Love this store. I was just thinking about a trip to OC today as I was shopping at my quilt store. It's only 45 minutes away from me!

Omg, it’s like looking into a huge bowl of jelly beans & trying to pick a favorite. I’d go crazy there. I’d have a hard time buying anything because I’d keep thinking of other projects & would find it impossible to know what to buy. What a great place.

I haven't been to those shops but your plan sounds nice! However, the website for http://www.robertssewingcenter.com/ says it's in Crest Hill, Illinois, (over 3000 km away) not California.

I'm sure you can find plenty of nice quilt stores around the LA area, though, and other fun things to do in the area, too, so the general plan is good.

MaryJos in Gastonia NC is nice, but different since MJ passed the business over to the kids. They majorly raised prices and decreased quilt fabric/stock (they also sell upholstery and fashion fabrics, so the whole store is not just quilting fabrics). She passed away about 1 1/2 years ago too. Her goal was to always keep quilting fabric affordable to all and when we moved to NC 7+ years ago, the prices were very very good and over time are now just slightly less than a local quilt shop. To me, it's no longer even worth the 45 minute drive....

Missouri Star, Hamilton,MO, they have 7 stores last count I had. They are adding more all the time.

Thank you so much!!! I am overwhelmed with information.
@Garden Gnome: thank you, I never thought that there is a quilting town anywhere in USA - I take a look at the internet. But Missouri is far away from LA.
@lfty298: I have the feeling that at shoes there are too many people to and the lectures are complicated for my wife, she is far from perfect in English (and my English is poor too). But anyway - thank you for the hints to textile museums.

The quality of the fabric has gone down the ladies who work there are not friendly,and when ordering fabric what you ordered is not always what you get. The store is about 35 minutes from me and I no longer shop there.

The store in question is Keepsake Quilting.

I Love Rosie's in San Diego when I can get down there. If you go to M&L and are looking for quilting cottons, take a lighter or matches to test fabric swatches outside. They reuse cardboard tubes in wrapping up bolts, so fabric composition can be in question.

@stormwater: great advice - thank you

Hi again, here is the proposed itinerary of our 10 days quilt shopping trip with additional 6 ladies, so I have to rent a Ford E350 :-)

Flight Vienna - Chicago (1 day)
Chicago - Paducah (1 day)
Paducah (3 days)
Paducah - Chicago (1 day)
Chicago (3 days) - robertssewingcenter
Flight back to Vienna (1 Day)

Any suggestions? Too busy? any places in 50km distance to visit additional?

Thank you so much

Gottfried

Hi Gottfried!
I actually live just outside of Paducah and my 88 year old mother is a tour guide at the National Quilt Museum. We'd be delighted to show you around! What dates are you going to be in the area? We are life-long residents of the area and love to help visitors.

There are many smaller quilt shops in the area that you'd love to visit as well.

I've been to Keepsake quilting; I've been there and it certainly did not look big enough to hold 10000 bolts; I wonder where they had them hidden. I wish some of those above were near me. :(

Also, any of your ladies speak French? My niece is fluent in French and I can get by if people use simple words and speak slowly.

We have a number of wonderful shops besides Hancocks that would be delighted to have you visit. I told my mom about your trip and she's all excited...she will gather all of her friends and we'll caravan around the countryside to all of the different shops and attractions.

Here's some links that might help you make plans.
https://www.paducah.travel/
https://quiltmuseum.org/
Then there are these great places...
Murray Sewing Center
Backyard Fabric
Must Stitch Emporium

and other attractions that you might find interesting
http://www.westkentucky.com/things-to-do.html

Don't worry about the language barrier for the quilt shows. We have thousands of international visitors every year and it isn't unusual to hear 3 or 4 different languages at a time as you walk around. In fact, there are hundreds of Japanese quilters who attend with only a handful of English words. We are geared to help our non-English speakers in every way possible. The show is quite overwhelming in its scope and all that goes on, but believe me, it is a fantastic experience. Many people come for the first time when the show is not going on to get the feel of everything and then return at a later date for the show. The Fall show in September is new and the crowds weren't as big. It had many vendors and many quilts, so that might be an option.

Here's a list of vendors that have already signed on to set up at the Spring Quilt Week. http://www.quiltweek.com/locations/s...pah18-vendors/

There is Grubbers in Minnesota. There is so much there it is mind boggling. Lots of older fabrics too.

I know that Missouri Star is the largest seller worldwide for precuts... I am not sure about fabric from bolts.

I live about 50 miles from Mary Jo’s in Gastonia, NC and quite a few of Quilters in the area have decided not to go back. It’s nit like it was when Mary Jo was alive and always in the store. A lot of the quilting fabrics are just plain gone - went there with a friend a couple weeks ago and it looked like they were clearing out quilt fabrics - I was so depressed. There is still quilt fabrics but nothing near the quantity they had years ago. And the prices have gone up a lot. I know fabric prices are always rising but MJ was always more reasonable than anywhere else - prices now are getting close to regular quilt stores. Some fabric lines have been phased out completely. Not to be a debbie downer, they still have nice fabrics - just not the quantity any longer. I might stop by if I’m in the area - maybe not. I’ve found better deals at bigger quilt shows many times and a much better choice of what I need/want. Go ahead and stop in if your near Gastonia but I would make a special trip just to go there.

I havent been to Keepsake in NH in quite a few years but I’m dying to get back. The place just blew my mind. Terrific shop. The number of bolts isn’t important to me but the type, style if fabrics I want is. There are some fabulous shops in Lancaster County, PA and around in a few other counties.

Sandy in Mooresville, NC

Thank you for your input... You all are _very_ kind

Missouri Star Quilt Company - they have renovated the entire downtown area, including several buildings, with buildings dedicated to specific fabrics, such as batiks. I would expect they have excess of 10,000 bolts spread out over all the different buildings. It is definitely worth a trip there.

square footage doesnt mean anything. its hold many bolts

Gruber's in Minn. is the largest I have been too.

I’d have to go with Marshall’s dry goods in AR. Just ordered a wide batik back for a quilt. I’d love to go there in person

My cousin (now deceased) ordered a lot of fabric from Marshall's -- very nice quality fabric -- I know because she ordered some for me (at my request and expense). She used to joke saying that we needed to get us a semi-truck-trailer to carry back the fabric and a sugar daddy to pay for it! lol! Of course, she was teasing! I sure do miss that cousin!

Looked up Marshall n they have approx 6 MILLION YARDS of fabric. Should go to their website n see all the fabric. Beautiful and very reasonably priced

Unsewing
 

Hancocks in Paducah is pretty darn big- way more than 10,000 bolts.

When I would go to Florida, enjoyed going to Rainbow's End in Dunedin.

Keepsake closed their store, they only sell online now.

Mary Jo's website says it's closed. Am I looking at the wrong Mary Jo's?

I would think that MSQC is the largest since it is composed of a great deal of the entire town.

Probably MSQC is the largest and they certainly work hard to maintain their reputation!

yes Mary Jo’s in Gastonia, NC is definitely closed and has been for some time. Mary Jo passed away maybe a few years ago - what I heard, I think is that her son got the store and thst his wife ran it into the ground. They were getting rid of some really good fabric lines awhile back (not any happy Quilter’s about that)! Last time I was there back when MJ was still with us the store had changed quite a lot. Many, many quilters were so unhappy with what happened. People would come from miles and other countries as it was the best place to shop. But she did not carry Moda - think there is a story about that, not sure. We all were totally deviated when the store started slipping and then closed for good. I’m thinking she was in business for about 60 years.

Sandy in Mooresville, NC

I’ve been buying from MSQC for several years and they are just the best at everything. Everything I’ve purchased has been so carefully packed and there is always a small thank you not from the person who packed it and includes my name. Hamilton, MO is on my list of shops to visit someday - fingers crossed, it’s half-way across the country from NC but it would be so worth it, Nit sure if I could get my husband to take me - I can take myself but it would be so much more fun with my bestie friend here in NC.

Sandy in Mooresville, NC

I wanted to let you and everyone know that Keepsake (a place I loved) is still in business online through their wonderful catalogue. But, they also have a sort of warehouse/store in Apex, NC (near Raleigh) that has a super online showing plus this real place to shop.. it’s called Pineapple Fabrics and I really am so happy with them. Go to their website and signup for daily emails which always have all sorts of various precuts and yardage - a special every day with a free pattern. It’s not like a regular quilt store (haven’t been there yet due s crappy virus!!) as they dint carry all the cool “stuff” but it’s very worth it to sign up and get these very amazing chances to purchase their special type of fat quarters, etc. plus prices in yardage - I’ve purchased batiks for around $4/yard. The email comes in the early morning and I’ve missed some fabrics I would have loved to have purchased but got there too late in the day.

Sandy in Mooresville, NC

heres their website — pineapplefabrics.com