The Harvest Sampler Shop Hop Bus Tour October 12th 2013

 Saturday October 12th


Pumpkin Hollow by Bunny Hill Designs
Block of the Month at Quilter's Haven in Rosemont MN

I went on a bus ride with my quilting friends from Hudson for the HARVEST SAMPLER SHOP HOP.  I awoke early at 3:30 am, (a whole hour before the alarm went off)     It was still dark out, the air had a chill to it and the wind was picking up.  I dressed and ate breakfast and left the house about 6:15 to drive downtown Hudson, WI to my 1st Hop Shop -  "Sew Little Time" Quilt Shop in to meet the other ladies and wait for the bus. This is my Local Quilt shop and I enjoy taking classes and 1st Tuesday Quilt club and Meeting my friends in the Civil War Quilt Club.   Judy and Carol were already there and Karol-Lee drove in just after me.  The parking lot began to fill with the other ladies coming to catch the bus.  We were all excited and chatted while we had coffee and doughnuts at the shop and signed our "PASSPORT'S" for the trip. Linda gave us our pair of fat 8's & our 1st Block, "Autumn Basket", and a goody bag to take with us.  The Finished Quilt Showing all the Blocks was hung on the wall above the counter. 

Finally the bus arrived and we were off to our 1st shop. As we started on our way names were drawn from a bag for door prizes.  To my surprise and delight my name was drawn and I chose a prize of 5 fat Quarter of Halloween fabric.  I already had a project in mind, earlier in the morning while I was reading an email from www.FreeQuiltPatterns.info I downloaded a Free Pattern: Fall Table Runner by Melissa 

Our 1st & 2nd Blocks - "Autumn Basket"
 from Sew Little Time QS in Hudson WI, &
  "Doris Delight" from Quilter's Haven in Rosemont
MN with 2 fat 8's each 

Halloween Fat Quarters - My winnings

The fabrics I bought while on the Shop Hop

My Third Block, "Richmond" at Eagle Creek Quilt Shop

 

   

Our 1st stop was "Quilter's Haven" in Rosemont MN.   This was my 1st visit here, the staff were friendly and I enjoyed looking at all the fabrics and displays and was able to find some fabric for the Sock Monkey Baby Quilt I plan to make.  The fabric was a dark brown printed with Baby ABC Blocks.  They had Coffee ready for us and while taking a break in their classroom I enjoyed the Pumpkin Hollow Block of the month by Bunny Hill Designs Quilt that was taking shape on their Classroom wall. 

Back on the bus everyone was checking out each others goodies.  The Chatter & laughter was intoxicating.  We soon arrived at our 3rd Hop Shop Eagle Creek Quilt Shop in Shakopee MN.  It is located in an old renovated Train Station building.  I had visited this shop last winter on another Bus shop hop and could not wait to go inside and check out what they would have in store for us.  On the wall were displays of quilts large and small, felted projects and needle punch.  Every nook and cranny had purses, fat quarters, patterns of all sorts.  On the wall by the children/baby fabrics was a Dr Seuss "Cat in the Hat" Quilt using a panel - wow what an idea it gave me.  I had pieced together a Dr Seuss child's quilt at Quilt Retreat this past summer & that would make a great backing teamed up with some cuddle fabric.  Yes! I did buy the panel.  After coffee and cake we Hopped on the bus and headed on to our next Quit Shop.  We still had three more shops to go,  The Noble Quilter in Elk River MN, Quilted Treasures in Rogers MN and Four Seasons Quilt Shop in Maple Grove MN, each with their own specialties

I enjoyed my visits to each of these last 3 shops.  Each one was so different than the other.  At the Noble Quilter I fell in love with a quilt that was on display there designed by shop owner Angie Roberts whose shop and quilt pattern called Perfect Palette had been featured in Quilt Sampler spring/summer 2013 issue. 

The perfect palette

 

At Quilted Treasures I found some cute baby quilt pattern kits in adorable childrens fabric backed by soft cuddle material.  Then we went to Four Seasons quilt shop in Maple Grove.  I had been here before so I headed towards the back of the shop to thumb thru their 30's materials in children's prints for my Baby Quilt Projects and did pick up 1/2 yard of Civil War Fabric for my Sampler Quilt. 

We arrived back at "Sew Little Time" Quilt shop in Hudson WI about 6pm and Linda the Shop Owner had some treats waiting for us.  Brownies and Ice Cream.  Yum!  I signed up for a finishing kit for the Harvest Quilt and the went home.I got back home about 7pm and looked over all my goodies and reviewed my day, I ate supper and went to bed early that evening.  It was a fun day spent with my quilting friends.