It’s a Finish! 9 Days, 3368 Miles, 72 Shops, Lots of Memories and a Car Full of Fabric!

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VERY IMPORTANT!—If you haven’t done so, you might like to read the first part of Tu-Na Travels: Day Nine on the Quilt MN Shop Hop: 503 Miles, 6 Shops, Diamonds Would Have Been Cheaper! so you know what’s going on and then come back to finish reading the ending here. (click on the title in this paragraph to go there)

Here’s all my posts about the 2016 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop, just in case you need to catch up as you won’t want to miss out on any of those daily adventures and top shops on the hop posts.

Tu-Na Travels: “All My Bags Are Packed, I’m Ready to Go” to Quilty Destinations Ahead

Tu-Na Travels: Day One: 635 Miles, 8 Shops, Blew the Budget Already Featuring Quilt Haven On Main in Hutchinson, MN.

Tu-Na Travels: Day Two on the MN Quilt Shop Hop: 507 Miles, 10 Shops, Made a New Budget Featuring Old Alley Quilt Shop in Sherburn, MN.

Tu-Na Travels: Day Three on the MN Quilt Shop Hop: 152 Miles, 5 Stores, Forget the Budget Featuring Bluffview Quilt Shop in Winona, MN.

Tu-Na Travels: Day Four on the MN Quilt Shop Hop: 258 Miles, 8 Shops, Car is Filling Up Featuring Eagle Creek Quilt Shop in Shakopee, MN.

Tu-Na Travels: Day Five on the MN Quilt Shop Hop: 232 Miles, 12 Shops, The Tires are Bulging Featuring Quarry Quilts and Yarns in Sandstone, MN.

Tu-Na Travels: Day Six on the Quilt MN Shop Hop: 261 Miles, 9 Shops, Wishing We Drove a Truck Featuring Timeless Treasures Quilt Shop in McGregor, MN  and   ABC’s of Quilting in Grand Rapids, MN.

Tu-Na Travels: Day Seven on the Quilt MN Shop Hop: 354 Miles, 5 Shops, Credit Card is Smoking Featuring Cabin Quilting in Cook, MN.

Tu-Na Travels: Day Eight: 466 Miles, 9 Shops, Credit Card is Having a Meltdown Featuring The Old Creamery Quilt Shop in Randall, MN.

Tu-Na Travels: Day Nine on the Quilt MN Shop Hop: 503 Miles, 6 Shops, Diamonds Would Have Been Cheaper!  Featuring This is Sew Broadway in Crookston, MN.

 

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Now on with my adventurous journey.

The door closed right in front of me. I grabbed it and pulled hard hoping that it was still open although it was after the mall’s closing time. Miraculously it was not locked even though the clock said it was 5:05pm. That’s 5 minutes past the mall’s closing time. 

My husband had gone to another door but that one was locked already. I held my door open and waited impatiently for him to catch up. We were now running down one hallway and then another looking for the quilt shop. Because of construction around the block, we were forced to park in an unfamiliar area and our bearings were off. Nothing looked familiar in this mall.

It was silent in the building. There was absolutely no one around. Were we in the right place? Frantically, I called The Quilted Ladybug hoping that someone would answer. When she did, I asked where they were located in the mall.

 

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And then I looked up.

 

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They even left the OPEN sign on to welcome us.

 

There I was right in front of  the shop. We’d made it and they had waited for us!

Thank you to The Quilted Ladybug so very much for waiting for us! Otherwise, we would have had to wait to check-out until noon the next day or head for home and not finish the shop hop.

 

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We did it!  We are happy and tired statewide finishers; the first ones to finish at this shop.

 

 

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Here’s the front and back page of my Quilt MN Shop Hop passport with all the participating store stamps. We are now entered in the big drawing for some really fantastic prizes. My husband thinks they should also have a prize to refund half the purchase price of items that were purchased from shops during the hop; in my case, that would be a very nice prize.

 

 

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And here’s the inside with store stamps. It looks a lot different now than when we first got them (check it out on the day 1 post). There’s those ladybugs again confirming we stopped at and finished the NW section at The Quilted Ladybug.

 

 

While we were driving to the shop racing against time (but not speeding—well, not too much), I called The Quilted Ladybug in Moorhead to let them know that we were expected to arrive 5 minutes  after closing time. “No problem, We’ll wait for you,” was Lisa’s cheerful response. “The outside doors will be locked so just give us a call and someone will come and let you in.” Thankfully, the mall door I tried was still open.

 

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Our prize for finishing the Northwest section: 12 fat quarters of Blue Botanical hand dyed batiks by Clothworks. We picked up this prize from The Quilted Ladybug.

 

I have to admit there were several shops along the way that we called to ask if they would be around a few minutes before or after closing time.

 

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It was refreshing to be the only people shopping in the store. I left my purse on the counter above and found more fabric to buy.

 

We didn’t bother to call shops if we would have arrived more than 15 minutes after their posted closing time. I did make it worth their extra time by making purchases at their shops. I never had difficulty finding something to buy.

 

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There are ladybugs throughout the store. Can you find some in this pic?

 

So where’s all my “loot”?

 

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Lisa remembered us from when we checked out at her store a year ago. Now that’s customer service!

Look for lots of pictures of my one-time only, special edition, never to be printed again, 2016 Minnesota fabrics; many solids for my grandson’s Minecraft quilt; thread; patterns; and some fabric I bought just because “I liked it” coming soon.

 

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Thanks again, The Quilted Ladybug, for going above and beyond!

But first I need to rest a bit and look at what’s in the picnic cooler!    ???????

 

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Thank you Quilt Minnesota for a great shop hop experience!

 

What I Learned Today:

  1. It’s (life) is all about the journey.
  2. I have a terrific husband (but I already knew that).

 

Question: What’s in your picnic cooler?

Linking on Wednesday with:

Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let’s Bee Social (Button on the sidebar)

 

Linking on Friday  with:

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

The Quilt Journal for TGIFF

Myra at Busy Hands Quilt for Finished or Not Friday (button on sidebar)

 

Linking on Saturday with:

Caroline at Sew Can She for Show Off Saturday

41 thoughts on “It’s a Finish! 9 Days, 3368 Miles, 72 Shops, Lots of Memories and a Car Full of Fabric!”

    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      I am so glad you’ve enjoyed the hop with me. I should be ready to post the “loot” post in a day or two. There’s a lot to go through! And I’ve asked my husband to guest write a post about his adventures on the hop as Tu-Na Helper. We’ll see what he comes up with.

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  4. jennyfur66

    What fantastic customer service at The Quilted Ladybug. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing all the goodies you picked up along the hop. What a great hubby you have, but you already knew that. 😃

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      I’ll be back to The Quilted Ladybug as it’s only 200 miles away from me. I’ll be ready with that “loot” post in a day or two and I’ve asked my husband to guest write about his shop hop adventures as Tu-Na Helper. After all, he did take all the interior and exterior shots of the shops while I shopped or interviewed. That one will come after the loot. So still a fun week of hopping going on here.

      Yes, he’s a keeper!

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      The trip was a blast and I was able to relive it all again as I wrote each post. This is one trip I wouldn’t make going on again! But first I better get busy with some sewing and quilting.

      I’ll be posting my “loot” post in a day or two and then I’ve asked my husband to guest write a post about his adventures on the shop hop as Tu-Na Helper. He was my official interior and exterior shop photographer, so I started referring to him that way. We’ll see what he comes up with.

      I hope you have fun finding some shops to stop at on your trip. Maybe you will find some unique ones too.

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  6. Jennifer

    It’s been soooo much fun watching your journey from my couch while recovering from surgery. So jealous! I did get to a few shops, but was unable to finish any section this year. Still hoping to do the whole state done year. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      I am glad I could help in your healing process. I wish you a speedy recovery.

      Which shops did you get to this year? What totally amazes me is that the tiny town of New Ulm has 3 quilt shops!

      I think every quilter should go on a quilt shop hop at least once. It’s quite mind boggling. It’s interesting that we didn’t see a lot of duplication of specific types of fabrics which means there’s a lot of different fabrics being made.

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  7. Cathy Melancon

    I am so….happy for you! What a wonderful adventure and your hubby wins Husband ofmthe Year award!!! What a fun and exciting trip! Imdream of doing this someday with my husband! He would totally do it! I am dying to see your goodies!!! Waiting with baited breath as they say! I love your posts! Glad y’all had a safe trip too!

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      My husband thanks you for the award.

      This is the third time we’ve completed the MN Shop Hop. Each year has been a lot of fun but this year’s was the most. Maybe because I was interviewing and reliving the adventure while I was writing.

      Which state would you hop in if you could? MN had people drive in from Las Vegas just to do the hop. Now that would be some serious mileage.

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      I’m glad you enjoyed the tours. Big post about all that I bought coming up in a couple of days and after that a guest post written by my husband whom I affectionately called Tu-Na Helper on our shop hop trip. Hope you’ll hop on back to read them.

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      Glad I could help! It would be fun again for you to do. This was the third year we completed it. The first year we completed it in 8 days and last year we took 11 days so we felt a bit rushed this year. My best advice is to enjoy the journey. And remember it’s not a race to be the first one done.

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  11. Eileen Rosenau

    Absolutely loved your stories, Karen. What a fun adventure! I admire your dedication to taking the time to post each night. You must have been exhausted! I bet you have enough fabric to open up your own quilt shop! 🙂

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      I am so glad you enjoyed reading about my journey. Yes, we are exhausted and yes I have lots of fabric! But probably not for long as I’m already planning on cutting into some today. I photographed most of the day yesterday until the cameral died. But after both of us have recharged overnight, I’m ready to finish photographing, begin writing “The Loot” post and cutting into some of it today. Oh, and yes, we are exhausted!

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  15. JanineMarie

    Oh, my goodness! I just went on this whole whirlwind trip with you through all your posts! What a wonderfully organized trip. All those miles, all those shops, and all the pictures and information. How you had time and energy to do all that and shop and write about it, too is beyond me. Thanks for sharing all those shops with us. My favorites are the ones with the unique old repurposed buildings. Hurray for you and your husband. You deserve that Grand Prize for sure!

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      It was an amazing trip! I got to relive it again while I wrote. Now I have a nice record of our experiences too. We were exhausted!
      Winning the big trip or even one of the smaller prizes would be fun indeed. But I think just going on this hop experience was priceless.

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  16. piecefulwendy

    Wow! You did it! What great fun it must have been. Looking forward to seeing your loot! Hope you both can get rested up from your road trip.

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    1. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Post author

      Thanks. It was great fun but we were exhausted! We rested for a day and then the garden was calling, sometimes at this time of year, I wish it would lose my number. But we enjoy the fresh veggies.

      My part one of “the loot” posted early this morning. Hope it satisfies your curiosity for a bit.

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