About
Our History:
Thimble Pleasures has been in business as a "brick and mortar" store since November 1993. We were in the same location for 14 years in Carrboro, and expanded twice while we were there. In July 2009, we moved to our new location in Chapel Hill, almost doubling our size. We picked our name out of a list of “play on words” collected by the editor of Quilters’ Newsletter magazine. When we were looking for our original location, there were many sites to consider, but a new building was going up in Carrboro. It seemed the perfect place because many of the local businesses were owned by women, and also the Carrboro community is very supportive of the arts. We enjoyed being in Carrboro, but we are happily adjusting to our new space and settling in to the Chapel Hill community.
The Store Owner:
Julie Holbrook moved to Chapel Hill from Boston in 1992 with the intention of opening a quilt shop.
Our Staff:
The staff has changed and grown over the years. Today we have 14 full or part-time employees:
Karen West, Web Store manager, has been quilting and sewing for 25 years.
Celeste Lestienne, Bernina manager, started her Bernina career with the Quilt Mill in Hillsborough.
Gail Greene is our Certified Bernina Service Technician.
Eileen Hogan, and Kat Nicholas are Bernina Sales specialists.
Kathleen Lessard and Diane Donovan are our bolt managers; Sharon Callaham, Lisa Elfers, Jean Wright, Lea Midgett, Claudia Peterson, Maya Lee and Kathryn Conte are our sales associates.
Butch: Our store cat. He grew up in the store, but is now a big boy and stays home with his brothers and sisters.
Frequently Asked Questions and Store Policies
How do I register for a class?
We now have secure on-line class registration with payment by Paypal. Or you may stop by the store to register, call in to register by credit card, or mail in a check. The full amount of the class must be paid upon registration.
What if I signed up for a class and need to cancel?
If you cancel your class registration with 7 or more days advance notice, you will receive a full refund. You will be given a store credit unless you request credit card refund. If classes are cancelled because the minimum enrollment has not been met, you will receive a full refund. We consider your enrollment to be your commitment to take the class. We then make a commitment to our teachers.
Do you have a Frequent Buyer card?
Yes, we have a Reward Program, but now you don't have to carry a card or do anything except join our mailing list. When you make a purchase, each dollar will accumulate automatically and each time you reach $300 you will be rewarded with a $25 gift which may be used toward your next purchase. All merchandise except sewing machines and software are included in the program.
What credit cards do you take?
We honor Visa and Mastercards credit and debit cards in the store. When you order online you may pay with all major credit cards or your Paypal account.
What items can be returned?
We will exchange for store credit unopened notions, threads, packaged batting. Books, patterns and cut fabric are not returnable.
Do you have quilters that will quilt my quilt top for me? Yes, we have several local quilters who own long-arm quilting machines and will quilt your finished quilt tops for you. They all offer pick up and delivery to our store. However, you need to communicate with the quilter directly to let her know your quilt top is waiting to be picked up, and to let her know if you have any special requirements or ideas about how you want your top quilted. You supply the batting and backing (your backing should be pieced and ready to quilt) All long-arm quilters need an extra 4-5 inches of batting and backing on all four sides of the quilt top. Please bring your top, backing and batting in 3 separate pieces (not basted together) and placed in a sturdy plastic bag, clearly labeled with your name, phone number, and the name of the quilter who should pick it up.
Suzan DeSerres 919-929-4280 suzan@singingstitches.com www.singingstitches.com
Stephanie Pennington-Grant 919-383-6853 stephaniequilts@hotmail.com
Margaret Reiswig 919-259-3555 margaret@threebearsquilting.com www.threebearsquilting.com
Cathy Kirk 919-612-7969 cathy@quiltingcowgirl.com www.quiltingcowgirl.com
Jan Struble 919-489-0850 quiltsbyjan@mindspring.com www.quiltsandpurses.com
How can I hang a quilt? We carry Hang-Ups, which are specially designed for hanging quilts. They are beautifully crafted from walnut or ash, in two sizes. If the quilt has a sleeve on the back, the quilt can also be hung using a dowel rod purchased from a hardware store. If it does not have a sleeve we will be happy to sew one on for you. We also sell beautiful custom quilt hangers that are made to order by a local woodworker.
Do you carry buttons or zippers?
Yes, we carry heavy weight purse zippers and dressmaking zippers. We carry a selection of buttons, plus snaps, eyelets, velcro, and many other notions.
When I order from your site how will my items be shipped?
We ship most fabric and small notions via USPS Priority Mail flat rate. This is the lowest cost method of shipping fabric. Shipping cost will be added, based on the order total, in the Paypal cart as you proceed through the checkout process. We will do our best to ship orders within 2 business days, and you can expect to receive it about 3 days later in most cases. Your phone number is not required by Paypal but might expedite any questions we may have for you, if you add it to your shipping info. See the Shipping info page for more information.