Thursday, August 25, 2016

The MSQC Main Shop!

Today we set out for Hamilton. We arrived as the shops opened at 9am and headed straight for the Main Shop. This has been renovated and only reopened in June. It used to be full to the brim of fabric as it was the original shop when there was only one. Now that there are 13 shops it serves as a showcase for all of the other shops.
As you open the door you are greeted by this week's tutorial and all of the fabric needed to make it.
Michelle explained how we should log in and get our pass for the week. Every time you make a purchase you show this pass and you get your 'Quilters Cash'. We decided to save ours up and spend it at the end of the week.
You also get a free bracelet! When you spend $25 in a shop you get a new charm to put on the bracelet. What a clever idea!
We wandered around the shop photographing everything. Each of the other shops had its own little corner. Here is the Batik Boutique.
And the Primitive shop.
There is a lovely area to sit and relax.
This is a quilt kit.
The Modern shop looks interesting.
There were hundreds of quilts displayed in this lovely bright shop. All of them either have tutorials on YouTube or appear in the Block magazine
The Floral shop is one of the newer shops. Lots of Kaffe Fassett here!
It really is an inspirational shop!
Notice the little ikea cart. They popped up in every shop. I've got one at home, so useful!
Penney's quilt shop is named after J C Penney who was born in Hamilton. It sell all the plain and blender fabric.
Licensed to sew is where you go to find all of those tv and film characters.
Quilt ideas...
The Mercantile is the place to go for civil war and other period fabrics.
And we all need backings!
These magnetic trays were incredibly heavy.
This quilt is on my to-do list. It's called Sunny Skies.
Another jelly roll quilt.
And wise words from Jenny.
The back of the shop is a lovely area for meeting and chopping fabric.
Love this quilt too! Grey is the new cream....
Our cameras were very busy.
For those who do not have enough time to sew... Paint a block!
This is where you get your photograph taken with Jenny when she is here.
Another quilt for the list, so easy and effective.
Chevrons popped up everywhere.
And another of Jenny's favourites - the tumbler block.
Here are the lovely girls who work in the shop. Every one of them was so helpful.
We spent almost two hours in this shop and there are 12 more - good job we are here for a few days....

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Off to Cameron!

Here we are at the beginning of a very long day... It's 6am at Andover bus station. 
The flight to Detroit was very good - we managed to get two seats each so we were able to stretch out and enjoy it. We transferred to Kansas on a much smaller plane where I found myself in between two mathematicians reading maths books! I am reading 'Me before you'.........
We spend a while choosing our hire car and finally settle on this cute Jeep. 
It's got UK in the plate. 
Here is the Super 8 in Cameron, basic but perfectly fine. 
It has a small pool...
....and a nice breakfast. 
There is a quilt shop right next door! 
This quilt is hanging outside. 
Inside we find the three travelling quilters we met at breakfast. 
The shop is lovely. 
Lots of fabric. 
Lovely quilts. 
And bags. And a wreath. Maybe a future project for Sprat and Winkle?
We saw the first of several jar quilts.
Kits...
Sweet pincushions. 
The shop is packed with inspiration. 
This looks like an idea for a jelly roll...
Crochet cotton to show Tina!
Simple pinwheels...
And another idea for those 2.5" strips. 
There is also a Walmart next door so we explore that too! 
Hamilton is just 14 miles away along a lovely country road so we are off there next!