Does anyone do Row-by-Rows anymore?
 

Back in 2015-2016, it seemed like everyone was into the row-by-row phase. I did a quilt in 2015 and won a prize for it. And, I started the 2016 one but got frustrated with one of the strips and put it aside. Well, I decided that this is the summer to finish that quilt. I've gotten the two sides done and am finishing up that strip that was so frustrating to me. I hope to have this ready to quilt by the time I leave our summer place. Wish me luck.

Okay, the first picture is the 2015 quilt. My plan was to have 2 quilts that look the same except different years so different strips and license plates. There are 2 full sized beds in our loft for guests that come visit us during the summer and that's where these quilts will eventually go.

The second picture is where I'm at with the sides done. I'll post again when I get this done. It will take awhile.

But, I'm curious. Has the row-by-row craze faded? I don't seem to see much of them these days.

I don't know the answer. I haven't done one. But then again, I never heard of Bonnie Hunter until a couple of years ago. So much out there and I don't see it all I guess :)

Great job on your tops! I completed the 2015 one and love it! (picture shows top before quilting) [ATTACH=CONFIG]617813[/ATTACH] I collected rows from 2016 and 2017 but haven't made any of them. I have about 10 maybe? rows done from 2018 (music theme) but this year I only purchased the 9th Row kit and chose to make that into placemats for donation. [ATTACH=CONFIG]617814[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]617815[/ATTACH]

It's only been in my area 5 years. I participated the first and second year, skipped the 3rd, participated the 4th and skipped the 5th(this year). The second year had the most participation of quilt shops in SD and I'd heard some of the shops in more rural areas didn't even get a winner. It was mostly tourists stopping to collect the plates. This year I think only 9 shops in the state participated.

I've found that I'd spend around $800 going to the quilt shops to collect the rows (not to buy the row, but I'd always fall in love with something!) . So even though I won each of the years I participated, the value of what I won didn't come close to what I spent.

I really loved participating and visiting the shops, even though I had to put about 800 miles on the car to get to 8 shops. But it does seem like the interest in my area is gone way down.

The Row by Row experience is still going, but some of us are in the “been there, done that” phase. New quilters will take our place. We will try to use the monster stash we have accumulated while passing through the fabric acquisition phase to the SABLE phase.

Row by Row generally starts in June.

Your quilts look great. That was the good year, the water year. I became interested in it then also. Since then, it's been travel, music, cooking. I think it's fading. When I talk to the shops ( I love to shop hop), I ask if they will do it again most of the small shops say no. It's expensive for them and they want to sell the row kits. I collected the license plates only, not the rows. I have made my quilt so I'm done.

Well, I have one I started. Probably 2016. Got to the part where they had blocks that I just didn't like and I couldn't figure out why I should pursue it any further. I do really like row quilts. It's on my to do list for this year. But not those from stores.

For me, the timing is just not right. I have so much going on in the summer that I don’t have time to travel to the shops. I know it was started to help the LQS’s in their slow months, but those are slow months for a reason.

I've collected kits for various rows over various years but never sewn any of them up - I realized it just isn't my thing and I've stopped participating. The "last straw" for me was when I purchased a kit at a popular store, their block had a cute scene of little ducklings, and an umbrella etc - the fabrics in the kit were nothing like the store sample, and there wasn't even any yellow for the duckling.... lesson learned, I now ask if a kit (any kit) is exactly as illustrated before deciding if I'll purchase or not.
On a more positive note, I purchased a fairly large scenic wallhanging kit that was mostly applique, and when I asked the question re contents, the owner of the shop told me that she did not have one of the fabrics that made the frame - and she had substituted a similar one. She opened the kit to show me the substitute, and it was quite acceptable! So I bought it!