Billings Shop Hop - Day One -

I have some free time this morning putting a couple of quilt shops to the top of the list of things to do.  After some mapping and research, it turns out that out of the TEN shops here in town four of them are private homes/quilters.  That leaves me six shops to check out.  Two are near me and open this morning so off I go.  First stop is:  Four Winds Quilting and I LOVE this little shop from the minute I walk in.  It is small and intimate with lots of great ideas and fun products.  The first thing I spot is the wall of great wool projects.  I keep being drawn in towards these and see one popping up in my not too distant future.  I LOVE the snowmen projects.  Oh my.

As I wander the store, I love the displays and great projects just laying around.  Check out this lovely (and easy) minky baby quilt along with a simply wonderful catch-all.

There are nooks and crannies everywhere and each have delightful kits.  If it were not for my fabric fast and the fact that I am carrying on luggage, my arms would be overflowing.

I am also drawn to coffee quilts lately.  I have absolutely no idea why but look at this purely delightful one.  Oh, this could be a pattern buy.

I do manage to stay pretty close to my goals but find several patterns, two soft books, and a fat quarter bundle to use for sewing mats.  Not terrible but still not totally on point either.  I promise not to let them get in the way of the UFO challenge.  Honest.

The next stop is at Backdoor Quilt Shoppe and the outside tells me nothing of the wonders inside.  It has an almost empty parking lot but that doesn't deter me.  In I go.  Ooooohhh, it is so roomy inside and I am blown away by the wonder of it all.  The very first thing to greet me as I walk in is a Valentine display that has EXACTLY what I am looking for to use in the pillow exchange at retreat in February.  Yep, that little scarecrow pattern is going home with me.

The next thing I spot is a sale table FULL of winter fabric that I can use in the January retreat project.  I quickly stack bolts on the cutting table as if I'm in fear of someone else taking them.  It's a dang empty store so not sure what my problem is.

NOW, I remember why I am here and start to wander the store.  It is magnificent.  Seriously.  Take a walk with me and see the wonders I saw --- yes, this post is picture heavy but oh so worth it.

Oooohh the fun coffee panels spotted here:

Racks of finished quilts for sale:

Color everywhere

And just about now I realize there are VINTAGE MACHINES all over the place.  Oh, where were my eyes to begin with?  Start drooling now cos this show is INTENSE:

And lookie here:  Oh my - Florence --- someone clean up the drool on the floor please.

It is only now that I realize that they are EVERYWHERE -- the cabinets are used as decor, the machines are hiding in every possible nook and cranny.  I am in VSM heaven.

I am dearly coveting

What an amazing bit of eye candy today has been.  What didn't we see?  How about a Featherweight or a 301?  When I inquired, I was told the Featherweights disappear quick and they had no idea what a 301 was.  Oh my.  At any rate -- I have had a marvelous morning and it is now time to be Gammy again.  See you tomorrow.