Shop Hop

Shop Hop.  One of my absolute favorite days of the year!  My bestie and I have participated in the old lady road rally, or Western Washington Quilt Shop Hop for several years.  What could possibly be better than spending an entire day driving from one quilt store to another until you drop! 

For those of you that have never experienced a shop hop, let me explain.  All quilt stores in a certain region participate in Shop Hop.  Each store creates a block all using the same line of fabric.  At each store you receive the block pattern, and the fabric to make the block.  You have a passport that gets stamped at each location.  If you visit 16 stores you can turn in your passport to be entered in a drawing for multiple prizes. 

For us it's not about the blocks, it's really not about the prizes.  It's about spending time with my bestie.  Having time for girl talk.  Visiting some fantastic quilt stores and being filled with ideas and inspiration.  It absolutely feeds my soul.  I wish I could run thru these stores snapping pictures of everything we found, but they tend to frown upon that.
This year I managed to keep myself to three new projects.  Two of which I already had on my list of upcoming projects.  I just found the inspiration and fabulous fabric for them.  I only picked up one new project that wasn't on the project list.  This adorable fabric just jumped out at me to make a travel sewing case. 

This was a leisurely year only making it to about 13 stores in one day but it was filled with wonderful conversation and creativity.  I'm inspired to lock myself in my sewing room and not come up for food or screaming kids outside the door.  No matter how loud they or my stomach are.