Where is the Ideal Place to Live for a Quilter?
 

I've often wondered where the ideal place to live would be for a quilter... and what about that place would make it ideal?

I'd love to live near a famous quilt shop/supplier, near the manufacturer of a favorite sewing machine, where there are lots of opportunities to take classes from well-known teachers, or close to big shows.

It seems like some well-known teachers live in the middle of nowhere and, because of them, the economy of the town has boomed.

If you could live comfortably anywhere you wanted as a quilter, where would that be?

Never thought of choosing where I live based on my hobby of quilting. I am happy where I live now even tho the local quilt store closed 1.5 years ago.

Well Paducah Kentucky is pretty much considered a quilters "Mecca" with it being the headquarters for American Quilters Society the Quilt museum, the annual show and of course Hancocks of Paducah and EB Quilt in a Day shop. Utah seems to have an abundance of super talented quilters. Must be something in the air. :) Then there are all the Amish and Mennonite communities for having great quilt shops at reasonable prices for fabric. I think loads of different areas have different offerings and there are always big national shows in regional areas of the US that are within a days travel for many US quilters.

But if I had the means to live comfortably anywhere I wanted, I don't think I would center my choices on quilting. I can always travel to a workshop for a well known instructor and I order fabric on line most of the time anyways. I would love to live somewhere where I had drop dead gorgeous views of big mountains and no worries of drought. Like Western Wyoming or Eastern Idaho for the Tetons.

I am very happy where I live also. I have a wonderful quilt shop downtown (5-10 minutes away), a Jo-Ann's Fabric about the same in another direction, a Micheal's Craft Shop 20 minutes away, and lots of other quilt shops in the area. I also can order online. The temps are great here; I quilt year 'round! I can't get around well enough to go to the shows, so I have to depend on the kindness of the good folks who share that experience with us.

I can quilt anywhere.

I don't think I phrased my question very well. I don't think anyone would actually move based solely on the hobby/business of quilting. I certainly wouldn't if given the opportunity.

I just wonder where the ideal place for a quilter to live would be that has the most opportunities. I don't think that place exists.

Right where I am ... on a horse training farm 14 highway miles from Fabric Depot!

The idea quilting town will have to be Paducah. A big part of the town's economy depends on quilting so the town caters to quilters.

I feel fairly fortunate to live in an area that has quite a few quilt stores in any given direction. We also have Road to California in January. As far as recreation, there are mountains, the ocean, and desert; all less than 100 miles. The weather is great. In the winter, if you feel like seeing snow, you go to the mountains. You can ski in the morning, then surf in the afternoon. The only drawback is the traffic. You learn to travel in the "off" hours.

I'm 4 minutes from the sugar sand of the Gulf in the Clearwater, St. Petersburg area of FL. Keep Me in Stitches, my Babylock dealer is opening a shop 5 minutes from me in 1 1/2 weeks :D they are known for their great customer support and classes; Country Quilts is in Clearwater, great selection, customer service and wonderful classes, and Rainbow's End is up the road with great selection, and Happy Apple Quilts is in the same area and also has good selection and classes. Quilting and Sewing Expo is in Lakeland in March, and anywhere you travel in FL there are awesome quilt shops and teachers. When it's hot in the summer, I stay in and quilt, like the northerners do in the winter. Come on down, we live in Quilt Mecca!