Ok, so everone knows I live in Wa. state...
I havent really done a shop hop and I think I have been trying to quilt for years now...
Maybe I forgot...But I thought I would give thie year a try...some cool fat quarters, cool fabrics, maybe some sales....
But, every shop is supposed to give you a block (material), found out today that you have to buy the "block finish fabric/kit" or 'additional"block finishing fabric...so this means that you "REALLY" dont' have the fabric to finish an 8.5" block. And there really isn't any advertised 'quilt fininshing Kit that incudes the sashing and borders.
I can understand that you need to buy sashing and borders but the quilt shops I visited today did not have these item advertsed...so I had no clue...
Needless to say I felt like a duck outta water, lots or small bits of fabric that won't complete a block.....
What to do?
I'm sorry for the long post but what should I have done...
I really have no interest in going to anymore shops since the Fat Quarter selection is nill and the there isn't any sale on yard fabrics...
So what is the point of going on shop hop?
K

I looked up your shop hop to see what it said about the blocks: The shop hop I've done here in SoCal, they didn't give a block kit, just a block pattern at each shop. I'm with you, it seems odd that they would give out an incomplete block kit - to me, a "kit" should have everything you need in it!
Most of the quilt shops I've been in will cut a FQ for you. The main point of the hop is to introduce you to all the area shops. I don't know that they have special sales during the hop tho'. They are usually open extra hours, and here, last year, each shop gave a charm & some other goodies (snacks, water, etc). It can be really fun to do the hop with friends & make it an adventure. I don't think I would do it on my own tho'.

I've done some that will give out patterns....a fat quarter (usually outdated UGLY fabric)...10"sq of fabric.....buttons....spool of thread or something like that.
Last one I did in Hawaii, one of the shops gave out 12" tape measures that the holder looked like a piece of candy. Was really cute.
Another gave out needles. You just told them what kind of machine you had and you got a pack. One gave out a pattern with a fat quarter with it and you had to add the rest of the fabric.
Never heard of what the shops are doing to you.......

Check this out.....
http://www.quiltshopheaven.com/ShopHops/shophopsWI.html

Ones a road bus trip loretta, that sounds like it would be fun :D

Depending on what is included on the bus trips, it might be worth it.
A friend of mine did one and she said she had a blast and made many new friends.

Our shop hop here in northwest AR gives you a pattern for one of the blocks in the quilt. Each shop makes their own quilt and makes up kits of the material they use, which you can buy. You go to each shop and see which one you like best and buy that kit.
The shop hop is to get people to come to see the fabrics the different shops have. The one I worked in have a lot of greens which eveyone was wanting.

KO24
I am sorry you had a bad experience with this. This was my first year of doing it (with my sister). We planned on doing 2 days only and whatever we got was fine. However, we had so much fun we were out there for 4 days (3 nights) and got all 56 blocks. I kind of thought of it as a vacation and saw new places in Washington and rode a ferry for the first time. It will be the most expensive quilt I will make (if you figure in meals, ect.)

Anyway, some places had complete kits for the block, and 2 charged about $5 for the finishing kit (one had stuff to embellish). Most that charged were $2 or less. The best way to do it is buy a little of each fabric-- one shop sold a bundle of fat quarters for $21. That way you have the fabric for finishing the blocks and mess ups. Some shops did throw in other fabrics, but like some told us we could use whatever we have.

I encourage you to give it another try as it really was fun and go with a friend. This year's has a lot of applique (ugh) and some paper piecing so I will learn new things I have been putting off. Did you know the fabric (at least the focal) is only around for the shop hop? Once the shops sell out what they have that is it.

Sorry this is so long everyone, but I got home today and had so much fun, I just wanted to encourage her to try again next year. Also we did run into some bargains. One shop had warm and natural bundles (90" wide) on sale for just under $4 a yard. And for those of you not familiar with our shop hop the focal fabric is a special print pertaining to Washington and some shops design blocks to tie into their shop. Sorry again for the length.

I have been on several quilt shop hops in different locations. In the VA/DC/MD area there were a dozen or so quilt shops spread out over a large area. Several quilt buddies and I would break the hop down into 2 or 3 day trips and away we went. Each quilt shop gave away a kit for one block of a quilt-no other purchase was required. You also had your "passport" stamped at each shop and when you arrived at the last shop, you turned in your passport and received a tote bag.

I also did a shop hop in the Atlanta area. Since 90% of the shops are hours from my house and I only had one day I could hop I just picked a few shops to visit. It was VERY crowded in each store-LONG lines at the cutting table and cash register. It was NOT the time to be checking out a new quilt shop. Each shop gave away something-a fat quarter, a pattern, a block kit, etc-but they were not related items. I decided to keep my shop list and visit the shops on non-hop days when I could shop at my leisure.

I have had two completely different shop hop experiences, but I would encourage anyone to try a hop at least once. Gather a few friends and make a day or two of it.

My mom and I have done the south east Kansas shop hop two or three times and have a blast. We drive clear down there from north west Kansas. They give out a free pattern and you can buy a block kit at each store. Each store has finished all 12 blocks and put them into a quilt. Some have a finishing kit available some don't. Last time we went I took the digital camera and took photos of all the finished quilts in the shops that I liked made from the blocks. I could also take snaps of other stuff I saw finished that I liked.

With the price of gas I wonder if we will do it again. Granted I live in a part of the world where you have to drive to go anywhere. I drive 20 miles to work one way.