”
Agree – let’s bring more more people into the sewing community to build it up for everyone!

Miss Crayola Creepy

August 1, 2013 #

I love this! I always try to support small businesses and you guys are making it even easier, thank you! :)

Fabric Tragic

August 1, 2013 #

That’s a fantastic idea! I do so love seeing what treasures these little independent stores have. Will look forward to each feature very much.

LK

August 1, 2013 #

What a great idea and I LOOOVE Grey’s. Hands down, best little store in Boston!

Colleen

August 1, 2013 #

I think it’s great. In fact, when you had the party at Grey’s I fell in love with that little sewing box (the red and blue one) and tracked it down and bought it. I intend to fill it with sewing must-have’s for my daughter who’s just starting out in life (not yet a sewist).

Sarah

August 1, 2013 #

Ooh, what a lovely idea! I’m looking forward to becoming better acquainted with ‘Colette Approved’ small businesses.

cathy

August 1, 2013 #

yes! in fact it was in dallas in a small fabric shop that i first saw colette patterns, but didn’t purchase… it lingered in my head until i found the cp website later! i still have the envelope in my head as it was a bit different than the packaging i see online. once i go back i cant wait to finally get my hands on the printed version of colette patterns!

Nicole

August 1, 2013 #

Gah! Now I’m even more regretful that I didn’t go to Grey’s when I was on the other side of the country!

noreen

August 2, 2013 #

Yeah! I’m so glad you started with my absolute *favorite* fabric store! Yippee!

sarah

August 3, 2013 #

I just love y’all so much. That is all.

Hannah

August 4, 2013 #

Hello,
As a small business owner myself, I am very grateful to the bloggers & companies that are willing to help out those of us just starting, so Thank you so much for doing that.
I am wondering how we can be “reviewed”/recommended by Colette?
Thanks so much!

kathy

August 4, 2013 #

What a great idea to help small businesses grow through this site. And I love the “a rising tide lifts all ships”. I vow to purchase at least one item from each monthly business selected if at all possible.

Rita

August 6, 2013 #

What a great idea! I’m so tired of the lack of quality fabrics at Joann’s…

Rosemary Forest

August 15, 2013 #

What a brilliant idea – I love the rational behind it and the ideas it promotes. Cant wait to ‘meet’ your new partners!

Joanne

September 2, 2013 #

I, too, am weary of the lack of quality at JoAnn’s. Seems to me if we spend our time getting things “just right” we should ave qaality fabrics, trims, tools to work wth. They carry only the “Big 4” in patterns, plus Burda and one other pattern company whose name I’ve forgotten. Why don’t they take a chance on some of our wonderful indpendent pattern companies???
I go there for Pellon interfacing, thread, buttons, and all the myriad details needed when we sew.