The last time I had a conversation with my eldest brother was the morning MSQC was featured on a Sunday morning show. I'd just started quilting and was working from scraps friends donated to my project. My brother was enthusiastic about my new hobby and told me all about the show about this company which was new to me. Fast forward two years and I went to a quilting retreat in Hamilton after spending a small fortune with the company. The business has grown since then, as has the collection of quilts in my "done" pile and the fabric and tools in my sewing room. The one time I had a problem with something I bought it was resolved and the vendor sent the missing quilt kit pieces before i had the email telling me it was on its way. The customer service phone line is answered with a message that includes an option to press a number if you just want to talk. I don't know who answers those calls, but just having that option with all the isolation brought about by recent events is amazing. Not your usual business by any means. Well worth supporting this family that changed a small town for the better.

I can see that MSQC is working to keep up with technology by bringing out a new shopping app. It works fine on my iPhone in its vertical only position. Sadly, I don’t use my iPhone for MSQC shopping 95% of the time. When I tried to use the app on my iPad, it doesn’t turn to the horizontal position. I will stick to the website to shop leisurely. After looking through the new app, I did not find a pattern I had been interested in so I tried to go to my tutorial app. Imagine my surprise to find my tutorial app had vanished along with all of my marked favorites! I went back to the “new” app thinking it was possible the tutorials and my marked favorites would be there. No. They are gone. It was frustrating trying to find tutorials because I could see only 2-3 at the same time leaving me scrolling and scrolling and scrolling. I love the tutorials. I have learned so much from all I have watched! My 11 year old granddaughter and I have watched countless tutorials together over the last 6 years! Unfortunately, it takes longer to find the tutorial I want to watch than it does to watch it. I understand the need to keep up with technology in this fast moving market. But, don’t forget those of us who like a slower pace and an easier, more user friendly approach to tutorials and shopping.

I love your stores. My daughter and I made a weekend of visiting Hamilton MO. We drove up Friday and spent the night at a very nice B&B just a few miles away. Saturday morning we drove into Hamilton. We only expected to be there a couple of hours at most. We spent the entire day shopping and looking. Everyone was very nice and so helpful. Thank goodness we got to town early and was able to park close. We made at least 2 trips to the car to unload our packages then back to shopping and looking. I must admit we did more shopping than looking! The Missouri Star Quilt Company is a wonderful company. I use the tutorials. Thank you Jenny! I purchase fabric and quilt notions from the web site. Shipping is very reasonable at $5.00 flat rate and orders are sent quickly. Usually within a couple of days I receive my order. I would encourage everyone to visit the Missouri Star Quilt Company for a day of pure heaven!

I gave the app four stars because it needs some tweaking. It’s become a convenient shopping app with tutorials instead of a tutorial app with the list of suggested fabrics and so on. As a business strategy yay for you and woo hoo I can browse easily. But Jenny is lost in all the business and corporate feel. Favorite tutorials and new tutorials are found but for many they can’t search by name or key words. I’m happy to have witnessed a portion and success the Doan family has had but am a little sad to see the teaching and personal feel swallowed by a corporate model. I’m still a loyal fan and have a ton of points to spend! I’m an old dog and learning new tricks is harder. Technology is marvelous and I applaud MSQC for keeping up but please don’t lose the small town gal appeal. I’ve never met Jenny or Natalie or Misty (although we did stay in her BNB!) but I regularly invite them into my home through all those wonderful tutorials and we have a blast! Yay for the updated shopping app but could yah make a just tutorials app again. We older people kinda like the “visits” without having to drill down to find them.