jmoore

I have not been able to visit all of the shops in Maine that participate on our April Shop Hop, but it certainly is fun to explore the different ones if you can. I love to support LQSs versus bigger fabric stores. I enjoy the personality and characteristics of individual shops.. each one I have visited is unique in their own way and I love how the LQS in Maine support one another. I don't feel compelled to spend a whole lot on my visits... and I think shop owners are grateful that you took the time to travel to see their shop.

meanmom

It just depends on you. Some years I go some I don't. Last year I didn't go as none of my friends were going so I would have been doing it alone. My sisters and I talked about going but never could get it together. I do enjoy going to shops I rarely go to. It is often around my birthday so i take myself as a birthday treat. I don't really need any fabric but do enjoy it. Maybe just go to some of the shops that you like but don't go to often. Have fun.

purplefiend

I don't do the shop hops in Texas, because it seems like most of the shops are in San Antonio. I'm not driving over 100 miles for 3 or 4 shops. I live near Austin, most of the shops are gone now, only 2 near me. Sharon in Texas

SunlitenSmiles

Jim's Gem, the Central Coast Run is my favorite also....my DD and I have so much fun.....we stayed at the Blue(something) in Morro Bay and from the window have a great view of Morro Rock. we plan to stop at about every other shop on the way up on friday then Saturday the ones further north and a side trip to Cambria then on Sunday we stop on the way home at the ones we went by on friday.... ok full diclosure, we actually were at 'CottonBall' each day because me kept going back for something we had seen and liked but not purchased. The first time we did this shop hop I think Ron Arpell was the owner of CottonBall. We also stop at 'Creation Station' on the way up and on the way back, and any time we are that far north all year.

kuntryquilter

My friend & I, along with our husbands go on the East Tennessee Shophop every year. We make it a 2 day adventure and just have fun along the way.

toverly

I have never done an organized shop hop but a friend and I took off for a week in Central Florida to shop hop while DH and DS were at Scout camp. It worked great, the shops seemed to be about 30 minutes apart from Tampa to Cape Canaveral. In fact we did 36 shops in 5 days. I limited myself to one yard of batiks per shop with the understanding that if I found something truly delightful, I'd buy it. The last shop I purchased 8 yards.

Dodie

Gail G you are so right I live in Montana and the shops are many miles apart and they did start out fun each shop had a special treat and was lots of fun also collected their patterns for a quilt ---the hop and the specials with specials that lasted the 10 days then after about 3 years the shops must of lost interest as the last one I went to was told their specials were good only on opening weekend then drove way out of my way to another to find a sign on the door saying closed on Mondays another on the way closed on Sat. and Sun. no treats an nothing special so just ended as a way for shops to get people I so I do not go anymore if I am in the area I do stop in but no special trip

oklahomamom2

I wouldn't really consider myself a Shop Hop because my closest one is around 24 miles and when I go I do buy a bunch that way I don't have to go back since it such a trip. So I have started to buy online a lot more from the main companies that I have around in my area if what i'm looking for is on sale.

sheilar

I went on a shop hop in the fall, you have to buy a passport, but you end up with a tote bag, a pattern and 6 "1/2yd" pieces of fabric coordinated to be used in the quilt. I supplied the background fabric and am in the process of completing it to be donated for our guild charity. I love shop hops.

WMUTeach

I seldom go on shop hops because I hate going alone. The fun is in the friendship and the banter as we pick out fabric for our upcoming or unfinished projects. It is the friendship not the fabric. I don't buy much unless I can get a bargain. It is a day of fun with a focus for me.

We here in Michigan had a three month shop hop a couple of years ago that was fun. Many, perhaps 30 shops participated. You purchased a $5 small passport where you could be checked off after your visit to a shop. It did push me to explore some new shops and I did find some killer bargains. I got WAY more than my $5 in fun freebies and fabrics. My favorite was in the discontinued fabric area at one shop. (Each shop ran their bargains as they wished.) If you bought the whole bolt or what ever was left on it, you got fabric for $3 per yard. I went back twice and got backing for a number of quilts. Largest cut was 10 yards and I still have some left! Really nice quality too!