Summer 09 California Quilt Shop Hop - 16 Shops!

Sixteen new shops, never seen by us before! Our major goal was LA, museums, and missions, so to get 16 shops into our six days was terrific. We had a wonderful trip.

Calimesa, CA - Busy Bee Quilt Shop
We discovered an easy strip purse, made with "Honey Bun" rolls and iron-on batting. Small shop in a cute storefront. Nice fabrics, samples, and ideas. (3)

Redlands, CA - Calico Horse
Very nice shop if you like Thimbleberries, country, darks. This isn't the direction I seem to be drawn to, so it was a quick stop. (2 for my taste, 4 for a country-lover)

Upland, CA - Ginger's Quilt Shop
Large shop right on the Montclair/Upland town line. Puzzles and quilt-y gifts. A huge variety of fabrics to suit every mindset, including lots of novelties. Large clearance section with decent choices. (5)

Montclair, CA - Fabric Patch
Two storefronts in a strip mall, one with batiks in back and sewing machines in front, plus a third huge classroom. (3)

Newbury Park, CA - The Quilter's Studio
This store is an artist's delight. New fabrics, brights, geometrics, a gorgeous supply of solid Kona Cotton. I got sucked in by the bright orange and green florals. Really nice personel. Found lots of fabrics for pillowcases for my many male teenager's upcoming Bar Mitzvah's. (5)


Carpenteria, CA - Treasure Hunt
A little bit of everything here - all new and up-to-date. Three different rooms, one down a few steps. Yarn room, felting, surfing-related items (I bought a couple of cool linen dish towels),jewelry, crafty knicknacks, and a great selection of fabric. I purchased a new baby collection here that is adorable. Perfect for Laura's new baby! (5)
*GREAT BREAKFAST at the Worker Bee Cafe. Delish. Cute, decorated with bees everywhere, tables and a cpimter. Run by older couple.
*CLEANEST BEACH IN AMERICA, or so they claim. It was pretty nice. The Pacific is warm, I enjoyed a good wade in the waves. Really cute town, would come here again.

Orcutt, CA - Old Town Quilt Shop
We almost missed this one, because the address we found was an empty lot. Come to find out, just across the road the numbers started again at 0 going the other way. I'm so glad we didn't miss it, it was wonderful. The facade doesn't shout "this is a great shop", but it was. Two rooms, packed with new fabrics and a really nice proprieter. She gave us a 10% discount because we promote quilting with kids. Found lots of fabrics for teenagers pillowcases. (4)

Arroyo Grande - The Quilt Attic
Cute little town with a petunia-studded old bridge right next door. Great storefront, but somewhat uninspiring inside, lots of older fabrics. I did find the pattern for the zipper pouch I saw made up in Calimesa ("Zip Bags"by Shelley's Studio, Banning, CA) (2)

Grover Beach - Stitch'n Sew
A small quilt shop between and around Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach, just opened about five months ago. The owner is a wiz at miniatures and offers classes on them. THAT would be fun! (2)

Pismo Beach - Quiltin' Counsins
We discovered we'd eaten on the next block the night before, on the pier. This long, skinny shop was packed with great fabric and wonderful patterns. She has created her own simple patterns, laminated them, and markets them for five bucks each. I found one that makes origami-like potholders and coasters (presents for everyone!), a zipper pouch, and an easy, easy purse called "A Darn Cute Bag!" Great shop. (4)

San Luis Obisbo - Betty's Fabric
This was a huge shop with a great sign out front - and oodles of fabrics for every kind of sewing, including lots of quiliting fabric (but no chenille!). Flannels and novelties galore, yarns, ideas, and many cutters to help you out. (4)

Atascedero - Sew Fun
A large, open, airy shop with stands of new fabric. I like it when they're put in sets you can walk around instead of in aisles. More than enough great fabric to choose from. I picked up a Christmas panel and matching prints here to whip up for Brian and Heather for Christmas. I could have spent more time here, but time was fleeting...... (5)

Atascedero - Quilter's Cupboard
I didn't buy anything here and for the life of me I can't remember what its inside looked like. I've failed miserably here - I can remember all the others really, really well!

Paso Robles - Wine Country Quilts
There was something really special about this shop. It was on the corner in a lovely upscale-seeming town center. It was full of fabrics, ideas, huge fake sunflowers, quilt-related items, all really cleverly displayed. A long, somewhat skinny shop, it was a memorable one. I found a great California fabric here to make my brother a pillowcase. (5)

Bakersfield - Strawberry Patches
I almost didn't find this shop - I'd left Dede's and with her, Sylvia Maven (the GPS). Because of construction all the signs had been taken down. I hunted, drove on, circled back. I'm glad. Wow. If you have kids or babies in your life this is the shop to go to! Apparently, they are the people that started the MINKE craze for baby blankets. They've created all sorts of pattern and have luscuous colors that you want to feel and rub and smooth across your cheek...... I found the perfect matches for the rest of Laura's baby quilt there - the perfect greens. I'd really like to get back here. She said they also have a great website. (5)

Tehachapi - Debbie's Fabrics, etc.
Sometime in July Debbie's is moving around the corner to the main street in this tiny town. I hope she keeps the character of the shop, because I was charmed. Fabric is draped across bookcase-like bolt shelves- you feel like you're in the middle of a fabric bazaar, and it's a delilcious feeling. Lots of things to see, in every nook and cranny. Mostly new stuff, too. Totally in the middle of the Mohave Desert - it was hot and quiet and.....lonely....here. (4)
There was another shop in town, 5 Hearts, but she closes early, apparently. Two shops in one teeny, tiny town!