Thursday, August 4, 2011

Day 5 - Roseau, here I come


I spent the night in the Holiday Inn in Alexandria. In my bathroom, on top of some towels, I found this little fellow.


I, of course, decided that he should travel with me on this trip. It would have been rude to just leave him sitting there while I went out and had some fun!

First stop for today is Dawn's Quilt Shop in Alexandria. This shop is using their block in a display quilt. Shopping in the early morning is less hectic, as there are usually many fewer shoppers. I am alone in the shop this morning. I do find a very modernistic looking quilt sample near the cash register, which I think would make a great quilt for a contemporary household.


The next shop is Common Threads Quilt Shop and design studio in Garfield, Minnesota. This shop is offering a discount if you check in with Foursquare. I have been doing a check in regularly on this shop hop whenever I have been able to contact Foursquare. I've had some difficulties getting my check in to registered at times. The shop has a very nice little display near the the fireplace made with the Minnesota shop hop fabrics. This shop also has a small separate room devoted to Civil War reproduction fabrics.


The quilt shop in Fergus Falls is another dual shop, i.e. a shop with two purposes. Quilting in the Cottage or Quilters Cottage is located in the same building as an appliance sales firm. You can walk through the bolts of fabric and head straight to buy a refrigerator or freezer. This is actually a good size quilt shop. They carry a lot of Crabapple Hill and Bareroots patterns. They also have a wide selection of fabrics including quite a few flannels. Didn't see any batiks, however.


The day has been excellent, sunny and warm but not too hot. This is a much better than the 110 heat index that was in Nebraska on Monday.

I am sure that everyone is getting tired of me mentioning batiks. I am looking for several batiks to finish a couple of projects and so they are on my mind. Sorry.


Bay Window Quilt Shop in Perham, Minnesota is actually quite a large shop. They are on two levels, the basement containing wool, flannels and minkee. They also have quite a few outdoorsy type fabrics here is well. They carry a wide range of fabrics and quite a few quilting notions as well . They also have a large sale area of fabrics and patterns that are on sale for 50% off. There is also a separate room devoted to large-scale prints and juvenile fabrics. They also have a long arm at the shop.


Back Porch Quilts in Fergus Falls is another shop that is not on the GPS. This shop is in a log cabin with a rather large front porch rather than back porch. They have a shop-designed quilt on display as you walk into the shop. The shop has been rearranged since my last visit, one year ago. The shop however still has a large selection of notions, batiks, and juvenile prints. A display is devoted completely to Civil War reproduction prints and patterns.


Moorehead, Minnesota is the home of The Quilted Ladybug. This smaller shop has a classroom that is nearly the size of the shop itself. Quilters here have commented that they are finding the shops are out of the border fabric. One of the display quilts in this shop is made using the border fabric. This shop has a wide array of various fabrics, including a large sale fabric area. Their classroom is filled with numerous shop samples, full of great ideas.


After a long drive (about 2 hours) I arrive in East Grand Forks at Quilters Eden. This shop is just across the street from Cabela's. There is quite a bit of traffic, and no light on the end of the block by the quit shop, so please be careful. This is a smaller shop, with a classroom upstairs. The shop has a good, varied selection of fabrics. Numerous samples are on display.

I apologize if all of the posts are starting to sound the same, there is only so much you can say about a shop and then it all starts to sound the same.


The shop in Crookston in new this year, This is Sew Broadway. The shop is on Broadway St., hence the name. They have a very nice display in the front window of items made from the hop fabrics. This shop is also selling handmade pottery, as does The Thimble Box in New Ulm. Very helpful staff!


Again the 2 hour drive. Starting to think how Gilligan and the bunch felt about the 3 hour tour! The shop in Roseau is open from 8-8 every day of the shop. They are so far out from most of the shops that they make it easy for you to get to the shop, even after driving the 2 hours! This shop also sells Janome sewing machines. They have a very nice sample quilt made using the Moda batiks that are this section's prize for visiting all of the shops. What a great idea. Very nice little shop!



I you are spending the night in Roseau, be sure to mention that you are one the Minnesota shop hop and you can get a discount. I did make it to Roseau! Now for a good night's sleep.

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