Quilt stores visited in the south (long)

We are back from our two week driving tour of the South. The 70 and 80
degree temperatures were much nicer than the 20 and light snow that
greeted us in Chicago. The snow turned to rain as the temperature
warmed Sunday but the white stuff is still there.

When we left our home on February 3 I told my husband that I wouldn't
ask to stop at every quilt shop we passed. I did manage to visit
several. You can tell by the list of cities that we didn't just drive
straight back and forth to Florida. We took five days driving home
because we wanted to visit the states of Alabama and Mississippi.
Following are my thoughts on those I visited.

Dade City, Florida. Quilts on Plum Lane. This is the store near where
my mother lives in the winter so I have been there before. The store
expanded this year into an adjacent storefront more than doubling its
size. I did not succumb to the fat quarter sale because you had to
purchase 20 fat quarters to get the sale price of $1.50. Nice and
friendly as usual. Models were current.

Lakeland, Florida. Patchwork Pig. Nice store in great old building.
Large selection of fabrics. Not very many models. Staff was busy
cutting fabrics but asked if I needed help.

Ocala, Florida. Peggy's Heirlooms of Tomorrow. All fabric 30% off but
I only bought 2 yards plus Amy Bradley's "Quilt Diva" applique
pattern. If you haven't seen this pattern, it is great. I plan to add
a few pounds to the Diva so she looks a little more like me and hang
her on my studio door. I always explain to an out of town store that I
am passing through town and found them in "Quilter's Travel
Companion". Nice stores make sure I know the locations of other stores
in the area. These people were nice while I was purchasing fabric but
didn't tell me about the two new stores that have opened this year on
the same road back to the interstate. Fortunately my husband had
spotted the stores while buying gas. One store was mainly sewing
machines with a little fabric. The other store was a sister store to
one in another town about 20 miles away. Since they had customers from
both areas they decided to open a branch. Sorry I didn't write down
their name. It will show-up on my charge account bill because I bought
two butterfly patterns.

Fort Myers, Florida. Quilter's Corner. Small shop but good variety and
helpful staff. I bought several oriental fabrics including an oriental
mixer which is difficult to find.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Once Upon a Quilt. Small store but great
samples. Very understaffed during my visit and I didn't want to wait
to have fabric cut so moved on.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sunshine Sewing Company. Ad in QTC says
"7500 bolts of fabric. Largest Quilt Shop in South Florida" I don't
think anyone will disagree about the size. There were grocery store
size shopping carts waiting by the front door and ample room to wheel
the carts between the rows of fabric. The store itself was a little
messy---a lot like my studio. Great unquilted samples were just piled
around. I took the time to unfold them and take a peak. Some samples
were also hung from the ceiling. It wasn't as big as Hancocks of
Paducah and didn't have the flat fold bargains found at Hancocks but
had just about all the fabric types you would ever need. I overheard
the staff giving others advice but I didn't ask for any. I was too
busy adding to my oriental stash including a few more mixers. I don't
know what I am going to do with the orientals but I have 1/2 yard
pieces of about twenty great prints. Think I will fussy cut the
wonderful large designs for one quilt, do a kimono quilt requiring
smaller pieces and make a scrap quilt out of the leftovers. (Now I
don't feel so guilty about buying all of the orientals)

Tupelo, Mississippi. Heirlooms Forever, If I ever have a granddaughter
I want to return to this shop. Nicest heirloom sewing I have found in
a long time. They carried a line of 54" wide, 100% cotton fabrics from
Fabric Finders that I had never seen. The owner said Fabric Finders
mainly sell to children's specialty garment manufacturers. These
fabrics were expensive because of the width but were wonderful small
prints and geometrics in pastels and brights. Would be great for
quilts. I was good and left them in Mississippi.

Montgomery, Alabama. Rose of Sharon. This store is mainly a finishing
work room doing draperies and long arm quilting. The small amount of
fabrics she did carry were well chosen and sold at a discount. Moda
marbles for $6.00 a yard how could I not purchase some?

Paducah, Kentucky. Hancocks of Paducah. Just made a quick stop so my
husband could view the sea of fabric. They were closing in a few
minutes so didn't even look on the bargain table. Also made a quick
tour of the Quilt Museum. The changing exhibit areas featured food
quilts in one room and doll quilts in the other room. Everything was
beautiful as usual. My husband likes the geometry of patchwork so
didn't think much of the art quilts "They look glued together" nor the
quilts which featured more quilting than patchwork. I especially loved
the doll beds on which the small quilts were displayed.

Also stopped at three Hobby Lobby's. All were exactly like the ones at
home. And like the ones at home the condition of the fabric department
depended on the attitude of the staff. Some were neat and some had
fabrics just stuck anywhere. I was hoping to find one special fabric
that our local stores are out of but none of them had any left. Guess
that quilt will just be smaller.

Now I want to play with my new purchases but I first must finish
several things on the table for this spring. I was good and put away
the new materials in their proper place although the box marked
"oriental" will not hold all of the new additions.

Susan

LOL! I am so impressed Susan! Thanks for sharing your quilters tour of the
South. Quiltaholism and shopaholism mixed together is a beautiful thing!
Hopefully, you'll post pics of all those wonderful Orientals? And next
time, just take a tour bus and sell discount tickets, (or charge FQs), to
the rest of us.
chipper


"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
We are back from our two week driving tour of the South. The 70 and 80
degree temperatures were much nicer than the 20 and light snow that
greeted us in Chicago. The snow turned to rain as the temperature
warmed Sunday but the white stuff is still there.

When we left our home on February 3 I told my husband that I wouldn't
ask to stop at every quilt shop we passed. I did manage to visit
several. You can tell by the list of cities that we didn't just drive
straight back and forth to Florida. We took five days driving home
because we wanted to visit the states of Alabama and Mississippi.
Following are my thoughts on those I visited.

Dade City, Florida. Quilts on Plum Lane. This is the store near where
my mother lives in the winter so I have been there before. The store
expanded this year into an adjacent storefront more than doubling its
size. I did not succumb to the fat quarter sale because you had to
purchase 20 fat quarters to get the sale price of $1.50. Nice and
friendly as usual. Models were current.

Lakeland, Florida. Patchwork Pig. Nice store in great old building.
Large selection of fabrics. Not very many models. Staff was busy
cutting fabrics but asked if I needed help.

Ocala, Florida. Peggy's Heirlooms of Tomorrow. All fabric 30% off but
I only bought 2 yards plus Amy Bradley's "Quilt Diva" applique
pattern. If you haven't seen this pattern, it is great. I plan to add
a few pounds to the Diva so she looks a little more like me and hang
her on my studio door. I always explain to an out of town store that I
am passing through town and found them in "Quilter's Travel
Companion". Nice stores make sure I know the locations of other stores
in the area. These people were nice while I was purchasing fabric but
didn't tell me about the two new stores that have opened this year on
the same road back to the interstate. Fortunately my husband had
spotted the stores while buying gas. One store was mainly sewing
machines with a little fabric. The other store was a sister store to
one in another town about 20 miles away. Since they had customers from
both areas they decided to open a branch. Sorry I didn't write down
their name. It will show-up on my charge account bill because I bought
two butterfly patterns.

Fort Myers, Florida. Quilter's Corner. Small shop but good variety and
helpful staff. I bought several oriental fabrics including an oriental
mixer which is difficult to find.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Once Upon a Quilt. Small store but great
samples. Very understaffed during my visit and I didn't want to wait
to have fabric cut so moved on.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sunshine Sewing Company. Ad in QTC says
"7500 bolts of fabric. Largest Quilt Shop in South Florida" I don't
think anyone will disagree about the size. There were grocery store
size shopping carts waiting by the front door and ample room to wheel
the carts between the rows of fabric. The store itself was a little
messy---a lot like my studio. Great unquilted samples were just piled
around. I took the time to unfold them and take a peak. Some samples
were also hung from the ceiling. It wasn't as big as Hancocks of
Paducah and didn't have the flat fold bargains found at Hancocks but
had just about all the fabric types you would ever need. I overheard
the staff giving others advice but I didn't ask for any. I was too
busy adding to my oriental stash including a few more mixers. I don't
know what I am going to do with the orientals but I have 1/2 yard
pieces of about twenty great prints. Think I will fussy cut the
wonderful large designs for one quilt, do a kimono quilt requiring
smaller pieces and make a scrap quilt out of the leftovers. (Now I
don't feel so guilty about buying all of the orientals)

Tupelo, Mississippi. Heirlooms Forever, If I ever have a granddaughter
I want to return to this shop. Nicest heirloom sewing I have found in
a long time. They carried a line of 54" wide, 100% cotton fabrics from
Fabric Finders that I had never seen. The owner said Fabric Finders
mainly sell to children's specialty garment manufacturers. These
fabrics were expensive because of the width but were wonderful small
prints and geometrics in pastels and brights. Would be great for
quilts. I was good and left them in Mississippi.

Montgomery, Alabama. Rose of Sharon. This store is mainly a finishing
work room doing draperies and long arm quilting. The small amount of
fabrics she did carry were well chosen and sold at a discount. Moda
marbles for $6.00 a yard how could I not purchase some?

Paducah, Kentucky. Hancocks of Paducah. Just made a quick stop so my
husband could view the sea of fabric. They were closing in a few
minutes so didn't even look on the bargain table. Also made a quick
tour of the Quilt Museum. The changing exhibit areas featured food
quilts in one room and doll quilts in the other room. Everything was
beautiful as usual. My husband likes the geometry of patchwork so
didn't think much of the art quilts "They look glued together" nor the
quilts which featured more quilting than patchwork. I especially loved
the doll beds on which the small quilts were displayed.

Also stopped at three Hobby Lobby's. All were exactly like the ones at
home. And like the ones at home the condition of the fabric department
depended on the attitude of the staff. Some were neat and some had
fabrics just stuck anywhere. I was hoping to find one special fabric
that our local stores are out of but none of them had any left. Guess
that quilt will just be smaller.

Now I want to play with my new purchases but I first must finish
several things on the table for this spring. I was good and put away
the new materials in their proper place although the box marked
"oriental" will not hold all of the new additions.

Susan

Thanks Susan for the tour. I found myself there with you( almost) Wish I
was. If only you could experience my LQS !! lol
--
Estelle UK
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gal.../ph//my_photos
"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
We are back from our two week driving tour of the South. The 70 and 80
degree temperatures were much nicer than the 20 and light snow that
greeted us in Chicago. The snow turned to rain as the temperature
warmed Sunday but the white stuff is still there.

When we left our home on February 3 I told my husband that I wouldn't
ask to stop at every quilt shop we passed. I did manage to visit
several. You can tell by the list of cities that we didn't just drive
straight back and forth to Florida. We took five days driving home
because we wanted to visit the states of Alabama and Mississippi.
Following are my thoughts on those I visited.

Dade City, Florida. Quilts on Plum Lane. This is the store near where
my mother lives in the winter so I have been there before. The store
expanded this year into an adjacent storefront more than doubling its
size. I did not succumb to the fat quarter sale because you had to
purchase 20 fat quarters to get the sale price of $1.50. Nice and
friendly as usual. Models were current.

Lakeland, Florida. Patchwork Pig. Nice store in great old building.
Large selection of fabrics. Not very many models. Staff was busy
cutting fabrics but asked if I needed help.

Ocala, Florida. Peggy's Heirlooms of Tomorrow. All fabric 30% off but
I only bought 2 yards plus Amy Bradley's "Quilt Diva" applique
pattern. If you haven't seen this pattern, it is great. I plan to add
a few pounds to the Diva so she looks a little more like me and hang
her on my studio door. I always explain to an out of town store that I
am passing through town and found them in "Quilter's Travel
Companion". Nice stores make sure I know the locations of other stores
in the area. These people were nice while I was purchasing fabric but
didn't tell me about the two new stores that have opened this year on
the same road back to the interstate. Fortunately my husband had
spotted the stores while buying gas. One store was mainly sewing
machines with a little fabric. The other store was a sister store to
one in another town about 20 miles away. Since they had customers from
both areas they decided to open a branch. Sorry I didn't write down
their name. It will show-up on my charge account bill because I bought
two butterfly patterns.

Fort Myers, Florida. Quilter's Corner. Small shop but good variety and
helpful staff. I bought several oriental fabrics including an oriental
mixer which is difficult to find.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Once Upon a Quilt. Small store but great
samples. Very understaffed during my visit and I didn't want to wait
to have fabric cut so moved on.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sunshine Sewing Company. Ad in QTC says
"7500 bolts of fabric. Largest Quilt Shop in South Florida" I don't
think anyone will disagree about the size. There were grocery store
size shopping carts waiting by the front door and ample room to wheel
the carts between the rows of fabric. The store itself was a little
messy---a lot like my studio. Great unquilted samples were just piled
around. I took the time to unfold them and take a peak. Some samples
were also hung from the ceiling. It wasn't as big as Hancocks of
Paducah and didn't have the flat fold bargains found at Hancocks but
had just about all the fabric types you would ever need. I overheard
the staff giving others advice but I didn't ask for any. I was too
busy adding to my oriental stash including a few more mixers. I don't
know what I am going to do with the orientals but I have 1/2 yard
pieces of about twenty great prints. Think I will fussy cut the
wonderful large designs for one quilt, do a kimono quilt requiring
smaller pieces and make a scrap quilt out of the leftovers. (Now I
don't feel so guilty about buying all of the orientals)

Tupelo, Mississippi. Heirlooms Forever, If I ever have a granddaughter
I want to return to this shop. Nicest heirloom sewing I have found in
a long time. They carried a line of 54" wide, 100% cotton fabrics from
Fabric Finders that I had never seen. The owner said Fabric Finders
mainly sell to children's specialty garment manufacturers. These
fabrics were expensive because of the width but were wonderful small
prints and geometrics in pastels and brights. Would be great for
quilts. I was good and left them in Mississippi.

Montgomery, Alabama. Rose of Sharon. This store is mainly a finishing
work room doing draperies and long arm quilting. The small amount of
fabrics she did carry were well chosen and sold at a discount. Moda
marbles for $6.00 a yard how could I not purchase some?

Paducah, Kentucky. Hancocks of Paducah. Just made a quick stop so my
husband could view the sea of fabric. They were closing in a few
minutes so didn't even look on the bargain table. Also made a quick
tour of the Quilt Museum. The changing exhibit areas featured food
quilts in one room and doll quilts in the other room. Everything was
beautiful as usual. My husband likes the geometry of patchwork so
didn't think much of the art quilts "They look glued together" nor the
quilts which featured more quilting than patchwork. I especially loved
the doll beds on which the small quilts were displayed.

Also stopped at three Hobby Lobby's. All were exactly like the ones at
home. And like the ones at home the condition of the fabric department
depended on the attitude of the staff. Some were neat and some had
fabrics just stuck anywhere. I was hoping to find one special fabric
that our local stores are out of but none of them had any left. Guess
that quilt will just be smaller.

Now I want to play with my new purchases but I first must finish
several things on the table for this spring. I was good and put away
the new materials in their proper place although the box marked
"oriental" will not hold all of the new additions.

Susan

Sounds like a great trip.

--
Mary
http://community.webshots.com/user/mardor1948
"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
: We are back from our two week driving tour of the South. The 70 and 80
: degree temperatures were much nicer than the 20 and light snow that
: greeted us in Chicago. The snow turned to rain as the temperature
: warmed Sunday but the white stuff is still there.
:
: When we left our home on February 3 I told my husband that I wouldn't
: ask to stop at every quilt shop we passed. I did manage to visit
: several. You can tell by the list of cities that we didn't just drive
: straight back and forth to Florida. We took five days driving home
: because we wanted to visit the states of Alabama and Mississippi.
: Following are my thoughts on those I visited.
:
: Dade City, Florida. Quilts on Plum Lane. This is the store near where
: my mother lives in the winter so I have been there before. The store
: expanded this year into an adjacent storefront more than doubling its
: size. I did not succumb to the fat quarter sale because you had to
: purchase 20 fat quarters to get the sale price of $1.50. Nice and
: friendly as usual. Models were current.
:
: Lakeland, Florida. Patchwork Pig. Nice store in great old building.
: Large selection of fabrics. Not very many models. Staff was busy
: cutting fabrics but asked if I needed help.
:
: Ocala, Florida. Peggy's Heirlooms of Tomorrow. All fabric 30% off but
: I only bought 2 yards plus Amy Bradley's "Quilt Diva" applique
: pattern. If you haven't seen this pattern, it is great. I plan to add
: a few pounds to the Diva so she looks a little more like me and hang
: her on my studio door. I always explain to an out of town store that I
: am passing through town and found them in "Quilter's Travel
: Companion". Nice stores make sure I know the locations of other stores
: in the area. These people were nice while I was purchasing fabric but
: didn't tell me about the two new stores that have opened this year on
: the same road back to the interstate. Fortunately my husband had
: spotted the stores while buying gas. One store was mainly sewing
: machines with a little fabric. The other store was a sister store to
: one in another town about 20 miles away. Since they had customers from
: both areas they decided to open a branch. Sorry I didn't write down
: their name. It will show-up on my charge account bill because I bought
: two butterfly patterns.
:
: Fort Myers, Florida. Quilter's Corner. Small shop but good variety and
: helpful staff. I bought several oriental fabrics including an oriental
: mixer which is difficult to find.
:
: Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Once Upon a Quilt. Small store but great
: samples. Very understaffed during my visit and I didn't want to wait
: to have fabric cut so moved on.
:
: Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sunshine Sewing Company. Ad in QTC says
: "7500 bolts of fabric. Largest Quilt Shop in South Florida" I don't
: think anyone will disagree about the size. There were grocery store
: size shopping carts waiting by the front door and ample room to wheel
: the carts between the rows of fabric. The store itself was a little
: messy---a lot like my studio. Great unquilted samples were just piled
: around. I took the time to unfold them and take a peak. Some samples
: were also hung from the ceiling. It wasn't as big as Hancocks of
: Paducah and didn't have the flat fold bargains found at Hancocks but
: had just about all the fabric types you would ever need. I overheard
: the staff giving others advice but I didn't ask for any. I was too
: busy adding to my oriental stash including a few more mixers. I don't
: know what I am going to do with the orientals but I have 1/2 yard
: pieces of about twenty great prints. Think I will fussy cut the
: wonderful large designs for one quilt, do a kimono quilt requiring
: smaller pieces and make a scrap quilt out of the leftovers. (Now I
: don't feel so guilty about buying all of the orientals)
:
: Tupelo, Mississippi. Heirlooms Forever, If I ever have a granddaughter
: I want to return to this shop. Nicest heirloom sewing I have found in
: a long time. They carried a line of 54" wide, 100% cotton fabrics from
: Fabric Finders that I had never seen. The owner said Fabric Finders
: mainly sell to children's specialty garment manufacturers. These
: fabrics were expensive because of the width but were wonderful small
: prints and geometrics in pastels and brights. Would be great for
: quilts. I was good and left them in Mississippi.
:
: Montgomery, Alabama. Rose of Sharon. This store is mainly a finishing
: work room doing draperies and long arm quilting. The small amount of
: fabrics she did carry were well chosen and sold at a discount. Moda
: marbles for $6.00 a yard how could I not purchase some?
:
: Paducah, Kentucky. Hancocks of Paducah. Just made a quick stop so my
: husband could view the sea of fabric. They were closing in a few
: minutes so didn't even look on the bargain table. Also made a quick
: tour of the Quilt Museum. The changing exhibit areas featured food
: quilts in one room and doll quilts in the other room. Everything was
: beautiful as usual. My husband likes the geometry of patchwork so
: didn't think much of the art quilts "They look glued together" nor the
: quilts which featured more quilting than patchwork. I especially loved
: the doll beds on which the small quilts were displayed.
:
: Also stopped at three Hobby Lobby's. All were exactly like the ones at
: home. And like the ones at home the condition of the fabric department
: depended on the attitude of the staff. Some were neat and some had
: fabrics just stuck anywhere. I was hoping to find one special fabric
: that our local stores are out of but none of them had any left. Guess
: that quilt will just be smaller.
:
: Now I want to play with my new purchases but I first must finish
: several things on the table for this spring. I was good and put away
: the new materials in their proper place although the box marked
: "oriental" will not hold all of the new additions.
:
: Susan

Great write up! I must confess that I don't know how you passed up the
fabrics you described at Heirlooms Forever. But then I did a quick web
search and guess what?

http://www.sews.com/

now we can all shop.

marcella
will take some time to browse that one today!

Sounds like you had a great get-away. Hope you and your DH are well rested.
Don't you love finding those interesting shops!
I just finished a quilt using the tropical print that you gave me last
winter. I'll get a picture taken and put on webshots soon.
Happy quilting
--
Susan in Zephyrhills FL
quilting as usual!
http://community.webshots.com/user/sbtinkingston
"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
We are back from our two week driving tour of the South. The 70 and 80
degree temperatures were much nicer than the 20 and light snow that
greeted us in Chicago. The snow turned to rain as the temperature
warmed Sunday but the white stuff is still there.
..

Now I want to play with my new purchases but I first must finish
several things on the table for this spring. I was good and put away
the new materials in their proper place although the box marked
"oriental" will not hold all of the new additions.

Susan

Welcome home, Susan!
Glad your trip went well. Compliments to your husband for his patient and
indulgence!

Love the Quilt Diva (for anyone who wants to see her:
http://www.justitdist.com/amybradley.htm and scroll almost to the end).

Nann