ctrysass2012

If you're coming west, stop at Stitch in Durango, CO. Fun shop, great owners. You could visit here for a day or two on your 'way' to the Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam. Mesa Verde is about 1 hr west & is very impressive.

zozee

I second this--Serendipity is in Dagsboro and the store is HUGE--2 stories--doesn't look it from the outside, though ...

...and also check out Mare's Bears in Lewes, DE. Terrific customer service and quite a bit of fabric for a little shop.

zozee

If you're going through Kansas, you MUST go to Prairie Flower Crafts in Alden. You'd never believe that a tiny little town (that doesn't even have a grocery store) has a quilt shop with over 5,000 bolts of fabric. When I was a 3rd grader, I lived in Alden. My dad pastored the Methodist Church, and at the time, the store was a "five and dime" on one side and a craft store on the other --connected inside. Many moons later, it became solely a quilt shop and I'm sure there were over 10,000 bolts because the owner, Sarah Sleeper, loved fabric but --check this out--she never sewed a thing! Ever! She was such a go-getter all the time, and when she turned 96, she said, "I guess I better start thinking of letting someone else run this big store, huh?" So she did--but she's still in there all the time checking things out and has nothing better to do at age 101.

Murphy224

I second the Row by Row experience. It has grown bigger every year and now includes shops in every state as well as Canada. If I was on your adventure, I would just google every town I was gonna go through and see what they had.
In the meantime, if heading south on Interstate 85 through North Carolina, be sure to stop in Gastonia NC at Mary Jo's Cloth shop. A huge shop with so much fabric it is almost overwhelming, almost. Here is a link to the store. Well worth the stop and so close to the interstate you can see the building from the highway.
http://maryjos.com/store/quilting

celwood

In the Florida are: Rainbow's End in Dunedin and The Quilt Place in Rockledge

sewvicki

Congratulations on your retirement. If you travels bring you east, your husband would love the battlefields in Gettysburg, PA. About 45 minutes beyond Gettysburg is Lancaster County, PA. It is essentially an Amish and Mennonite community and has more quilt shops than one can count. We moved here from Maryland 12 years ago and I was delighted to find so much wonderful fabric so close by. You are probably aware that the Amish and Mennonites make some of the most beautiful quilts, hence the need for so many quilt shops. Have a wonderful time as you travel this beautiful country and safe travels.

Cheshirecatquilter

I'm sure you'll get lots of suggestions for fabulous shops that are the fodder for magazine articles, but here are two cozy shops that will make you feel right at home: Karen's Quilting Corner in Williamstown, MA and A Notion to Quilt in Shelburne, MA. Both are on MA Route 2, which will make for an interesting and scenic drive, as it is The Mohawk Trail and would be especially lovely in the fall (winter, spring, and summer!). Just be sure your brakes are in good working order as it is in the mountains and follows meandering rivers in some places, very pretty. Just 10 minutes off the highway you'll find Susan B Anthony's birthplace and the Quaker Meeting House in Adams, MA, and in the warmer seasons the Bridge of Flowers over the Deerfield River in Shelburne and the Shelburne Falls Glacial Potholes can take your breath away. In Cheshire you can find the Stafford Hill monument (Joab Stafford/Battle of Bennington) and a monument to the humongous cheese that was sent to President Jefferson, then you can motor via Lanesboro up to the top of Mt. Greylock and climb the Veterans War Memorial Tower (lighthouse on a mountaintop) that has recently been repaired and see a 5 state view. On the way down take the alternate route to get back on Rte 2 and continue on your way or stop and visit Mass MoCA, not exactly historic, but interesting, and at the upper end of Main St. is a statue of a Civil War soldier. Even the statue has a history, as the poor guy has taken quite a beating over the years. Enjoy your motoring. Safe travels.

patinpoconos

Check the quilting hub

meanmom

Enjoy your retirement. Sounds like a lot of fun. Of course Fabric Shack in Waynesville, OH. There are a lot of shops around Cincinnati, OH. My 2 favorites are Quilters studio Loveland, OH and Silk Road in Cincinnati, Oh. There are 8 shops in the area.

Julia Maupin

Quilters Corner in Midlothian Virginia. 1245 Sycamore Square 23113. Theresa bought the business about 5 years ago and she has everything. Classes, tons of fabric and patterns, sells Brother machines, retreats. You name it, she has it.
My favorite store in the world.
Julia