Review subscriptions and memberships

March 15, 2025

Last year, I went through our remaining memberships/subscriptions and made a list of the ones that would not be renewed at the 2025 renewal date:

  1. Everand/Scribd
  2. Smyrna Public Library
  3. Amazon Prime
  4. QuiltFolk magazine
  5. Missouri Star BLOCK magazine

Everand was cancelled the same day they announced a price increase.

The Smyrna Public Library is a hard one for me. I live outside the city limits and pay a modest annual fee to use the library. It’s totally worth the fee, but after being told last year that Sadie was no longer allowed in the library outside of official therapy dog visits, I’ve limited my visits and ceased all non-READ volunteering. Now that I no longer work part-time as a literacy enrichment instructor, I don’t need the extra access to children’s picture books. No need to renew. The county library system and regional library consortium will meet my needs. (Update 5/13/25: my renewal fee was waived due to a “policy change”.)

Amazon Prime no longer represents a good value for us. Stuff is frequently delivered late. There’s not much streaming programming that we watch. I get books and magazines for free via the Libby app at the public library. We’ll do what our niece does and wait until the shopping cart has $35 in it to get free shipping. We can wait a day or two extra for delivery.

Quiltfolk is a quarterly quilting lifestyle magazine. It’s absolutely gorgeous and available in print only. I’ve been a subscriber since the magazine’s early days. Over time, I’ve kept a handful of issues and shared the rest. It’s become too expensive to just give away. Already been set to non-renew.

BLOCK from Missouri Star is another quilting magazine. I flip through each print issue when it arrives, but haven’t made a project from one of the magazines in a LONG time. The issues also come digitally as part of the subscription, so I’ll still have access to them even after I cancel. (Update 5/13/25: With the new format, I really find value in the magazine projects, so it’s a keeper for now.)

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Expect the unexpected

March 12, 2025

Looks like Sadie & I will be taking a break from our school-based READ programs in April & early May due to special school events, spring breaks and three weeks of Milestones testing. We’ll enjoy the downtime. Not to worry – we still have 3 other therapy dog visits on the books for April.

It’s also turned out to be a good thing. Back in January, I was invited to join a monthly FW Club that meets on third Tuesdays. I passed on the opportunity to join due due to our weekly READ visits on Tuesdays. Yesterday, I was advised that a new opening in FW Club is expected in April. This time, I can be there! And all third Tuesdays through the summer. I’m so excited! The school has indicated that it wants to continue the READ program next year. Sadie & I would like that. Personally, I’d prefer to move our day to Thursdays. Hopefully, that will work, but I’m not going to worry about it until September!

Meanwhile, I’m dusting off my garment making books and tools as a former private student is returning and wants to learn the basics of clothing construction. I’ll share what I know and will gladly refer her to another teacher when she’s ready to move on. Who knows, perhaps I’ll make a little something-something for myself while I’m at it.

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Life after Joann’s

March 10, 2025

Like many of you, I’m disappointed that Joann’s is closing. I’ve gone into the Alpharetta and Kennesaw locations to see what’s on sale. Not really anything. Liquidation “sale” prices are actually higher than Joann’s normal sale prices. Puh-leez. The new Joann’s owners aren’t serious about selling through the merchandise just yet. Even if huge markdowns begin, I doubt I’ll buy anything else from them. However, I’ll continue to take Sadie to walk the Kennesaw store as long as it stays open. Then, we’ll head up the hill to Home Depot to do the same thing. It helps with her therapy dog conditioning.

Tonight, I challenged myself to see if I could find what I needed at the Woodstock Wal-Mart on Hwy 92 to make my version of the infamous Beth Dutton quilt from the Yellowstone TV series (red/gray/black 9 patch quilt set on point). I spent $31.00 on fabric – (1) 3 yard cut of dark gray, (2) 1 yard cuts of patterned black fabric, (1) red & white dot, plus assorted FQs of red/black/gray prints. The rest of the fabrics will come from my stash. I have thread, backing and batting at home. Lest the quilt po-po decide to chime in, the quality of the 100% cotton Waverly branded fabric at Wal-Mart is much better than most of the cheap stuff sold at Joann’s.

In an earlier post, I listed alternatives in the Atlanta area to shop at instead of Joann’s. I’d also like to add estate sales and de-stash sales of sewists and quilters in your area. Many long-time quilters are card-carrying members of the fabric acquisition team and have the stashes to prove it. News of an estate sale with a lot of fabric travels fast. Check with your quilt guilds, ASG chapter or search on estate-sales.net for sales near you. FB Marketplace is another source for garage and estate sale listings.

Other updates: Shirt Off Your Back quilt shop in Roswell will be closing down in early summer. Even their Innova long-arm machines are for sale. Stash Fabrics in Alpharetta (more like Cumming actually) is now offering classes and offers local pick-up at no extra charge. Scraplanta is an organization I discovered while attending the OSQE this past week. They offer donated fabric and notions for sale, plus offer classes in repurposing said scraps and materials.

Change is the only constant in life. Joann’s closing is sad, but I imagine most of us living in larger towns and cities will still have local access to craft and sewing supplies. Keep an eye out on newcomers, too – a new indie bookstore opened in Smyrna and a stitch lounge opened in East Cobb this past week. New places to explore!

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