Retail--Where can you buy my wares?

For those of you new to this space, welcome! Today I'm going to share with you all the ways you can purchase Dancing Threads RI goodies.

Etsy--my online shop is almost always open. I close it just before and during festivals and markets (I don't want to accidentally sell an item twice if there's only one in stock), but will list a predicted re-opening date in the shop announcement.

In person--There are several events that I attend throughout Rhode Island each year. Join my email newsletter to get the latest market dates (I send the newsletter about once a month). This year I will again attend the Aquidneck Growers Market in Middletown one Saturday per month.

RaNEW Salon and Spa in Newport--my waterproof-lined zippered pouches are available at this fabulous salon on lower Thames Street.

The Ship's Bell Store--This is a fun gift shop at the Naval War College in Newport. While you must have a military ID to access the shop (or tag along with someone who does), you can find nautical-themed items from Dancing Threads RI such as baby shoes, zippered pouches, grocery bags, totes, and even crayon rolls. They even have a fabric swatch book so that you can order certain items in your favorite fabric if it's not currently in stock. All proceeds from this shop go to charities such as scholarships for graduating high school seniors in military families. It is completely run by volunteers, stop by to say hello!

Clements Marketplace--a local family-owned grocery store in my hometown of Portsmouth, RI. At the customer service desk just to the left as you enter the front door, you can find my reusable snack bags, wet bags, and mesh produce bags. This store supports many local businesses, carries specialty food items you won't find at Stop n Shop, is a pillar in our community (they donate a portion of all receipts to local schools and offer scholarships to their teenage employees going off to college), and even sells fresh shaved steak so that I can make a proper Philly cheese steak at home! Good people.

Simmons Farm--Have you been to Simmons Farm in Middletown, RI? It is an organic farm here on Aquidneck Island that offers meat, eggs, vegetables, cow's milk, cow and goat milk cheeses, yoghurt, and the most recent addition: salted caramels made with their own goat's milk. Heaven, I tell you. These caramels are unbelievably good (and come in a coffee flavored variety as well). If you purchase the large bag of caramels in a fabric gift bag--the bag was handmade by me. Full disclosure: my family has been year-round CSA members for about 4 years. We adore this farm and all that they strive to do. It's a bonus that they support local artisans and chose me to make the goodie bags for their caramels. They have a petting zoo open on CSA days (please read and follow the posted rules), the farm stand is open most afternoons (check the times which vary by season), and they participate in several local farmer's markets.

By email--last-but-not-least, I am happy to take orders for items that may not be listed in my Etsy shop or on my table at a festival/market. Send me an email or Facebook message. I'm just a one-woman operation--it's impossible for me to have everything available in every fabric at all times (here's a post I wrote last year about wearing the many hats that is running an handmade business). I also may not have had a chance to photograph and list items that are in stock. Which is why I'm so happy to make you a produce bag in pink anchors, or a crayon roll with pirates instead of the ABC fabric that you see on Etsy right now. As long as the fabric is readily available and it's an item that I already have available in my product line, it's available to order. More on fabric and how it quickly goes out of print in another post.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!