Day 4 - Back on the road again

Well it's Tuesday morning, and I am back on the shop hop. My first stop is Fabric Plus in Marshall, Minnesota. This shop is on the main street of town. And once again, I ran into a bus. However, this turns out to be a good thing, as the shop is open before the posted time of 9:30 AM. This shop has a very cute little outdoorsy display of the Minnesota shop hop fabrics. They also have they also have an extensive display of juvenile and baby fabrics and sample quilts. This shop also sold sewing machines in the past, but they appeared to be no longer doing so. The shop also has a rather extensive collection of holiday fabrics, mostly Christmas.

The second shop today is Gathering Friends in Bird Island, Minnesota. This shop is been in operation since 1998. They also publish a line of patterns and booklets under the Gathering Friends name. They have a very extensive selection of samples made up using both their patterns, and patterns from other designers in the upstairs room. Quilt kits are also available there, as well as the sales fabrics. The sample quilt made up using the Minnesota shop hop fabric is from their booklet Serenity. It is quite a spectacular quilt. They also have a large selection of juvenile fabrics. The shop also contains a gift shop area with candles at flowers, plaques and other gift items.

The last shop in the southwest section is Shades of the Past in Clara City. This shop carries mostly reproduction fabrics, although they do have other fabrics available. They have made up a very nice sample quilt using the block from their shop. The shop also has patterns for embroidery. Shop hoppers are encouraged to sign an apron at the cash register. As you can see from the photos, quilts from past Minnesota shop hop fabrics are displayed outdoors.

DeAnne's Country Village Shoppe in Litchfield is actually more of a gift shop than a quilt shop. If anyone is looking for fabric from last year's shop hop in order to finish a quilt they are working on, this is the place to contact. They have quite a bit of last year's fabric left, including the white background fabric. This shop also has a number of nice country themed gifts and home decorations.

Gone to Pieces Quilt Shop in Kimball is in the back of a printing office. A smaller shop, they still manage to have a good selection of fabrics and a long arm in the back of the shop. Lots of patterns as well.

The Sweetwater Cotton Shoppe in Painesville is my first shop in the Central West section. This is a small shop. They design and print their own quilt patterns. They have a very nice display area with a bed on which there are decorated pillowcases. The display includes a wallhanging. The shop is offering a booklet with instruction for all of the items in the display.

I am not seeing as many coordinated displays this year, as I did last. The fabric company used last year sponsored a contest, so I saw more coordinated displays. Most of the fabrics in this shop are lighter colored and more feminine.

The Flying goose Quilt Shop in New London is in a building that has several smaller rooms where special displays have been set up. One entire small room is devoted to juvenile and baby fabrics. This shop has also designed a unique pattern using the Minnesota shop hop fabric, which is for sale in the shop. Be sure to check out the sales items in the basement.