A Quilter's Paradise
Written: Sep 07 '02 (Updated Jun 19 '04)
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| Full Review |
I've been quilting for over 20 years and have yet to find a quilt store equal to Keepsake Quilting. I feel like Aladdin entering the treasure room when I visit the Keepsake Quilting website. Keepsake Quilting's motto is "So much fabric...so little time!" They offer quilting goodies galore!
http://keepsakequilting.com
Navigating the Website
Keepsake Quilting offers a simple welcome on their Home Page with navigation buttons spaced along the top and bottom of the page. The site is easy to navigate.
At the top of the page, the buttons are: Home, Visit the Shop, Shop Online, Project Corner, Cisco, Customer Service, Free Catalog, News & Events.
At the bottom of the page, the buttons are: Log In/Register (you do not have to register to browse the site), Privacy, Security, Contact Us.
My only complaint is that once you enter the "Shop Online" area, the navigation buttons at the top and bottom of the web pages disappear. In order to return to the "Home Page", you have to click the browser "Back" button. The handy navigation buttons for each area of the site are not available on every page of the website. However, this is a minor inconvenience. (The Shopping Cart page does have the navigation tabs across the top and bottom of the page.)
Visit the Shop
This area proclaims Keepsake Quilting is the largest quilt shop in America with over 10,000 bolts of cotton fabric. Thousands of other quilting tools are available for purchase: kits, books, patterns, batting and notions. Eager to make your shopping experience one to remember, Keepsake Quilting's staff will help you plan group visits to the store and even provide web page links to area attractions to help you plan a vacation in the Lakes Region area of New Hampshire. (Keepsake Quilting is located on Route 25B in Center Harbor, New Hampshire.)
Shop Online
Located on the left side of this page is a navigation bar broken into areas of interest: Applique, Batting, Block of the Month, Books, Fabric & Fabric Medleys, Fabric Collections, Gift Certificates, Kits & PatternPlus, Medley of the Month, Notions, Patterns, Piecing, Quilting and Sale. At the bottom of the navigation area there are two search windows. You can either search by catalog item number or keyword. There are also buttons to "Shopping Cart & Checkout" or "Check Your Order".
Select the area you wish to explore and a page of full-color photos of projects and items appears. At the bottom of each page is a list of how many pages are in that category (for example, the "Applique" area has ten pages of items). You can choose which page to click on by number, or just keep clicking the "Next" button to advance through the various pages. Clicking on a project/item image transports you to a page featuring a larger photo of the project/item and a description of it, including price, item number and whether it is currently in stock. If an item is out of stock a restocking date is posted. If you choose to order an item, on each page you can select the quantity of the item you want to order, and if a color/style choice is available, select which one you wish to purchase. Keepsake quilting also offers free gift wrapping, and for each item you have a choice of: All Occasion, Christmas, Channukah or no gift wrapping.
Clicking on the "Applique" button opens a page of applique projects such as quilts of various sizes, sweatshirt patterns, pot holder patterns, even a Bath Time Hand Puppets pattern, as well as books featuring applique, thread, notions, and scissors used for applique.
The "Batting" page only offers two batting choices: Warm & Natural cotton batting or Mountain Mist iron-baste batting.
The "Block of the Month" area offers a selection of quilts in various styles and sizes. Keepsake Quilting will send you the instructions to sew one block a month until you've received all the block instructions to assemble a quilt. Some quilts only take four months to finish, and other quilts take a year. For example, the "Harvest Song Block of the Month" quilt is 85" x 103" and takes ten months to assemble. Keepsake, for each installment, will send you the instructions and materials needed to assemble each part of the quilt. For this particular quilt, Keepsake Quilting says, "Please include your credit card number and expiration date. We'll charge your credit when each block is sent. 24.99 per month. 2.99 per month shipping." They are upfront about materials supplied and all costs.
There are more than enough fabrics, fabric medleys and fabric collections, fat quarters and surprise assortments to keep you wrapped in indecision as to which to buy! For individual fabrics, you must purchase at least a yard of material with the option of purchasing up to 20 3/4 yards of each fabric. Click on a fabric image to transport to a page with a larger photo of the fabric as well as a detailed description of it. Fabric Medleys offer a collection of coordinating fabrics (for instance, six different fabrics with your choice of whether they are fat quarters or 1/2 yard pieces -- Fabric Medleys vary with the number of pieces included in each assortment and may differ in fabric yardage). Fabric Collections include many pieces of fabric grouped in themes (for example, the "Vintage Designer Element Collection" consists of 28 fat-quarter pieces). I've purchased a lot of fabric from Keepsake Quilting and each piece has been top-quality material. It washes and dries well. I've never had a problem.
There are many kits to choose from, everything from quilts and wall hangings to tree skirts, slippers, "penny rugs", table centerpieces, table runners, dolls and tote bags, just to mention some of the variety.
"Medley of the Month" is a fabric service offered by Keepsake Quilting. Choose one of the Fabric Medleys available and each month receive a package of fabric. For example, if choosing the "Hoffman Medley of the Month", each month you will receive six fat quarters based on a theme chosen from the Hoffman fabric line. Keepsake Quilting states, "Just include your credit card number and expiration date with your order and we'll charge your credit card when each Medley is sent. Of course, you may cancel at any time. 2.99 shipping per month."
There are pages and pages of books, notions, threads, patterns, fabrics and sale items to explore.
Or, if you choose, purchase a Gift Certificate online. Gift Certificates start at $10 and are available up to $100. Write the recipient's name in the comment field, and Keepsake Quilting will send that person the gift certificate with their latest catalog.
Project Corner
This is a fun section of complimentary projects from Keepsake Quilting. You can download the instructions and templates. Currently, there are two projects available: A Quilted Cover for a Computer Monitor, and a pattern for a 1930's Sunbonnet Sue crib-size quilt.
Cisco
Keepsake Quilting has a mascot by the name of Cisco. He's a cute dog, and this page is devoted to Cisco and his baby sister, Veronica.
Customer Service
A big believer in good, friendly customer service, there are photos of Keepsake Quilting customer service representatives as well as a brief note about each person and a favorite recipe from each of them. Every customer service representative that I've spoken with has offered helpful advice and has often suggested a product or idea that I had not known about -- very friendly. Keepsake Quilting has a toll-free telephone number and customer service hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. An e-mail address is also available for contacting them.
Free Catalog
I highly recommend asking for the Keepsake Quilting catalog. This is a color-packed extravaganza of "Oh! I want this." or "What a perfect color and fabric!" or "Let me start writing my Wish List right now!!". There are over 100 pages of items, thousands of products. You can either phone for the free catalog or fill out the online "Catalog Request Form".
News & Events
This section offers links to news items such as: quilting tips, the Keepsake Quilt Challenge, the traveling exhibit of Keepsake Challenge Quilts, the Keepsake Quilting Cookbook and more areas of interest.
Privacy & Payment
Since opening its doors in 1986, Keepsake Quilting has stood by their policy of never sharing customers' personal information with any outside companies or organizations. They state this policy in detail on their website.
The website uses SSL technology to encrypt and protect credit card and any other critical information.
Every time you add an item to your shopping cart, you then have the option of continuing to shop or to check out. It is simple to delete an item from the cart by clicking on the "X" to the right of the item. If you choose to check out, you are then lead through a series of screens that include: filling out your address information, reviewing your order, billing, payment and then the order confirmation page.
On the Shopping Cart page, click the "Check Out" button at the bottom right of the screen. This opens a page where you either Log In (if you have already registered) or where you register. Registering requires that you fill out your name, mailing address and e-mail information and choose a password. On this page, you can also select whether to receive special e-mail notices from Keepsake Quilting. Once you click to submit the information, you are returned to the Shopping Cart page. Only this time your name and address appear at the top of the screen along with a box that offers shipping choices (the only option is Standard 5-10 days). Keepsake Quilting says that at the end of the order process, you can select "Air" shipment, though I have never done this. Beneath the shipping choice area is a link to "View Shipping Charges". They ship via US Mail or UPS, and the shipping rates are very reasonable (the highest rate is $5.99 for orders over $40 -- extra charges apply for orders outside the United States). Continuing, you are then prompted to tell them where you heard of Keepsake Quilting; if you are ordering online but from their catalog, they request the catalog number. Click "Continue" to see your merchandise total, shipping cost, tax (if any) and the grand total of your order. Beneath this you have the option of paying via credit card: Visa, Mastercard or Discover. Enter your credit card information, or if using a gift certificate, type in the gift certificate number and the amount of the gift certificate. There is also an area to type comments. Click the "Finalize Order" button to confirm your purchase. I've always received my orders in a timely fashion. The fabrics arrive in large, clear Ziploc-style bags to keep the fabric clean and neat.
Summary
I am an enthusiastic shopper at Keepsake Quilting. I love the choice of products, the way their fabrics are presented and shipped, and their friendly service. Whenever a quilting friend asks for a gift suggestion, I say "a gift certificate to Keepsake Quilting!" This store is truly a quilter's dream palace.
I hope you have found this review useful.
Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
P.S. -- If you are interested in free quilt block clipart, please check the clipart I've designed. It's a joy for me to create it, and I like to share. http://dlstewart.com/clipart.htm
Please read my other reviews.
Fiskar's Pinking Shears & Tutorial
Fiskar's 8" SoftGrip Scissors
Quilter’s Dream Sewing Table
Horn of America Sewing Chair
Janome Jem Sewing Machine
Black & Decker Pro Finish Iron
Bernina Accessory Box
Joann.com Fabric & Craft Store
QuiltPro Software
Lifetime Utility Table
Mighty Bright Light
Sewing & Quilt Expo
Thread's Magazine
Copyright 2002 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
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