A SHOP HOP IS FUN AND FILLED WITH IDEAS

My mother is known to say, it rained cats and dogs, which is what it did here all day Wednesday.  However, Cathy and I didn’t let that stop us.  We went on the 6th Annual Spring Fling Shop Hop. Our first stop was custom Quilts Unlimited in Fennville.  Above is their quilt for the Hop. It is a cute store with lots of patterns, fabrics, books.  Mary Smallegan opened the 3,000-square-foot shop in 2007 after retiring from Johnson Controls.  No one in her family made quilts. She got interested in the process when she picked up a magazine and decided that she could stitch the beautiful patterns.   I noticed on their website they invite customers to use their large table for pinning a quilt, or to just stop by for coffee. 

Next we went to So South Haven, naturally in South Haven, Michigan.  I could kick myself.  Our decision to go on the Hop this day (we had a different day planned) was spur of the moment and I forgot my camera!  Yikes!  What is wrong with me?  Cathy Mueller, my partner in crime, saved the day and took all these pictures with her fancy phone.  Thank you Cathy!  Above is the quilt that So South Haven had for the Hop.  Their website boasts that they have the Largest Collections in Southwest Michigan of: 30's & Civil War,  Batiks & Flannel, Thimbleberries.  They have many kits to choose from in this friendly atmosphere where beginners are always welcome!

From there we went to Calico Creations, also in South Haven.  Cathy caught me at the cash register, checking out my purchases.  I agreed to post this picture only because the shop quilt is on the wall behind me.  This is a darling store with lots of kits, fabrics, patterns and books.  We were a little tired by then and driving in the pouring rain in places you are not familiar with can get to you.  So of course we had to go eat.  We stopped at Clementine’s, a fabulous restaurant in South Haven.

Then Thursday, we tried to visit the other shops on the Shop Hop list.  However, we really only made it to the Queen Bee Quilt Shoppe in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  I fell in love with this shop.  I hadn’t been there since they first opened and they have expanded.  I want to make this quilt above!  I think it will make a great scrappy quilt.  I don’t know if we’ll get to the rest of the shops on the Hop.  It took us forever to get around to the Queen Bee as a number of roads were closed due to flooding and we had to take detours.  Cathy and I each wanted to win the Grand Prize which is a new Janome Sewing machine!  Can you ever have too many sewing machines?  I think not!

ON ANOTHER NOTE:  Cutting Corners College by Riley Blake Designs has a tutorial for a modern quilt.  Check it out!

Until next time,
♥
Stay Calm! Stay Kind! Stay Positive!
Caroll