Nashville, Indiana is a little off the beaten path, and not quilt-specific, but there's some excellent down-home food and lots of interesting and unique stores. It's a community of artists of all kinds--painters, sculptors, glassworkers, you name it (there may even be a quilter or two, I'm not sure). It gets crowded during peak tree-color season, but if you can stomach the crowds it's just beautiful. Brown County State Park is there, and there are incredible vistas and beautifully-kept (and not strenuous!) hiking trails.
Make sure, once you get up north, to visit Indiana Dunes State Park. That time of year you won't be swimming, but the dunes are fun to hike.