CT Quilt Shop Hop 2013

The local CT quilt shops host a bi-annual shop hop towards the end of September and I joined in the fun this year.  For whatever reason, I missed it in 2011.  I don't remember why.

9 shops participated this year.  In 2009, there were a lot more shops involved and they were located on the western side of the state.  This year was just concentrated in the central part of the state.  Less driving for me.  I wasn't crazy about those shops on the western side of the state anyway.

ANYwho.  I didn't finish the hop.  There were two quilt shops that I decided to skip from the start.  One is along the shoreline (only one) and it wasn't worth the drive.  They have 2 others in the area - family business and they don't have much fabric to begin with.  They specialize in custom window coverings and sewing machines.  The second one I skipped.... they don't need my money.  I loved their shop and the selection of fabrics but the employees were very rude in 2009 and I wasn't going to waste my time there.

I had fun.  My friend's Mom and I went together and split the list between two weekends.  Here are the treasures I came home with.

Every shop gave a free pattern for participating.  These are the patterns I collected plus some little notions.  2 mini seam rippers, pair of cute cat scissors, snail measure tape and a ruler.

Some FQs and yardage for a project I plan to work on over the Winter.  Since none of these color shades are in my stash, I had to stock up.  Of course, I made the decision after the fact to use the cream with black mini dot as my background fabric and all I have is a fat quarter of it.  I need to make a special trip to the shop where I bought it (I saw it on the bolt) or call them and see if they would let me make the purchase over the phone.

Some random fat quarters, a Bali Pop to make a quilt for my husband for Christmas this year (hopefully) and a layer cake.

Halloween yardage for a couple of pillowcases and Valentine yardage for a twister heart that I want to make.

Two new patterns.  That tote is next on my list to make.  There was a sample in the shop and it was awesome.  Great size.  

Lastly - SHEEPIES!!!  In 2011, I was crushing on this fabric line and now a couple of shops had the yardage in as "new".  I find it funny that the line is 2 years old but they just got it.

My sheep panel!  I will be quilting this one up to hang in my sewing room

And some yardage for pillowcases.

That's it.  Put a nice dent in my wallet but that's okay.  I don't do it often.  AND I went with a list and shopping purchase.  Few things got thrown into the mix "just because" but most of it, I have a vision for.  I have one more shopping trip in my near future.  Headed to New Hampshire this weekend and my husband is stopping at Keepsake Quilting for me.  :)

The memory quilt is coming along.  I'm up to 40 blocks finished?  I think that was my last count.  My goal is to get the entire top done and off to be quilted by the end of October.  Pedal to the metal over here!

Enjoy your day!

Jen :)

Shop Till You Drop!

Saturday was the start of the 2009 CT Quilt Shop Hop. I was almost not able to go and was pretty bummed about it. I had no sitter for Amelia and I knew there would be no way that she would tolerate being in the car all day long. But at the last minute, my mom's plans fell through (woohooo for me) and she watched Amelia overnight on Saturday so that I could shop hop this past weekend.

Fun fun! I drove myself on Saturday while my friend's mom and her friend followed me. We don't really live near each other so car-pooling on Saturday wasn't really going to work out that well. It's okay. I got to listen to a whole audio book which is good because it's overdue back at the library and I needed to get it back to them before I would accrue more late fees!

Anyway, we hit 8 stores on Saturday. We met up at one in Unionville and made our way down the western side of the state. I wish I took more pictures of the shops themselves but a lot of them were in strip mall settings. Nothing really cute like I've seen other shops here in blogs. But here's one really cute one...

Thimbles in Woodbury. Cute!

My most favorite shop so far? Hands down it was The Yankee Quilter in Oxford. They were so nice and pleasant there. Greeted and treated us like long lost friends. And naturally, I spent the most money there. LOL. I am going to take some classes there in the future. I wish they were closer to me as there is a class I want to take that they are having this Friday but it's 6:00 p.m to Midnight. Amelia has a doctor's appointment that afternoon. I won't make it there in time due to the appointment, fighting traffic clear across the state and it's so late! I wouldn't get home until 2:00 a.m.! And I have a full weekend ahead with other family commitments. Too bad. Maybe they will offer the class again. I hope they do.

There are 18 shops participating and so far I've been to 11 of them. We hit 3 shops yesterday. Two of them, I've been to them before (one being my LQS) so Sunday was kind of mellow. I will not finish the hop because of my upcoming busy weekend schedule and I'm bummed that I can't be in the grand prize drawing for a $250.00 gift certificate to the quilt shop of my choice but that's okay. I found some new shops to shop in and I will be going back to a couple of them for sure!

A couple of gripes I have about the whole thing:
- most people work from "9-5" Monday thru Friday. Would be nice if the shops were open until AT LEAST 8 p.m. so that us working people can go to some more shops during the week. Shop hop hours are 10-6 during the week with the exception of Thursday which is 10-8. I would like to have had 10-8 all shop hop long.

- The "free" 2.5" fabric strips that are being given out for the "free" pattern. Some of these strips are BUTT ugly. There was one store that I didn't even take my 2 strips because they were AWFUL. One store didn't even give us a choice. Just handed us two of the ugliest batik strips made and said "here you go!". Most shops had the strips nicely arranged and a nice variety. I know they aren't going to use their "best" fabrics to give out as strips but c'mon! At least don't be giving out the fabric that no one wanted from 1987. I know which stores gave me crap and I won't go back there. There should be a standing rule: No butt ugly-nobody likes this fabric anyway-strips.

My loot. You wanna see what I got?

The fabric. I counted 7.5 yards of fabric (in 1/2 yard cuts) and 22 FQs. See the CUTE little kiwi green and black FQ bundle towards the top?? That's for my Bento Box pattern. I have to go back to the shop and get a few more FQs cut. I don't think there's enough there for the pattern and I love the butterfly fabric so I want more. I collected LOTS of pink for my orange, pink and yellow quilt. Not sure which pattern I'm going to do yet so I'm just collecting. I think I may have enough now.

Bunch of other stuff. There's some more fabric hiding in this picture too that is not in the count of fabric above so I bought more than 7.5 yards. But these are for future projects. The Bali pop is for the Bali Bag pattern. The dark yummy purple is for a bag for one of my cousins for Christmas. And the aqua and black fabric is for the Big Shopper bag.

OH! Before I forget... one shop had the greatest shower curtain hanging up. I loved it and wanted her to sell it to me but she wouldn't. Guess I'll have to make my own. It would look great in Punkie's bathroom! I wish I had better pictures of the shower curtain as a whole unit but the bathroom was tiny. She did tell me what pattern she used - Sassy Lap Quilt by Calico Carriage Quilt Designs.

Enjoy your day!

Jen :)