Confessions of a Quiltaholic: Shop ’til you drop for quilt supplies

The Pacific Northwest is teeming with an abundance of quilters and gifted artists. Whether the region attracts artists because it is so incredibly beautiful here in the Pacific Northwest, I don’t know. I know one thing for sure, though, I’m really glad I live here. Having traveled to most regions of the country, teaching and lecturing about quilting, I can tell you straight up: we quilters who live in the area are spoiled rotten! We have the option to “Shop till we drop” at local quilt shops sprinkled throughout King, Pierce and other nearby counties.

In many parts of the country, quilters think nothing of driving 50 miles or more to the nearest quilt shop. Even then, local quilt shops are often small and carry a very small percentage of the type of quilting fabrics or supplies we quilters covet! Many quilters throughout the country are forced to order their supplies and fabrics on-line or through mail order simply because there are no quilt shops within their geographical location. So, when I say we quilters who live in the area are lucky, I am not exaggerating!

Most quilters are very tactile. What that boils down to is; we love to “fondle” our fabric. We touch it, we put it against our cheek, we unroll it from the bolt, and study every inch. I liken visiting a quilting shop to a “feeding frenzy,” because once we enter a quilt shop, we are driven to “feed” our fabric addictions.

The big question for quilters in our area is, “Which quilt shop should I go to today?” Like people, quilt shops have their own personalities and often specialize in specific genres or styles of fabrics. When I shop for fabrics, for example, I’m on the lookout for landscape, batik, and art fabrics, whereas other quilters might be searching for more traditional or whimsical fabrics.

If you aren’t familiar with the quilt shops in our area, you are in for a huge treat because there truly is something for everybody. My car automatically heads to Taylor Creek studio in Maple Valley because it carries the types of fabric I want, need, and crave. Owner Joanne Lee’s personal focus features landscape art and quilt styles of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Joanne said, “My shop leans towards Pacific Northwest genre fabrics, batiks, and art quilt fabrics.” Taylor Creek Studio is a cozy shop with a large air-conditioned classroom, reasonably priced fabrics, with 10% discounts given to guild and class members. Joanne’s friendly demeanor and willingness to assist customers is a definite bonus as are the generous display of workshop and quilt pattern samples hanging throughout the shop.

One of the mainstays of our area, The Calico Cat and Bernina Too, located in Auburn, is closing soon. Mary Stanton, the owner of the “Cat” is retiring and closing out items in her shop. Check out the Calico Cat and Bernina Too Web site for updates on current sales and the final closing date (www.thecalicocat.com). Mary Stanton has been in business since 1992 and supported local guilds as well as community events. Mary also is a founder and board member of the Annual Western Washington Shop Hop. For information about next year’s Shop Hop, go to www.westernwaquiltshophop.com.

Another lovely stop on the local quilt shop circuit is Carriage Country Quilt Shop in Des Moines. Located in a quaint 1937 yellow bungalow in downtown Des Moines, Carriage Country specializes in Civil War and Aunt Gracie reproductions, hand dyed wools, penny rug kits, kits and primitive embroidery supplies and patterns. After you’re done shopping, pop over to nearby Wally’s for a bowl of clam chowder or their famous fish and chips!

Although you have to drive to Bellevue, the one quilt shop you shouldn’t miss is Quiltworks Northwest, another popular quilt shop “destination”, recently relocated and combined forces with Beads and Beyond in a much larger location. This shop, in my estimation, is the most comprehensive quilt shop in King County. They have a broad range of fabrics along with a large variety of notions, books, and of course, beads! This shop also houses an official Bernina of USA dealership, including an expert staff, classes, and machine servicing. If you are looking for a specific type of workshop, Quiltworks Northwest offers workshops featuring international, national, and local quilt teachers. Their workshops target all levels of quilters and all genres of quilting.

Although the list goes on and on, there is only so much space in my column. If you physically unable to shop at our local shops, check out some on-line quilt shopping opportunities. My favorite sites are www.Equilter.com and www.hancocks-paducah.com. We quilters are very fortunate to have a wide variety of shops to select from and my recommendation is; shop till you drop or max out your credit card, whichever comes first!

Happy stitching!