Shop Hop efforts

There are these little things called "Shop Hop" that quilt stores like to host from time to time to promote their business and the love of fabric.  My friend and I went on the "Shop Hop the Blues" of 12 stores: Hermiston, Pendleton, Walla Walla, La Grande, Baker City, Halfway, Joseph, and Enterprise.  This year, we did them ALL . . . not all together, but 75% of them.

Here is how it works: check-in with one of the stores, get your passport and free bag, grab some water/candy/fruit/cookies to refuel, and browse whatever fabrics they had.  Some had free fat quarters or patterns to give away too.  Each store stamped your passport and if you go to all of them, your name is put in the pot for a chance to win a new Bernina sewing machine.

The stores had over 200 ladies come and go!  We are helping the economy!  I feel patriotic, one stitch at a time.  I had a budget.  Yes I did.  I tried to stick to my budget.  I went over about $100.  Halfway had the most amazing variety of fabrics, I fell in love with a couple, and spent enough to keep me busy until doomsday.

Each shop has their clientele preferences and I found something at almost all of them.

Hoffman Batik Bundle of "Key Lime"

In the end, I did win a little something for my efforts: 20 fat quarter bundle of green batiks!  Which is essentially 5 yards of fabric, soooooooooooo about $50 worth of freebies.  This will make a nice collection for some future applique project.