There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
Survey Results We asked: What types of crafting products would you like to see on Massdrop?
You answered: This one was pretty surprising! Though we’ve had numerous polls for knitting projects, garment sewing came out on top—and actually beat knitting by a solid 8 percent. “None of the above” was the second-highest response, which makes me think we have a lot of members who don’t look at quilting as merely a hobby, but as a serious passion that leaves little time for anything else.
You answered: For the knitters in the community, yarn lead the way, but not by much. Again, a big chunk of survey participants (56 percent!) responded with “none of the above,” which reinforces my thinking that many of you focus solely on quilting, and don’t engage in other areas of crafting.
You answered: Madelinetosh came up as one of the most popular brands, followed by Addi, Noro, Lion, Red Heart, Rowan, and Cascade. A handful of other brands had multiple requests, including Malabrigo, Chiagoo, Brooklyn Tweed, Clover, and Lantern Moon, and there seems to be interest in both hand-dyed and natural wool yarns.
As I keep sourcing, I’ll focus on brands and products that are of the same high quality quilters have come to expect from Massdrop, while steering away from brands that are readily available at big-box stores.
You answered: We got lots and lots of comments about embroidery, cross-stitch, needlepoint, tatting… and quilting, too! I love that the quilters among us want to make sure we’re not forgotten. There were also some callouts for specific products, like embroidery kits, embroidery patterns, sewing kits, fabric by the yard, looms, batik fabrics, and Creative Grids rulers (to name just a few).
You answered: The majority of these responses had to do with embroidery, quilting supplies, and even more quilting supplies—and many of them were just plain “no.” Some of you went into more detail, listing fabric brands like Moda and Cotton+Steel. Unfortunately, these two brands have been virtually impossible to source, as they’re not interested in working with Massdrop and exclusively support local quilt shops.
Anything Else? While this survey provided some great insights, I know it’s only one survey, and I’m always open to more suggestions on how to make the community the best it can be. Share your thoughts in the comment section below, and I’ll do all I can to answer any questions and work to source the products you want!