Who you go with makes all the difference. I've never done an organized shop hop but have done my own made up ones. Like every summer I go out to the finger lakes to visit a friend and we hit the Mennonite shops and sometimes the one in Hammondsport. Then on the way home I may hit another. One time I did my own to Glens Falls Hop as there were a couple of shops I wanted to check out.

I guess I just like to do my own thing. If I were going to participate in the VT one I would probably only hit the southern shops. Can't see driving all the way up to Derby and Newport, that is a serious haul for me. I am really close to Bennington. I also feel kind of obligated to buy something at each shop so another reason to avoid. And it isn't like I am in need of any fabric!

I just checked the schedule for the one in my area and it is April 18th & 19th and you can go on the bus for $200 a person and it includes room, lunches and stuff. My husband has talked about taking some road trips this year so maybe this will be doable. Sounds like fun and I have never been to one.

For several years now my best friend and I do a quilt shop hop in NW Michigan & we stay at our cottage. We hit one shop on the drive up - the furthest away from the cottage, and the rest the next day. It's for 10 days also. One year they had a batik that was designed for this SH and you couldn't get it anywhere else except these shops. Then, each shop designed a square with it plus designed a finish kit for the quilt. They always have a "theme" of some kind but the was the best one. You can also buy charms for a pin you get every year with the passport. We thoroughly enjoy it. Some years we buy more than others. Last year I didn't buy much. I ususally have a few items I am looking for and those are first on my list and anything that talks to me! It use to be in the summer but the quilt show in Grand Rapids is the week the ususally have it so it's been moved to September/October timeframe.

Can you tell me where or who to contact for information on these hops? I have a friend on the West side who might be interested in a road trip! We are both getting cabin fever. LOL

I went on a 2 day bus shop hop. It was so much fun and I spent a lot of money..yes, on fabric I really didn't need but I can't wait to do it again. Quilting is my hobby and it makes me happy. It is probably my only vice and I love the people I meet quilting and "Shop Hopping".

Doesn't sound like you really want to go so work on some projects maybe?

I love shop hops even though I typically don't buy a lot. I love to get new ideas and see fabrics, etc that my local shops don't carry. We have a state wide hop in MN but it's broken up into several sections of 8 or 10 shops and usually each section sponsors a bus trip which is reasonable and definitely the way to go IMHO. Yes there is some cost but I think of it as my entertainment as I don't golf, take trips or do other things that many people do.

I do one or two a year but I've never paid a passport fee; that seems absurd.

I did the shop hop once here is Southern California ONCE. Then I would just visit my favorite quilt shops that were to far to drive to on a regular basis. Then gas got to be so expensive that I do the shop hop occasion online. I ONLY purchase stuff when I saw something special. I didn't have to pay for a passport, that was free.

I am not a fan of Shop Hops when its a bus organized hop... it too preplanned and controlled as when where , and how much time is allotted at each shop. I figure with the ones that are not on busses.... that if I really want to get to a shop I will get there on my schedule , that is not a part of a hop. The few trinkets given at each shop are not incentive enough for me to conform to a pre set calendar event.