Wasatch Front Shop Hop 2008

I did it! I completed the entire shop hop! This was my first year doing this, and it is definitely going to become an annual tradition. It was so much fun! For those of you who don't know what it is, let me explain. There were 15 quilting stores from Logan to Springville who participated. The theme this year was "Once upon a time..." and each store was assigned a different fairy tale, for which they had to create a quilt. So you go to your first store and get your "passport". At each store you go to you get your passport stamped, and then you get a free pattern for the quilt that store designed. Each store also had you enter a drawing for a $25 gift certificate and a gift valued at $100. Some stores had extra little games you could play to win prizes. If you complete your entire passport you get a coupon for $5 off your next purchase of $15 or more at any shop you choose. Then you turn in your passport for the big drawing! The prizes for that this year are: 2- Model 2007 Phaff sewing machines, 3- Tutto sewing machine totes, 8- $100 shopping sprees, 2- Ott lamps, 2- Rowenta Irons, and 3- wooden quilt hangers. I am determined to win one of the big prizes! hehe If you brought kids along, they got their own passport which they could get stamped at each store, and then they got a little fabric square. Most of the stores also had little treats or toys for them, too. So I decided to be brave and take Jack with me. He did really well! A lot better than I expected, at least. I started off Wednesday and hit the following 5 shops with Jack.

Pine Needles- West Jordan- Princess and the Pea (My favorite!!!!) Love the crib set! I also bought a pattern for a different quilt that went along with it, which they had hanging on the wall.

Quilt, Quilt, Quilt Etc.- Sandy- Cinderella- darling quilt for a little girl.
This was Jack's favorite shop. He loved all the decorations they had hanging from the ceiling. And they had a room set up with a bunch of little tables where you could sit and eat little sandwiches, cookies, and punch, for free! Mmmm! Jack was being a ham, and wanted me to keep taking pictures of him and show them to him. My Prince Charming!
I LOVE FABRIC STORES!

Thimbles & Threads- Draper- Wizard of Oz- I didn't love this quilt. The only thing that was really Wizard of Oz-y about it was that it said "there's no place like home" under the house. You can't really see it in the picture. And here's the really dumb thing. They didn't give you the pattern for the whole quilt. Only one of the swirly blocks. I was mad.
Right about then it was nap time, so Jack took a quick little snooze for 20 minutes or so on the way to the next store. Look at that bottom lip.
The Stitching Corner- Orem- 3 Bears- Cute quilt, but not something I would ever make.
Corn Wagon Quilt Co.- Springville- Little Red Riding Hood- I forgot to take a picture of this one. But don't worry. It was not very cute. And you wouldn't really know it had anything to do with that fairy tale. It was just a basket of fruit in the middle of a bunch of tiny squares.

When Scott got home that evening I left Jack at home and went to 4 more stores by myself

Mormon Handicraft- Midvale- Jack and the Beanstalk- Really cute idea! Jack's little feet are sticking out of the bottom of the cloud. It looks really hard to make, though.

Elaine's Quilt Block- Cottonwood Heights- Thumbelina- This was my least favorite of all. I was very dissapointed. The only thing Thumbelina-ish about it is that it was a mini quilt. About 2 ft. square. Not at all my style. And the prize for this store is a framed copy of it. Just watch me win that prize. Blah. Whimsey Cottage- Holladay- The 12 Dancing Princesses- So cute! I like this better than the Cinderella one, because it has dresses and shoes! I don't know if you can tell in the picture, but each dress and pair of shoes was embellished with ribbons, sequins, etc. I just might have to try this one someday if I have a little girl.
Piper's Quilts & Comforts- Sugarhouse- Hansel & Gretel- All I can say about this one is wow. Amazing, but no thank you.
On Thursday, Jack and I headed up north and hit 5 more shops.

Quilter's Haven- Bountiful- Ugly Duckling- I loved this store, but was really dissappointed when I got there. All the papers I had said this store was supposed to be Peter Rabbit, and I was really excited to see that one. But instead they did the Ugly Duckling. And an ugly quilt, if you ask me. Don't love it.
Threads of Time- Centerville- Rapunzel- This one was really cute. Jack liked the long ribbon braid for her hair. And he especially loved this store because he got to pick a prize out of a treasure chest. He picked a paddle ball toy.

Gardiner's- S. Ogden- Little Mermaid- Pretty cool quilt. But they didn't include the part for Ariel in the pattern because of copyright laws. It's just the pattern for the water background and the fish and stuff. But I think even if you left Ariel out, and maybe added a sailboat or some sharks or something, you could have a really cute quilt!
Now here's my story of the one, fabulous issue I had with Jack the whole trip. This store had a big staircase (as did a lot of the stores, which kept Jack entertained) and all he wanted to do was go up and down, over and over. Well I was ready to go, but had to use the bathroom first, so I had to carry him kicking and screaming off the stairs into the bathroom. He cried for a minute, then finally settled down. Well as soon as I flushed and was about to wash my hands, he found the little plastic door stop, picked it up, and before I could stop him, threw it into the toilet. Argh! Sick! And I didn't want to be the rude person that would just leave it in there for someone to find, so yes, I stuck my hand into the filthy, public toilet and fished it out. I washed it off and scrubbed my hands (and Jack's) really good after that.

Since I couldn't get anyone to go on this wild adventure with me, I called up my long lost friend Deneigh, from high school, who I haven't seen since I was pregnant with Jack. She had never even met him. Well she lives in Logan, so I called her up in the morning and she wasn't doing anything, so she met me at the shop in Brigham City.

Village Dry Goods- Brigham City- Snow White- I love this quilt! It is supposed to be Snow White's enchanted apples. I just think it's really cute! I love the design and the colors they used. I also love the wavy edge. This is definitely one I will make sometime.

After that store, Deneigh followed us up to Logan, where we ate Pizza at the Firehouse (so good!), went to the store on my list, and then went to another fabric store there that she loves. We got to hang out for about 3 hours I think, and it was so much fun! I was glad I didn't have to do the whole shop hop by myself, like a loser. hehe Thanks for hanging out with us, Deneigh!!!! Jack loved you!

I love the drive through the canyon going into Logan. It is so green and gorgeous.

Red Rooster- Logan- Little Red Hen- This one isn't really my style, but I thought it was cute how they put the little hen faces on the big diamonds.
This morning I headed out to good ole' Tooele for my last shop!

Sew Sweet- Tooele- The Goose Girl- I don't really know this story at all, but I thought their quilt was absolutely GORGEOUS!!! This picture really does it no justice whatsoever. It was HUGE! And it had so much layering and detail on it. I love it! They are having a class soon to teach you how to make it. I bet it's expensive, but I wanna learn!

I took some close-ups, just because you have to see the fun details on this quilt! All the triangles are folded and only sewn down on a couple sides, so it adds a lot of texture to the quilt. And look at the little flower things along the side.

I love the little triangles on the corners of the quilt. So fun!

Lovely Antelope Island on our yummy smelling Great Salt Lake.
This is how excited I am that I actually completed the entire shop hop. WOOHOO!!!!!
The bugs were jealous so they tried to hitch a ride on my windshield.

I know a lot of you probably think I'm insane for doing all that, and I did spend a bit of $$$ on gas, but I had a blast! It was a great adventure for me and Jack, and I just know I'm gonna get a really cool prize out of it. (Cross your fingers for me!) And next year, please, someone come with me! I promise a great time!

P.S.- Here are a few goodies I picked up along the way. I've been eying this first pattern for a little while, and it and the second one were on sale at Pine Needles for only $2!

I got this book in Springville. I fell in love with the quilt on the cover (see the last picture of it hanging in the store) and had to have it! There are a few other really cute, ruffly quilts in the book, too.