Favorite Fabrics

This is a first! I've been invited to speak at a local quilt guild... and have also been asked to bring "stuff for the ladies to buy".

Ok, I know what to speak on (safety when shopping online) but as to what to bring...?

We don't have trays of FQs so that's out. We only sell fabric, no notions or patterns. We have a few pre-cuts and bundles, so I could bring those.

Should I be bringing yardage and a cutting board? Those of you who belong to guilds, if you've ever had a LQS do a talk, did they bring fabric? If so, what did they bring?

Jim's Gem

I've never been to one where fabric was brought, except organized into a kit to make the "workshop" project.
I have seen them sell books, patterns, occasionally notions if they pertained to what the "project" was.
Maybe some of your precuts. Definately hand out cards of your website, maybe offer them a "code" for a small discount on purchases(within a certain date or timeframe) that you only offer to the ladies(or gentlemen) at the guild.

PMY in QCA-IL

Speakers at our guild often bring supplies from their stores (notions, patterns, pre-cut fabrics, kits with fabric and patterns together) I think it would be rather hard to bring bolts and have to cut fabric at the meeting, so maybe a supply of the pre-cuts and bundles you said you had. Maybe hand out discount coupons for your store so you get new customers. If the guild has door-prizes, perhaps you could donate something for that.

butterflywing

i know you don't want to be left with pre-cuts if you don't sell them all. do you expect to be invited to speak elsewhere? if so, you can sell them there as well.
the only other thing you can try is a line that has a lot of parts. bring samples and take discounted orders. you might sell one-yard or 1/2 yard pre-cuts of those so people can feel them. show all the color possibilities and take the orders, don't forget the deposits. the guild may also want to discount-buy an entire bolt of something for a challenge, with members then buying yardage of their choice that goes with it. they can buy the choices from you on order. maybe you can suggest some patterns for this project.

seamstome

Precuts, kits, books, supplies. The speaker usually does a seminar the next day. They usually make out like a bandit but we are a large guild of 200 members with two meetings in one day.

maryb119

I have been a guest speaker at several quilt guild meetings. I have published three patterns and I usually sell those. Soemtimes, I demo a certain way I put a block together and sometimes, it's a trunk show. Ask the quild what they want you to do.

quiltinghere

When quilt shops have spoken at my guild, they brought bolts and cut on the spot. They also brought patterns they spoke about and gadgets.

How about bringing ends of bolts and having them on sale? You know us quilters LOVE SALES!

Joanie2

Pin Cushion Boutique, a local here, puts together Sweet Treats - 8 coordinated fat quarters that have names such as Harvest of Moonlight, Southern Sensibilities, A Walk Along the River's Edge, The Song of A First Romance II and Romantic Sonnet (these are mine).
They have come to our guild several times and have talked about how the Sweet Treats are put together and how their names are decided.

The Star was put together by another LQS and our guild has begun making them as gifts to a lucky attendant at our monthly meetings.

gollytwo

many, many bolts of different fabrics,cutting board and rotary cutter.
the last shop owner that spoke at one of my guilds had a staff member with her who also cut and sold

LindaM

We are a very lucky guild - we usually have six - eight vendors at each general monthly meeting. We have about 135 members.

They bring a variety of stuff:
- one lqs specializes in 'brights' and brings fq's, half- full- and 2-meter cuts, and she puts together misc cuts that total 1 meter in yardage
- one specializes in patterns, notions and books, brings lots of very cool gadgets
- one specializes in kits - has samples made up to show off the kits
- one specializes in asian fabrics - brings fq's and half meter cuts
- one is a phaff dealer and specializes in embroidery/threadwork

They are usually at each meeting, and we've also had all of them as guest speakers, and some also conduct workshops. When they do the speaking, they've featured something they specialize in, and they sell lots of it!

Hope this helps!
Linda