Quilt Shop: Phat Quarters in Galena, IL

Lorna, Nancy and I were in Galena, Illinois for a fabulous quilt retreat -- I'll post details later.

While there, we visited the one and only quilt shop within many, many miles: Phat 1/4's on Main Street.

Admittedly, the shop was not to our tastes. It was laid out a little odd and didn't have a great amount of stock. However, it was attached to a local art gallery next door in a former bank!

The bank vaults were really cool, and we were able to walk in there to check them out.

Unfortunately, we left very little money in the bank or the quilt shop. The shop owner was very pleasant, but maybe they hadn't received their summer stock yet? We'll have to go back and find out one day.

Common Threads - Uncommonly Good

Yesterday, Steve and I headed off to the Alma/St. Louis area in Michigan to visit the middle of the mitten. Pretty cool, eh? We were up for an adventure. Don't let the picture fool you - except for this photo, we had wonderful sunlight and clear roads.

While tooling along US 12 (Michigan Avenue - that road is everywhere!), Steve said there was a quilt shop right up the road. (Keeper, right? I know!). We moseyed down this little village center and wandered in.  

Welcome to Common Threads Quilt Shop in St. Louis, Michigan. The very pleasant shopkeeper behind the counter regaled us with stories of people calling & thinking they were talking to a shop in Missouri.

It was a LOVELY shop (we didn't go wild taking pictures inside as we only asked permission to take a selfie). But the shop was filled with the newest Moda fabrics, a wall of reproduction prints, a baby nook, notions corner, and many, many shop samples. Wall hangings, quilts, bags, Easter pouches.

I regret I live so far, but I told Steve that if we're ever in the area (located between Lansing and Mt. Pleasant) we are definitely detouring. Until then, time to cut up my new creamy polka-dotted prints.

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Common Threads Quilt Shop

109 North Mill Street

St. Louis, MI 48880

https://cthreadsquilts.wordpress.com/

Bits 'N Pieces (Wayne, MI)

I can't believe I haven't shared Bits 'n Pieces in Wayne, Michigan yet!  LOVE - LOVE - LOVE this shop!

I still chuckle over the first time I visited.  I was driving along Michigan Avenue.  I looked over and saw all these people staring at me from grandstands, balloons attached to the railings, food carts along the route.  Why were they staring at me in my little Ford Taurus?  Because I had inadvertently driven into their annual "Wayne Cruise" and, amongst the classic cars that engulfed me as I drove, my car was a tad bit conspicuous!

Located in a 10-sided building, this shop is within driving distance from Detroit Metro airport (in the quaint little town of Wayne, MI).  It was featured in the 2009 edition of B&H Quilt Sampler.

Many affordable blocks of the months. Huge selections of Modas and Benartex.  Lots of pre-cuts and many, many, many samples.  They have a class room and a full line of sewing machines and notions.

My favorite room - holds reproductions and batiks.

Did you know they are known for creating their own patterns?  This one is my absolute favorite and versions of it have made the appearance at several local quilt shows.  Stop and ask the owner - she will tell you the trick for easy machine-appliqueing of all those little leaves.

I really love this shop because the staff is so friendly and so helpful.  It seems like every time I'm in there they have a new trick to share.  The owner, in particular, takes an interest in all her visitors.

Let me know if you go!

Elisa

Interquilten in Interlochen, MI

If Quilt-n-Bee is a cherry nut cupcake, then Interquilten is a country cherry pie.   Interquilten is located in Interlochen, MI (renown for their world famous performing arts program and beautiful, sparkling lakes and scenic roadways).

To get there, you must drive about 20 minutes west of Traverse City along curving roads (trees are changing colors right now) sharing the road with anything from timber trucks to caravans of Porches or an odd Model A or two. 

I love Interquilten for their rustic charm.  Pull up to this odd shape little building and you know it’s filled with goodies inside!  Last year I spent hours pouring over their gorgeous batiks (and buying WAY too many). This year, unfortunately, it was a mad dash in and out between raindrops.

The inside looks like a NW Michigan cabin with high, slanted ceilings, wooden floors & counters and a tree sprouting in the middle! 

I did take the time to browse their batiks, touch some wools, ooh over their novelty fabrics, and finally cut into their Halloween bolts!  Right when you walk in you are greeted by a treasure chest of Marcus Brothers' Tricks or Treats Halloween fabrics watched over by the cutest of witches!  I can’t wait to get started:

The staff are very friendly and the type of ladies you gab over coffee with (they were making a fresh pot while I was there).  

Not an actual staff member!

As I was leaving, they asked that I remind you about an upcoming quilt show this weekend.

Rumpled Quilts Kin Presents

Patchwork in the Pines Quilt Show

An Exhibition of the Quilting Arts

Sat. Sept 24 from 9-5

Traverse City East Middle School

Go to www.tcquiltshow.com for details

There's approximately 290+ quilts but vendors, demos, raffle quilt, etc.

Northern Michigan is beautiful and the Northwest region is truly a jewel.  I wish everyone could experience its natural beauty (big trees, blue lakes, Sleeping Bear Dunes, deer & chipmunks) and its man-made gems (fun & funky shops, Mackinac Brewery, Cherry Republic, Boomers Ice Cream shop).   And, while up there, stop in at some of the many amazing quilt shops peppering the peninsula area!

 Happy Stitching!

Elisa

Quilt-n-Bee in Traverse City, MI

It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged because I was out of town for a long weekend.  It was grand!  It was my family’s annual pilgrimage to Traverse City to site-see, enjoy good food, geocache, and watch the Red Wings at training camp.  

Playing with my iPhone again

Not only is Traverse City a geocacher’s paradise (Old Mission Peninsula, with its rolling hills, stunning view of the bays and nature trails, is home to many popular family-friendly caches) but home to some great quilt shops!

Every year I take 1 day off from watching the Red Wings to hit my favorite shops and do the tourist thing.  Not far from the 2^nd largest pie pan in the world (not to be missed! See the pic at the bottom) is Quilt-n-Bee in Traverse City – it is pure confection.  A definite sugar HIGH!   It is a clean, bright shop – very well organized – with many fabulous samples on their walls!

Of all the shops I visit regularly in Michigan, I’m always guaranteed to find some amazing redwork patterns right inside the front door (snagged a few of them).  Then you pass the table with the latest holiday fabrics (this year I found my red striped "Ready, Set, Snow" fabric for the Sew Happy Sew-along).  Continue to head towards the back for reproduction prints (not sure where they order from but it’s always fabric new to me), move along the wall to themed bolts and fat quarters, and then continue onto the fabulous batiks (broke the bank on these batiks last year). 

After feeling all the fabrics and chatting with the friendly staff, move onto the notions wall (always the latest and greatest) and then into (what I think of as) the “samples” room.  This is always the most dangerous part of the visit for me.  Above the mantle, on the table, propped up on the bookcases are completed embroideries, darling wall hangings, framed pictures of patterns completed.  More embroidery patterns, baskets of kits, the latest gadgets & books! 

See the snowman wall hanging in the upper left corner of this picture?  Yep, pattern and kit ended up in my basket.  That is one of the world’s greatest mysteries, isn’t it?  Why is it that the shop sample is always better than the pattern picture?  You’d think designers would just hire shop owners to create the sample for them!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to spend as much time as I had hoped – had to get back to the family.  But my brief respite was like having dessert first…..

Happy Stitching!

Elisa

2nd Largest Pie Pan in the World!

Michigan Bloggers and Quilt Shop

Have you seen the button Allie-Oops made? She did a great button for Michigan blogging pride:

I'll add mine as soon as I'm back home on my regular computer. Great job, Allie! You are seriously one talented lady! LOVE that bridge!

So, where I have been? Today I went on a short adventure with my Dad. We drove north to Algonac, MI for a quick trip to beautiful Harsens Island. I really love this area of the Michigan coastline - more residential than touristy. They take pride in their decorated fishing shanties and the great "painted ladies" along the road.
As we were heading north, we stopped in at the River Place Quilt & Sew next to the only other booming business in East China, MI... the Dairy Queen!

If you get a chance, drop in! They were the sweetest ladies selling Moda and Stitch Connection patterns. They didn't even ask why I was walking around with dried mud (like tar) coating one flip-flop and painting my leg up to one knee! (That's a tale for another day!)

Happy Stitching!
Elisa

Forever in Stitches (Bluffton, OH)

What a fabulous day! Returning from a business trip in Cincinnati, we passed a highway sign shouting QUILT SHOP along I-75. Bluffton, OH (located between Lima and Toledo) has a picturesque downtown with well-kept houses, historic buildings, flowers & benches, a mural, and a quilt shop.

Located in a 125-year old brick building, this was my second stop at Forever in Stitches. Although the shop is not overly large, it has thousands of bolts of fabrics, hundreds of fat quarters and the home of Raggedy Ruth patterns. This is a country quilter's quilt shop. They have a color wall, fabrics grouped by collection, samples, kits, and a good-sized notion wall. As you travel to the back of the shop, you will see several long-arm machines for custom quilting.

Under the watchful eye of the friendly shop dog, I bought a small table topper kit and some fat quarters to finish some projects. Inflation hasn't reached this shop yet - I was able to buy several yards for less than $9/yard. My travel companion also bought her first quilt - a shop sample in oranges & pinks - for just $75!

As we were leaving, we were given raffle tickets for their summer drawing. I don't remember 2nd and 3rd prize, but 1st is machine quilting for 12 quilts (totaling $1200!!!!) My tickets are hung on the fridge and I will be checking back on Sept 1st to see if I won! Wish me luck!

If you find yourself passing Bluffton, stop in! You'll never meet nicer people!

Elisa