Shop Hops
 

Just throwing this out there --- how many of us participate in shop hops? And if we do, how far afield do we travel in one day and how much time per shop? I just got done with a one day adventure of visiting all but 4 shops of the SW Washington Shop Hop with a group from our local shop. By the end of the day we were well worn! LOL Lots of fun, but perhaps trying to do it all in one day is getting a bit much for this body. I have business cards with notes on them --return here, has ______________, email this one. I have vacation time coming up and have a small shop hop of my own lined up. LOL So, anyone have a comment? What do you do on your shop hops?

We had 8 shops on our shop hop last Saturday. We left at 9 am and got home at 8 pm. We had a wonderful time. At one time there were 12 shops on our shop hop and we broke those up into 2 days. The only problem is that some shops are quite a distance away and we aren't able to spend as much time in those shops as we would like.

I have gone to a couple shop hops and i just don't get it...I know the purpose is to get us into the shops and buy stuff, but why do in such a flurry....from the ones I have done...there isn't anything great for me at these shops that I can't buy any day of the week..and the give-aways aren't worth the effort to pick them up usually. Both I did gave out some kind of paper instructions on a how to do. So, beside having a nice time with friends...what does this do for you?

I do ours here and have for a few yrs. I love collecting the pattern pieces and then whatever the give away is. Last yr it was these cute little silver sewing trinkets and of course the pattern pieces. This yr it was a 1/2 yr of fabric plus you get entered into a drawing. I won last yr, some fabric, thread and a couple of other things. We only have 4 shops that do it and the farthest I have to go is about 1 hr or a little longer depending on traffic. The shop that is the farthest has great fabrics and if not for the shop hop I'd never had known it exisited.The other shops are closer to me within 20 to 30 min drive at most. They are smaller shops that I normally go into alot so I don't spend too much time there unless they have a special sale going on.

I did a two day one several years ago... joined my Mom and two of her quilting friends. We went to 8 shops over both days. I enjoyed it a lot as I'd only been to one of the shops before. Each shop had their own personality and a different focus of fabrics - one was huge and had everything. They don't seem to be as popular anymore in my area or maybe it's just the economy in general. Two of the quilt stores within an hour of me have closed in the last year.

Ive been on a few over the years and lately the 'bait' to get you in is pretty chintzy now a days...
25% off ONE yard cut. What if you want 2 yards???
no more freebie block to passport holders.. they are now $5-8 if you want them...
Not to mention the cost of gas these days- most of our shops are more than 40miles apart from each other... Some are even the next state over !!!!!

Ive passed on going anymore.... wasn't worth my time or gas..

Sure hope yours is better....

I don't Hop! I just don't get the appeal.. I shop when to mood strikes ... and for as long as it takes me to get it out of my system. Not much for scheduled shopping.

I have never done this and don't think I would like it, I agree with you Lori S.

I went to a few shop hops but realized it cost me too much $$. I had to drive 4 hours 2 days in a row and I ended up spending money in almost every shop. I found some shops I didn't know about and am thankful for that. They are now some of my favorite shops, but the $$ I spent on those two days about broke me. So, I don't go to them anymore. The prizes I won were books that I would never purchase. The prizes were things that the stores couldn't sell, so they were giving them away. Didn't like that. And at each store you would get a little bit of fabric...very little, not worth the trip at all. If I would have won first place, then it would have been worth the 2 days of travel and $$.

Three of my friends and I went on a shop hop here one year. We did the south shops one day and the north shops the second day. I think the whole trip was something like 500 miles. We had a total blast. I liked the fabric collection that year so I bought the blocks and my favorite finishing kit. Since then several of the shop owners have retired or sold out their store and there's one store that I won't spend another cent in so I don't go anymore. If I had the money to spend I'd go on the shop hop in the central part of the state though. They always have a really neat fabric printed specifically for the shop hop. But I'd have to spring for a motel room for that shop hop for at least one night since it's three hours from here to get to the first shop.