It’s taken some time

 

I can’t believe I am finally able to actually get a post up – after all the fun and games on this thing we call the internet this is how I got here.  So, I have had just over 200 anonymous posts to my blog – fortunately they all needed to be actioned by me before they got posted, otherwise I think this blog of mine would be a lot different from one that focuses mainly on patchwork and quilting and would be  a display so called ‘art’ in an entirely different medium.

To be able to read my blog or emails I have to log on with Firefox yet to write this in ‘Live writer” I have to use Internet Explorer, so as you can imagine there is a bit of juggling going on – but what the heck, we are here now.

At some stage I must list all of my OPAM works too and rather than talking about each one I think I’ll just show the pictures as 2 months worth of work could be pretty boring for some of you to have to sit and read through.

At the moment though Mr BHQ and myself are busy getting ready for some fun.  Next Sunday, 2nd June, our little shop will have been open for business for 5 years!  We are totally thrilled that we have managed to reach this milestone and decisions have had to be made.  One of those decisions was whether we would remain in business.  It wasn’t a decision I was looking forward to making either.  We needed to assess what we were doing and where we (the shop) was going. 

Over the last five years we have crossed many hurdles – some good, some not so good and some just plain horrid but the one thing that has stood out has been my passion for our craft and for the love of sharing and teaching it.

By Hoki Quilts is small but it’s ours, not just Jon’s and mine, but it now has an extended family of wonderful ladies – some of whom have been coming here at least every single Wednesday for Sit’n Stitch days for more than three years.  They have been the driving force here and I know just how lucky we are to have them.  The other people are a few reps that have egged me on when I thought it was just not worth it.

Carol and Terry from Ascot Lane/Broadway distributors were the first reps to answer my call when the shop was still in it’s planning stage.  They continue to come here regularly and continue to make sure that we are exposed to up to date fabric and notion selections. Then there is Debby from Craft Co, Andrew from Trendy’s and Geoff from Tiffs . These reps aren’t quite as regular as others but they still make the trip ‘over the hill’ and still make us feel valued as customers – a lot different from some, who just class the trip as not worth it!  Now I will only buy from those that make the effort and deserve the custom.

Hitting our 5th birthday may not sound like a big deal but just weeks after we opened a recession was announced – sales dropped and for a long while the grocery money went into the shop to ensure bills were paid.  Now we look around the shop and smile.  We have over 700 bolts of fabric on the shelves (yes we counted for stocktake) not to mention almost 800 pre-cut FQ’s plus notions, batting, books, patterns and threads.   By Hoki Quilts is here to stay and fingers crossed by our 10th birthday, the extensions will have been made.

Thank you for sticking with us, whether in person or here on the blog.

hugs

Miche’le & Jon