F.A.R.T.ing Around Maryland? You betcha! But not that kind of farting...Quilters Unite on the shop hop.
Four bee mates and two cross-pollinators left early this morning to join the All-Mid-Atlantic Shop Hop fun, AKA Fabric Acquisition Road Trip. It’s what we do as creatives and quilters, though not one of us needs another piece of fabric. But…
Two bee mates (Debbi and Deb) have been working hard to get to quilt shops in our region since July 1st. We were thinking of a date more could join in this adventure, and today was it. I was a latecomer to the scene but played nice in the fabric bin by purchasing the "official" magazine with all the shop listings and getting my stickers from the (4) shops we visited today (plus one yarn shop not affiliated with the shop hop). No purchase was necessary to get the sticker and a small quilt block with the shop’s name. Think passport stamps!
There have been smaller shop hops through the years, with primarily local shops in a small demographic. Still, this one is actually the first annual shop hop with this magnitude and stretch encompassing several Mid-Atlantic states. Over 100 shops are participating with raffles and prizes at the end of the hop in late August (for those turning in their passports, that is). I won’t have a completed regional passport needed to enter and win.
However, due to my NeedleOnFull T-shirt business, I did need to find and purchase some fabric in greys, so the trip was as successful for me as it was for the other gals in the van. Our delicious lunch was at a local brewery in Frederick, Maryland, following our shop hop stop at Charlotte’s Cottage. We also got stamped at Patches in Mt. Airy, Capital Quilts in Gaithersburg, and Spring Water Designs in Columbia. The cool wool/knit shop, Magpie, was also high on the list to visit for the knitters in our hive.
I plan to visit a couple more shops in my local area, mainly to acquire fabric for my paid quilting projects. I want to help the local economy by buying from people/quilters I know and live in the area. It's the best thing I can do!
A huge shout of thanks to our driver, Reneé, and co-pilot, Margaret, along with my bee mates, Debbi, Deb, and Janet, for the awesome day as we "beat the heat" of 100 degrees while traveling in style in an air-conditioned van.
bSoleille!
Terri
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