Shop Hopping in Kansas--Pick Your Favorite

 I'm all settled back in from a fun day of shop hopping.

I can't remember how long I've been doing this shop hop

but I'm thinking at least 10 of its 20 years.  

One year my sister, also a quilter, who was visiting came along

and over the last few a good friend has joined me.  Like me, she

has always been into sewing but it's been in the last few years

or so that she has come down with quilting fever.

Just before 8 am we set out with hot coffees in hand

heading off into the misty country that was just

beginning to show signs of fall.

Our first stop was a fairly new shop down in Winfield, KS

which is just about 45 mins southeast of Wichita.

I didn't get a pic of Field to Fabric's shop hop quilt

but below are a couple that were on display in a hallway. 

Oh that Irish chain that is always on my list of to-do's!

So many times a picture doesn't do justice.

I'm not always into brights but this quilt

really caught my attention.

EDIT!!

I found a pic on Field to Fabric's website of their shop hop quilt.

 (calling it #8).

Next we headed over to Severy.

A couple of the shops are way out in the country and sometimes

it really can be like looking for a Needle In a Haystack.

They knew how to solve this problem, eh?

When I was little, we would drive by on the way to visit

my aunt and I always wondered what this was all about.

Since then, they've grown so much in size and popularity

that we all pretty much know right where they're at!

The highway has also been much improved so

if I ever want to visit this shop, it's just a nice

hour's drive straight east.  

They always have a great clearance section and

plenty of quilts hanging around what used to be a barn.

Above just shows the very front of the store.

A fabric is designed every year specifically for our shop hop.

(Sorry it turned sideways!)

Every shop enters a block and then, using all the blocks and

the special fabric, they each create their own quilt.

The shops all sell kits for their quilt--many quilters pick

the setting they like best and make it every year.
This is Needle in a Haystack's--we'll call it #1.

See if you have a favorite...

Next we headed back to east Wichita where Hen Feathers

has been for....as long as I can remember anyway.

This shop, about a 25 min drive for me, is the one that has the

great end-of-the bolt sales that I like to hit.

I admit I didn't take the best pics of these shops

but I really was more focused on fabric and quilts

so who can blame me?  But, like in the one

above, it's hard to see just how much fabric they

actually carry but they've squeezed quite a bit into this

shop that is on one of the busiest streets in Wichita.

And here is Hen Feather's quilt (#2) for the year.

I have never purchased a kit but I was a little

tempted this year.   I love the blocks and the colors.

You can all just guess that I would slip a border onto

this one in a heartbeat though.  To me it just begs for one.

Still, on-point settings will always be the prettiest!

Up north a short drive to Newton is Charlotte's Sew Natural.

With the construction going on, we had to go in the back door

but, as back door's go, this is still rather inviting, especially to quilters.

Charlotte's has also been around longer than I've been quilting.

This shop winds through many rooms with a great selection of

fabric.  When I made my son-in-law's geometric quilt a couple

years ago, I went straight to this shop for their huge batik collection.

Hard to see that quilt back there but I'm really wanting to

do a dark-background quilt so this caught my eye.

And here is their shop hop quilt (#3)--beautiful!

(Needs a border.  LOL!)

The owner designed this quilt that stopped me in my tracks.

How cool is that border??

And so many Kansas Troubles fabrics which I love!

When we spoke to her about it, she let me know that she has

a pattern available for printing or downloading so I think I may

just call up there after the shop hop (when she has more time!)

and have her send it my way.

I know I could figure this out but for the small price of a pattern,

I'm happy to pay someone else to do it.

On that note, I have to admit I'm starting to think about

buying the EQMini, or at least putting it on my Christmas list.

A little farther north is Stitches Quilt Shop.

It's fairly new, opening after the Amish quilt

shop--the biggest shop I've ever seen!--just a few

doors down closed about 5 years ago.

The store front is pretty plain but us quilters know

what's inside!

This is taken from the loft where, as I stood for this pic,

behind me is a clearance section that never--not once--disappoints!

And to the lower left is a quilt that I really like.

Not super Christmas-sy, this would work all winter I think.

To the left is their shop hop quilt (#4), and to the right is one that

I ogle every time I see it.   All the pieces!

Oh look, there's my friend Amy thinking hard about that fabric--

will it work for her latest project?

(She bought it--"Yay, Amy!")

After seeing another lady purchase this book,

I had to flip through it and decided it needs to be on

my Christmas list.  If I had to pick a favorite pre-cut,

 it would be the jelly roll.  And after I received some

encouragement from a few of you, I've decided making my own

is really a LOT of fun and great way to put my stash to use.

From McPherson, we headed south west to Alden--don't ask

me exactly where it is because it's way more of a needle in a

haystack than the real deal previously mentioned but goodness

these locals love this shop.  With only a few tiny shops on this

tiny stretch, I bet it's a great place for the ladies to meet.

Probably the only place.

Now isn't this crazy!?!  Pretty economical transport for

the owner who probably only lives blocks away!

Prairie Crafts has made some really nice changes 

over the last few years in their large shop of many rooms.

I believe they once used to be more of a general or dime-store type of shop

that carried fabric on the side.  Over the years, the fabric stock increased

and this year I noticed every bit of general merchandise had been moved

out along with most of the older fabrics.  The current stock has really grown

to include a nice large selection.  I'm so happy to see a quilt

shop improve and thrive these days!

Here is Prairie Flower Crafts' shop hop quilt (#5).

I guess I had to take a picture of this one because

it gave me a good idea for using a fabric of

large prints.  Some of these were just beautiful

pictures and I started seeing my own version

in different colors and....well, now I need

to find that focal fabric!  The rest would

be good for some scrap busting.

And now we're on the home stretch:  Hutchison, KS

where Cottonwood Quilts--shop hop quilt (#6) above--is always

fun to visit.  It's a large, well-established shop with lots

of great fabrics, especially those deep rich lines that I really

speak to me this time of year like Kansas Troubles and...

like Jo Morton's.  At the far end of this set of shelves

is a quilt and a display of Jo's books.  Usually they have

more quilts of Jo's design on display; I love to see

them and to flip through her books.  Maybe those need

to be on my Christmas list too?

And lastly, back in Wichita about 15 mins from home is

Picket Fence Quilts.  

This shop has changed locations several

times, and owners, but is still doing well.  They've recently added

a large yarn selection and knitting classes--this will be great

whenever the newness of my long arm wears off and I pick

up some knitting needles once again.  I know I'll need

help finishing 3 or 4 projects that remain unfinished--sigh.

Behind the check-in table they were displaying a quilt from

one of their current quilting classes.

Their shop hop quilt (#7) shows such a creative

way to incorporate everyone's blocks.

And that brought us home around 7, just short

of a 12-hour day of shopping and driving--

and I never mind the driving especially when my

car is fast and fun.  ;o)

We enjoyed great fall weather--the mist picked up some

throughout the day while the temps went down a little.

I would take that every year for a quilt shop hop!

Only 8 shops this year; when I first started I think there

were 14?  But, I hear rumors of another joining in next year.

(About 10 would be my choice.)

So, speaking of choices, which shop hop quilt is your favorite?
Mine is probably #1 but #3 is a close second.

Are you wondering what I bought??

We'll start from the upper left and go down and around:

1) About 2 yds of a pretty deep green that just spoke to me

2)  About 10 yards ($5/yd!) of backing for the ivories/blacks

quilt that I've been dreaming of for years.

3) 6 yds of a pretty gray (pic not too good here) that will be the 

backing of my daughter's quilt.  I need 2-3 more yds but at the price

and because it matched so well, I figured I could patch in some white

or something for the rest.

Going back up...

4) 4 yards ($5 again!) for that blacks/ivories project

6)  PERFECT stripes for a border on my fall stars quilt

7) A brown for sashing on my Christmas BOM quilt

8) And 3 1/4-yds to fill in what I need for my daughter's quilt.

(Have a 21 fat quarter set; pattern requires 24)

I think I'll start this quilt after Christmas some time.

Well that was a long post but hopefully you've gotten

to enjoy a shop-hop a little from the coziness of your own

home or coffee shop or wherever you are!

I need to catch up on the house after being gone

and then hopefully I'll get some time sewing this afternoon!

Happy quilting!