Monthly Archives: August 2017

Tu-Na Travels: Day Five, 274 Miles, 8 Shops, Only 27 Shops Remaining

Just as I expected, morning came early.

There is nothing better than a bowl of piping hot oatmeal topped with spoonfuls of brown sugar, raisins, chopped nuts and some milk to get the tired body ready for another busy day of traveling and shop hopping.

Even the countryside seems to be decorated for the quilt shop hop. We had seen a barn quilt yesterday, too, but weren’t able to get a picture as we were in a hurry. Visit this site for a quilt trail map to see more barn quilts located in several counties in Minnesota and watch a video of how those painted quilt blocks were hung in Carver County.

We saw this barn quilt on the road between Litchfield and Kimball.

Our second shop of the day, Gone to Pieces in Kimball, had me very excited. My husband noticed the scrap bin in the back and I accepted the challenge to stuff that snack bag full.

I’m collecting scraps for my 1.5″ postage stamp quilt. I’ve cut and sewed several thousand already but have still more to go. I stuffed this snack Ziploc bag as full as I could make it and then added a few more pieces for good measure.

I needed a bit of help in getting it closed so while my fabric was being cut, Tu-Na Helper rose to the challenge and did his little magic of pushing and shoving that fabric into place. He worked and worked and finally presented the sealed bag. We all cheered. It was mighty full.

It took him awhile but he managed to get it closed. It stayed put long enough for us to pay, say our goodbyes, and get out the door. I also saw a good idea for making a ruler tote which I will work on at home.

We would be checking out of the Central region at Gruber’s Quilt Shop so we turned our Prius towards Waite Park. When we arrived, we were cheerfully greeted and had our passports stamped. Who could this gal behind the desk be? She was so full of energy and happiness. I had to find out. We received our incentive prizes: a Sewing Tidy and a Bangle.

We each received a Sewing Tidy and a Bangle. What’s a bangle? It’s that cute little metal plaque with a wire hanger bearing the state of MN.

Being the inquisitive type that I am, I started talking and asking some questions. This gal knew the answers. It was then that I knew I’d found:

Today’s Top Shop on the Hop

This story is about making a dream come true. For awhile now, I’ve been wondering how Quilt Minnesota and the Shop Hop idea started. I didn’t need to wait long to find out more. That smiling, exuberant gal behind the desk, knew all the answers.

Almost twenty years ago, Sue Poser had a dream of starting a statewide shop hop. She had been approached by Eileen Taylor, a representative of Moda Fabrics, about starting a statewide shop hop. Finally, after 5 years of thinking and hoping and wondering, Sue presented the idea to a tri-state meeting of quilt shop owners. It was unanimous. 100% of the shops were behind her. Sue worked to get the idea going in Minnesota. Business is slow for quilt shops in the summer in Minnesota, so a shop hop in August would help boost business as well as increase exposure for the shops. I am sure this dream needed a lot of hard work and long hours from Sue and a lot of support from the shops in the state to make this dream a reality.

This year Quilt Minnesota celebrates it’s 11th annual shop hop. Sue had been instrumental in starting it and keeping it going all these years. She has now passed on the business baton to another shop owner and is confident that the Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop will continue getting bigger and better each year. Sue’s enthusiasm and exuberance for the Quilt MN Shop Hop as well as for her own shop and personal life is unmatched. I think she leaves big shoes to fill.

Gruber’s central location in the state made it a natural choice for getting a statewide hop started.

The Quilt MN Shop Hop has seen more shop hoppers participating each year. Each year more of them have finished visiting all the participating shops in the whole state. Seventy-five people completed the shop hop last year with this year’s figures still driving all around the state getting their passports stamped, buying yards of fabric, and seeing quilting inspiration unparalleled in any state. It’s still not too late to complete at least three sections to try to win some prizes. The Quilt MN Shop Hop continues through August 13th.

According to Sue, the grand prize of an Alaskan Cruise is really meant to satisfy the men belonging to the quilters. While a quilting cruise might be a perfect prize for many quilters, the trip to Alaska would be of interest to both the gals as well as the guys. The guys, who escort their quilting wives or send them with friends to explore the many quilt shops all around the state of Minnesota and spend enormous amounts of money, would appreciate a trip and a cruise. This trip for two appeals to all ages and even for those who aren’t married (participants must be over 18 years of age to be eligible for state level prizes).

Sue (Gruber) Poser is the present owner of Gruber’s Quilt Shop. She is the third generation of Grubers to own and work in the store. Sue’s grandfather started Gruber’s as a general store in 1932 in a tiny town called Genola (population 97) located about 35 miles from today’s present location. That first store not only sold groceries but also had an award winning meat market. Sue remembers it as “a real Laura Ingalls store where you could buy anything and everything including fabric.”

About 20 years ago, Gruber’s moved to downtown St. Cloud. When the opportunity arrived a few years later, Sue quickly decided to branch out and create a quilt shop in Waite Park. She didn’t have to think long about it. Quilting was in her blood. “I love quilting. My grandmother taught me when I was 5 years old. I made yo-yos.” She continued, “A bad day ends good if you’re quilting. I do it one fat quarter at a time.”

Here’s the bargain room. I have to admit that I shop at the clearance sections first. I often find quality name-brand fabrics that I could use.

She presently has a staff of 20 full and part time employees including a 4th generation Gruber, her daughter, working right along side her in the shop. Sue boasts that 7 of her staff are pattern designers.

After shopping the clearance section, I shop the regular priced fabrics and quilting notions looking for items on my list.

Gruber’s has been in in its present location for 15 years after moving into this vacated furniture store. The painter decided the space above the quilt shop door needed just a little something extra so Sue gave him permission to do what he wanted. She was surprised at what she saw and a bit unsure if it should stay.

You will see this sign just above the door as you enter the shop from the interior courtyard. I had to admit to Sue that the first time I stopped at Gruber’s four years ago on the shop hop, I walked around the shop and with each corner I turned or doorway I walked through, my eyes got bigger and my jaw dropped more. I left empty-handed. I was overwhelmed. When I was back home after that first visit, I thought about that shop and couldn’t wait to get back to it to explore it further. There definitely is truth in that sign so be prepared to be overwhelmed when you enter or as Tu-Na Helper says, “Enter at your own risk. You may not find your way out for a very long time.”

Gruber’s tagline “The Quilt Shop for Every Quilter” matches the 10,000+ bolts of fabric and many quilting supplies as well as a yarn shop found within its walls. Click here to go to Gruber’s website to find out more info about this quilt shop as well as tour their online store.

Sue has seen a resurgence of knitting interest with the younger generation. Half of her staff knits.

Sue’s advice for new quilters is to find a group to sew with. She says, “It’s (sewing) social. Sew with friends.” I know that quilters make very good friends.

Gruber’s offer a variety of classes in their well-lit classroom. About 15 years ago, a retreat center was started to meet the needs of quilters who like to sew and socialize. Sue said that I had just missed seeing Amanda Jean Nyberg as she had been there over the weekend (I am a follower of hers at Crazy Mom Quilts). The retreat center has room for 15 quilters to sew, snack, and sleep. That sounds pretty good to me.

The classroom

Other quilting celebrities and important people have visited Gruber’s. Back in 2004, the shop received a phone call. “This is the White House calling.” Sue’s daughter, who had taken the call, suspected it to be a political call and hung up the phone. Luckily for Gruber’s, they called back but this time asked not to be hung up on again. Laura Bush wanted to come and visit a successful small business run by a woman. The visit was arranged and Mrs. Bush came to Gruber’s in August of that year. She spoke to female business owners right there in the courtyard. Read more about her visit here. There is a link to listen to her remarks, too.

Gruber’s prides itself in taking care of the husbands that come along with their quilting wives. They’ve installed a TV and some leather chairs for the guys in the large courtyard. “If we hear snoring, we know we did a good job,” Sue said smiling. In addition, the shop has a café located in the courtyard where meals and pastries are made by a chef who attended Le Cordon Bleu. Plan to visit Gruber’s to shop and stay for coffee, and then lunch, and finish the day with some dessert. Strolling through this shop just might take some time.

Sue and I are chatting at the tables in front of the quilt shop and beside the Café in this interior courtyard. You can see that sign above the door.

Gruber’s has benefited from the shop hop as it has given the store more exposure to quilter’s coming from many states in the country. They gave out 500 of their Quilt MN Block Hop patterns in the first 5 days of the hop this year.

This quilt, on display in the courtyard of Gruber’s, has all the block patterns from all 66 participating shops. Which one is your favorite?

I wanted to have stayed longer at Gruber’s. Sue has a zest for life and for caring about her customers, but we needed to be on our way.

It was hard to leave this shop as I felt like I’d just found a new, dear friend.

Plan to stop at Gruber’s, the largest quilt shop in a 5 state area, for a bite to eat and a bit of fabric or yarn shopping. But don’t come on Sunday (except during the shop hop) as they are closed because, according to Sue, “Everybody should have a day off.” When you do visit, say Hi! to Sue and the gals and tell them that Tu-Na sent you.

What’s this? I spied these state flower fabrics made by In the Beginning Fabrics on my way out of the shop. I’ve never seen them before. I might have to add them onto my list. I’m holding North Dakota’s state flower fabric on top of the bolts.

Block of the Day

I bought this cute Minne-Sewta Jar block kit from Gruber’s Quilt Shop which came with an option to sew it into a pincushion. Because of lack of time, but not lack of ambition, I wasn’t able to complete it, yet. I was happy I got this much done! Note: The pattern gives directions for making a 7.5″ unfinished block. If you are sewing your Minne-Sewta Jar block along with the other patterns provided by the quilt shops in your quilt, you will need it to be 8.5.” You can make the adjustment by cutting pieces B and C 1/2″ wider than given on the pattern and sew a 1.5″ x 8.5″ piece to the bottom. Just be sure to keep the lid on the jar so those dragonflies stay in.

What I Learned Today:

My husband is better at recognizing fabric manufacturers than I am. We were walking out of Dawn’s Quilt Shop in Alexandria when he stopped in his tracks and pointed. “Cotton and Steel,” he said. I checked the end of the bolt and he was correct.
I must be enjoying the hop. I’m forgetting what day of the week it is.
If the White House calls, don’t hang up.

Question: Have you ever been to Minnesota? I have been there many times from enjoying the big city life of Minneapolis to visiting my sister in a very small town. It’s a very interesting state.

I read and appreciate every comment I receive. I’ve either been busy writing posts or shopping so I haven’t had time to reply but do plan to when I am home and recovered from the trip. Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

See my other posts about the 2017 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop:

Tu-Na Travels: ♪Over Hill. Over Dale. We Will Hit the Dusty Trail. As the Quilt Hop Goes Rolling Along….♪

Tu-Na Travels: Day One, 352 Miles, 11 Shops, Only 55 Shops Remaining

Tu-Na Travels: Day Two, 334 miles, 7 Shops, Only 48 Shops Remaining

Tu-Na Travels: Day Three, 210 Miles, 4 Shops, 44 Shops Remaining

Tu-Na Travels: Day Four, 276 Miles, 9 Shops, Only 35 Shops Remaining

All the links to my posts for last year’s Quilt MN Shop Hop can be found at the top of this blog under the Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats title. Click on the Shop Hop tab; in the drop down menu, click on 2016 Quilt MN Shop Hop Posts.

At this time, I have no affiliation with any of the shops, products, companies, or services that I mention here on Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats.

Linking to:

Let’s Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

WIPs at Silly Mama Quilts

Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Tu-Na Travels: Day Four, 276 Miles, 9 Shops, Only 35 Shops Remaining

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When I walked into the second shop on our fourth day, Fabrics Plus in Marshall, the gal behind the counter cheerfully greeted me, “Hi, Karen!” Oh, my goodness, I thought. She knows her customers by name and I haven’t been back since last year’s hop—now that’s customer service!

With a smile like that, who wouldn’t feel welcome here? Tracy is explaining what Marshall Moonshine has to do with the Shop hop.

I was floored and flattered to find out that Tracy Veglahn, an owner of the shop, reads and follows my blog and had recognized me from my pictures on it. Fabrics Plus is a fun shop with friendly staff and we spent a fair amount of time there.

Each year, the Southwest section compiles a cookbook with recipes and a quilt pattern from each store. This year’s theme was “Get Crocked in the Southwest.” This year’s cookbook contains crock-pot recipes and the pattern for this lovely quilt above along with patterns from the 8 other shops in the section.

Tu-Na Helper said we needed to be on our way, so we said our goodbyes, grabbed our purchase, and off we went.

Heather’s Book Nook & Sew Much More in Granite Falls treated each of us to a dipped pretzel log. How did they know that pretzels are Tu-Na Helper’s favorite snack? Thank you!

Continuing on through the countryside, I begged my husband to stop just outside of Olivia, MN. I guess there still is a bit of farm girl left in me as I wanted to get out of the car to see for myself exactly how tall that crop of corn was.

I was totally amazed by that corn patch. I am 5″ 4″ and knew my dad wouldn’t believe me unless I had a picture with me standing in it. What do you think of that corn, dad?

We soon came into New Ulm, population 13,342, and saw:

Today’s Top Shop on The Hop

If Day Two’s post read like a love story, this one reads “A Family Affair.”

The Thimble Box is located at 10 North Minnesota Street, New Ulm, MN.

As I entered The Thimble Box, a pretty, young lady cheerfully greeted me from behind the counter. I made my way through the store and being the curious (although some would call me just plain nosey) type that I am, I ventured into a work room and discovered Brenda Seidl, the owner, doing a bit of work. Hexis were spread all around her and we chatted about them and the class she is teaching (pictured below).

It was then that I saw THE BOX.

THE BOX was filled with basted hexi pieces all lined up in color coordinated rows.

Brenda learned to sew from her mom and now Brenda is sewing for her mom. Brenda lovingly bastes them all and gives them to her mom, Judy Eastman, whom Brenda called the manager of the shop, to sew together into flower shapes.

There’s even a second box of basted hexis waiting in line for their sewing orders.

Judy loves to sort and organize the hexis and sew them together. She showed us her hexi quilt that she is working on and I asked how long that’s taken her. Brenda asked me, “Do you mean the first time or the second time?” Well, the story goes that Judy had noticed a problem and tried to fix it but the more she fixed it the worse it got. So finally, she just took that lovely hexi quilt top all apart and is now patiently sewing it all back together again. Now, that’s a dedicated quilter!

Judy, Me, and Brenda holding Judy’s hexi quilt. The countless hours are definitely evident in this beautiful quilt.

If you’re thinking that Judy is making a small quilt, think again. This is going to be queen size.

Even the back is pretty!

I asked for some tips on making hexis as I’ve wanted to start a project myself. I’ve been collecting 30s fabrics during the last two Quilt MN Shop Hops but have been a bit timid in actually starting. I stopped at just the right shop and asked just the right people for help.

These two are masters of this method and they willingly shared some secrets. Judy recommends leaving the papers around the edges until they’ve been sewn onto the next piece and then they can be removed. Brenda says to use pink silk thread to sew the hexis together paying no attention to the color of the fabric. I checked out Brenda’s class sample and it really does work. I’ll have to add pink silk thread onto my list.

One more picture of this box with precisely basted hexis waiting for Judy to work her magic.

I’ve been searching for a good, traditional 30’s solid green color of fabric to use for my hexi project and Brenda suggested Kona Old Green. I learned a few tips and tricks from these masters and Brenda sent a couple of little starter packages of hexis with me so I can give them a try. I’ve also been warned that they can be rather addicting causing one to forget about doing housework and making meals. Poor Tu-Na Helper. He may have to go out and buy himself a case of Hamburger Helper or Tuna Helper.

I also asked Brenda if everyone in this small town quilts or exactly how could this small town support not just one but three quilt shops. It didn’t take her long to answer, “We each have a different flavor. I specialize in wildlife, trucks, and dirt.” That took a bit of explanation which was accomplished by showing me the wide variety of hunting and fishing themed prints in addition to other fabrics.

Here’s two bolts of fabric showing some of the trucks and dirt that you’ll find at The Thimble Box.

I also couldn’t help but notice the number of panels hanging on the walls.

Brenda admitted that her accumulation and variety of panels started with her buying one. If you’re in the market for a panel or some wildlife, trucks or dirt fabric, this is one shop to stop at.

Brenda designs and writes many patterns and has them for sale in her shop. Her patterns are great for beginners, or those of us who learn by looking at pictures, as they not only contain clearly worded directions but also many pictures.

Don’t leave the shop until you buy this potholder kit. Unfortunately, I was distracted and forgot to look for some purple ones. Now I’ll just have to go back again sometime soon. And maybe I’ll have sewn some hexis to show them.

Those potholders above looked like thongs for the hand (I grew up wearing thongs on my feet) and reminded me of the purple thang story I wrote for Day Seven of the 12 Days of Christmas in July post here.

While we were in the shop, Pat brought in her quilt she made during a class that Brenda has been teaching. They were auditioning borders but I left before she had decided which ones to use.

Brenda tells new quilters, “Don’t give up at your first road block and don’t be afraid to ask for help.” She also says to give yourself 15 minutes each day to do something just for you whether it’s sewing or quilting related or not.

Brenda’s started a yo-yo project, too.

Brenda’s owned The Thimble Box for 11 years. The previous owner was going to retire and Brenda didn’t want to see the store closed. However, Brenda’s mom gave me the real reason; “Her husband told her she can’t bring anymore fabric home.” To learn more about this shop, like them on Facebook.

I could tell that this family has a sense of humor. Brenda designed this pattern for this year’s Row by Row and titled it. “Gas It Up.” This year’s theme is “On the Go.”

In addition to Brenda’s mom, Judy, working 2-3 days a week (and doing a very good job at managing, I might add), there are 4 other part-time employees. However, today, Brenda’s husband, Maurice, cut my fabric; her daughter, Chandra (the very same gal who greeted me so cheerfully when I walked in) was the cashier; and son, Tony, reshelved the bolt. This teamwork and dedication is why I call this shop operation a family affair—a family happily working together helping to make this a very interesting shop to visit. Oh, and when you do, say Hi, to Brenda and ask to see her mom’s hexi quilt and THE BOX. And tell them that Tu-Na sent you.

Maurice, Tony, Brenda, and Chandra. Chandra comes up from Florida for two weeks every summer to help her mom with the shop hop. Tony lives in Rochester and comes to help, too.

We headed back to the car and noticed this sign in a store window.

I think it’s missing the word “quilt.” After all, with three quilt shops in town, there must be a lot of quilters around.

I was up for a challenge at our next stop, Spinning Spools in New Ulm; just how full could I stuff that quart bag with scraps. I’ve been working on gathering, cutting, and sewing 1.5” squares (and even some 1” squares) for a postage stamp quilt.

My goal is to use all different fabrics in my postage stamp quilt so that means I need a lot of different little pieces.

This box of scraps was perfect and I accepted and met the challenge.

The zip lock bag stayed shut just long enough to pay for it and take this picture. I don’t think another piece of thread would have fit in it.

We checked out of the Southwest section at Sewing Seeds, also in New Ulm, and received our incentive prize. It’s been a few days since we’d checked out of any sections so receiving these prizes was very rewarding.

We each received a 12 pack of fat quarters of Wilmington’s Flannel Essentials for completing the section.

We turned our Prius toward Norwood Young America and headed for the new shop on the hop this year, The Quilting Grounds. My husband and I were a bit confused about the name of the shop until we stepped foot inside the door. Wafts of coffee scent greeted us along with several cheerful HI’s. While I perused the racks and racks of fabric and finally settled on a couple of yards of 30s, my husband ordered us smoothies. By the time I had paid for my purchases and we had filled out the info for checking out of the Southeast section, our smoothies were ready.

We received six half-yard cuts of bright Modern Solids by In the Beginning Fabrics for each of us. A fantastic reward for completing this section.

Each of the shops in the Southeast section also offered an extra special offer they called the “Two Buck Chunk.”

These chunks were a half-yard cut of Modern Solids by In the Beginning Fabrics for $2.00 with a $10.00 purchase (limit of 2). Of course, I couldn’t pass them up. After all, who doesn’t need more solids? Choosing was very hard to do. Here’s my pickings. I have 14 of them so one must be hiding in the accumulating stash.

We were just about to close the shop’s door behind us when Barb caught up with us.

Hi, Barb! It was so nice to meet you, Barb, (a reader and follower of Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats), and know that you’ve been enjoying my adventures and sharing this shop hop journey.

We picked up our smoothies and off we drove to see if we could arrive at the next shop before closing time.

I had the Peach-Pear-Apricot and my husband had the Four Berry Smoothie (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry). They were wonderfully cold on this hot day and very delicious. I highly recommend them.

We still had one shop left for the day, Quilt Haven on Main in Hutchison, MN. I featured them last year; click here to read it. Google maps told us we would be arriving at 6:03, 3 minutes past closing time. It’s been pretty accurate predicting our arrivals all along and it was exactly 6:03 when we parked in front of the shop. I quickly opened the car door not even sure if my husband had put it in park yet and hopped out. I checked the door and it was still open so I rushed in. I must have breathed a very loud sigh of relief because when I rounded the corner inside the shop two staff members looked at each other. “Should we tell her or not?” questioned one of them. “That the store is closed,” I said hanging my head in disappointment. “No, that we’re open until 7 tonight.”

Now, I had time to leisurely shop on the first floor and visit with a group of quilters on the second floor. I walked up and down the steps feeling like Scarlett O’Hara.

It had been a long day so we found a room at the Days Inn in Hutchinson and ate at the Tokyo Grill. Morning would come early again.

We started our meal with soup and salad. The shrimp and chicken were delicious. You’ll just have to take my word for it; my camera battery was complaining it needed to be recharged and so did we.

The 2017 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop continues through August 13th so you still have time to join in on the fun!

Block of the Day

I purchased this block kit from Heather’s Book Nook and Sew Much More in Granite Falls. It is an easy block to sew.

A perfect 8.5″ square.

The pattern doesn’t include written directions so here’s some if you need them. Make sure you cut the pieces as given (8) A pieces at 1 5/8″ squares of white and (8) A pieces at 1 5/8″ squares of green, (4) B pieces at 3 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ of green, and (1) C piece at 3 7/8″ square of the blue background turtle. Sew one B to each side of C. Press your seams toward the dark green fabric. Make the four patches for the corners using the A pieces as shown on the picture on the pattern. Sew a set of them to each side of a B piece. Make two of these strips. Sew one strip to the top of your BCB unit and one to the bottom of it. Trim to 8.5″.

What I Learned Today:

Corn grows very tall in MN. They must have good soil and get a lot of rain or irrigate. The governor of North Dakota has declared 46% of the state in a severe drought.
My son sent me a picture of how the corn in our garden is looking today. It should be much taller by now. My grandson is 38″ tall. I’m sad, too, because we may not get any sweet corn this year. I guess if we do, it will be the right height for this little guy to pick.
My husband has now been promoted to Tu-Na Helper CEO (Carry Everything Out) by someone along the route.
Brenda Seidl has a fun and interesting mom, Judy.
Unwashed fresh farm eggs can sit on the counter for days. However, if you wash them, they need to be refrigerated because washing removes the protective covering. I give credit to Judy for educating me on this little fact. Without her help, I might have only learned three things today. Thanks, Judy!

Question: Have you tried English Paper Piecing and if so what shapes? I want to try hexis especially after today. My goal is to make a Grandmother’s Flower Garden. Armed with Brenda’s tips and enthusiasm, I have no doubt I will start soon. And if I run into problems, I know just who to call for help.

I read and appreciate every comment I receive. I’ve either been busy writing posts or shopping so I haven’t had time to reply. Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement. Eventually, I hope to reply to you.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

See my other posts about the 2017 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop:

Tu-Na Travels: ♪Over Hill. Over Dale. We Will Hit the Dusty Trail. As the Quilt Hop Goes Rolling Along….♪

Tu-Na Travels: Day One, 352 Miles, 11 Shops, Only 55 Shops Remaining

Tu-Na Travels: Day Two, 334 miles, 7 Shops, Only 48 Shops Remaining

Tu-Na Travels: Day Three, 210 Miles, 4 Shops, 44 Shops Remaining

At this time, I have no affiliation with any of the shops, products, or services that I mention here on Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats.

Linking to:

Oh Scrap at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Linky Tuesday at Free Motion by the River

Tu-Na Travels: Day Three, 210 Miles, 4 Shops, 44 Shops Remaining

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Day three on the 2017 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop was a short day for us. We said goodbye to our daughter and her husband and headed onward with our journey.

I really like sky pictures and couldn’t resist taking a few. Last year I was shopping for sky fabric.

When we arrived at Michele’s Quilting & Sewing Center in Blue Earth, we were cheerfully greeted by Michele, her helpful staff, and several volunteers who were sporting red aprons. They were waiting for a bus to arrive but gave us a tour of her classroom with a new design wall.

Our next stop was Old Alley Quilt Shop in Sherburn, which I had featured last year. They needed a package delivered to Windom so we eagerly accepted the challenge and decided to make a speedy delivery there next. But first we needed to fill the gas tank. We get great gas mileage with the Prius but one can sometimes forget to check the gauge. Having seen the advertising sign outside of Old Alley, my husband eagerly handed the local Kum & Go attendant his quilting passport to receive 5¢ off each gallon of gas. Anyone who knows my husband knows that he likes a good deal. That meant that we saved enough to pay for part of the tax on the fabric I had just bought.

We drove past more corn fields and finally into the small town of Windom. And then I saw:

Today’s Top Shop on the Hop

The history of this shop reads like a love story.

Prairie Quilting is located at 1293 Hale Place, Windom, MN.

Twenty-two years ago, Kay suggested to her husband that she would like to open a quilt shop. So he moved his papers out of his office in his feed store and let her fill it with bolts and bolts of fabric. They’ve since added on a lean-to which holds even more.

So when Kay and her husband go to work each day, they kiss goodbye, wish each other a good day, and then head into their own separate spaces in the same building. They can work side by side, just steps apart, doing what they both enjoy doing.

When I walked into this quilt shop, I saw for myself how well stocked it is. Kay carries a variety of fabrics as she wants to appeal to many interests. She has a whole wall of flannels and many batiks too.

Looking into the added lean-to.

While Kay doesn’t have space to offer classes, she encourages her customers to make an appointment and she’ll work one on one with them offering them her assistance and advice.

Kay had never sewn a quilt top until she opened her shop. One of the reasons she wanted to have her own shop was so that she could learn to piece quilt tops. She sends her finished quilt tops to a professional longarmer for the quilting. Her advice is to “find one (longarmer) you are happy with.”

: You will find approximately 3000 bolts of fabric in Kay’s shop.

Kay advises new quilters to start small so they can finish the project. “Don’t start with a queen size quilt,” she cautions. “Don’t be afraid of color,” added another customer, who evidently has shopped here many times before. Linda (who lives in Janesville, MN but is originally from Windom) continued, “I’m still afraid of color but I’m getting better.” Kay agreed proudly as she’s watched Linda progress in her quilting skills. “Linda is becoming more comfortable with making her quilts look scrappy and now I’m starting to go the other way.”

: Kay, Linda (in front), and me. I wonder who gave Kay those flowers? Could it have been her husband?

Having only one part-time employee, Kay does most of the work of running the shop herself. She enjoys being part of the Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop and says that the hop gives her shop lots of exposure which makes all the work involved worth it. She also enjoys seeing people return to her shop each year on the hop. Check out her website here to find out more about this shop.

The store is small but Kay has a nice variety of fabrics and quilting supplies.

Some of the tasks she needed to do before being overrun with eager shoppers was to design the block and the pattern, print it, cut the 5 inch charm squares, and stuff them into page protectors. She likes to present them this way to her shoppers. She stuffed enough for 800 hoppers and I’m sure if more shop hoppers come, she’d be ready to make more.

This is a great idea. I think I will organize all my patterns from the Hop in their own page protectors in a binder. Thanks, Kay, for this organizing tip.

Kay concluded, “I am happy I can get up in the morning and go to a place I love to work at.” I don’t doubt that for a minute. After all, she’s working right next to her sweetheart. Put Prairie Quilting on your list of shops to visit and when you do, say hi to Kay and wave to her husband. Oh, and tell her Tu-Na sent you.

His and Her’s

Block for the Day

I purchased this Bow-Tie Block Kit from Michele’s Quilting and Sewing Center in Blue Earth. It sewed up quickly. The pattern needed just a bit of tweaking so if you are making it either cut the leaf and dark gray fabrics at 3″ square or trim the center 4 sewn squares to 5.5.” Then add the borders as listed on the pattern to make the 8.5″ unfinished block.

What I Learned Today:

Three and a half hours of driving between 4 shops only leaves one and a half hours for shopping before closing time.
My husband has a good memory. He remembered to give Kay at Prairie Quilting the package from Old Alley. Without him, it may still be in the back seat now covered with yards and yards of fabric.
Taking time to listen to other people’s stories is so rewarding.
Shop hopping is exhausting but loads of fun. It may not be as much fun next month when the credit card statement arrives.
It is definitely much quieter in the car today since our daughter is not in the back seat.
I do miss her and wish that next year she and I could shop the statewide hop together.
About the only way all these block kits will be sewn on this trip is if I figure out how to plug the machine into the car or sew in my sleep. I guess I should be thankful I got this one done.
I’ve learned a lot today.

Question: Do you buy kits containing all the fabric you need or do you prefer to pick out the colors yourself and buy from the bolt? I am buying many of the block kits for this hop but usually I prefer to pick my own colors and buy the yardage.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

See my other posts about the 2017 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop:

Tu-Na Travels: ♪Over Hill. Over Dale. We Will Hit the Dusty Trail. As the Quilt Hop Goes Rolling Along….♪

Tu-Na Travels: Day One, 352 Miles, 11 Shops, Only 55 Shops Remaining

Tu-Na Travels: Day Two, 334 miles, 7 Shops, Only 48 Shops Remaining

I have no affiliation with any of the shops or products that I mention here on Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats.

Giveaway Winners Notice:

The winners of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway of Tula Pink Fabrics from Free Spirit fabrics are now listed here and below. Congratulations!

The winners of a Holiday Homies jelly roll are:
Julie in GA

Maxine Shaw

Ledamewood (at) gmail (dot) com

Jeri Niesich

Kathy E.

jrquilts

The winners of a Holiday Homies layer cake are:

quiltsmiles

Jann

sewlost

Jocelyn

Janet

Christina

And the winner of the fat quarter bundle is:

Barb Kaup

Linking to:

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Tu-Na Travels: Day Two, 334 miles, 7 Shops, Only 48 Shops Remaining

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Our daughter joined us for day two of the shop hop. Her list was short: thread. She has a finished quilt top that she needs to sandwich and quilt so she wanted to buy some good thread. I should have taken a picture of all she purchased. By about the fourth shop of the day, she announced, “I only had thread on my list and I haven’t even bought that yet.” She bought patterns and fabric and, eventually, the thread.

I am ever amazed at how different each section of MN looks. This is between Rochester and Winona.

We began our day at Bluffview Quilt Shop in Winona. I introduced myself as Tu-Na and my husband as Tu-Na Helper reminding the gals that I had featured their shop last year. The gals at the shop spent a few minutes trying to come up with a name for our daughter. Spoiled Tu-Na was their choice. I think Tu-Na’s Spoiled (pampered) Daughter is just about right; her brothers probably would agree.

My husband says, “Some lucky guy is going to get these shirts, when the hop is over.” These Quilt MN samples were made by Bluffview Quilt Shop. This fabric line easily lends itself to sewing for the guys. Do I have to make Tu-Na Helper one now? Nope, only if Quilt MN starts designing fabric with a Hawaiian theme.

We arrived at Quilter’s Dream in Montgomery around noon. We discovered a car show happening right outside the shop’s front door. The car show is usually held in conjunction with Kolacky Days. However, this is the first year it coincided with the quilt hop. The car show was a happy bonus for my husband.

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After shopping, we strolled around town a bit looking at the cars and overheard someone talking about going to the bakery to get Kolackys. This bakery happened to be conveniently located on the way to our car so we ducked in to see just what these Kolackys were and why the bakery was jam-packed with waiting customers.

We had our choice of fillings: Prune, Poppyseed, Apricot, Apple or Raspberry. We resisted taking some of each.

While we were waiting in line for our turn in the bakery, we soon were in the presence of royalty.

This town knows how to celebrate traditions. Here’s the Kolacky Queen and her royal court.

These were definitely worth the wait.

We bought a half-dozen of Apricot and a half-dozen of Raspberry.

They were delicious!

After leaving Montgomery, I could hear rustling and rattling sounds coming from the back seat where Emily was sitting. I was wondering what was going on when she cried out, “I think I got bit………by the quilting bug,” as she continued to sort through her purchases.

We drove past corn fields, past farms and even past a wind farm.

I took this pic hanging my head and camera out of the car window while my husband was driving 60 mph. I think it turned out rather good.

Towards the end of the day, we came upon:

Today’s Top Shop on the Hop

As we drove up to this cute shop, all I saw was the front porch and the cute rocking chairs begging to be sat in. And so we did.

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As we set foot inside Calico Hutch Quilt Shop in Hayward, we discovered more store samples in one location than I have seen in a long time. The shop also held more bolts of fabric than I could have imagined. There are fabrics to satisfy the taste of just about any quilter.

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I searched the store for the owner to find out how a small town could support such a large shop.

Carolyn has owned Calico Hutch Quilt Shop for 15 years. However, she worked here for 10 years before buying it. That’s a lot of experience in buying, displaying, teaching, and making customers happy.

Hayward is a very small town with a population of 230 people. However, Carolyn has not let that stop her from making Calico Hutch one of the biggest and best shops around. They are located on the outskirts of town and conveniently located near two interstates, I 90 and I 35. It is the only quilt shop within 60 miles. Even so, their customer base is larger than that area and now boasts shoppers from France, Germany, Australia, and Great Britain all within the past couple of months. I tend to think a lot of hard work has taken place to make this shop successful.

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Calico Hutch began 35 years ago when the previous owner decided to start a quilt store right beside her husband’s service station in downtown Hayward. This station was called Hutch’s Service Corner. When the shop started, calico fabric was about all that was available for purchase. Thus the quilt shop name was born, Calico Hutch. Over time, the shop expanded and moved into it’s present location in a building which once housed a Bobcat dealership and service area. While there is no evidence of grease, your husband just might be willing to visit here with you if you let them know that Bobcats were once sold here.

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Calico Hutch has a staff of 20 to assist customers. In addition to a variety of fabrics, they have wool and hundreds of kits for your pastime pleasure. You can find more information about the store and their online shop on their website here.

tunaquilts 19a

If you are a new quilter, Carolyn says to find a project you would like to do because, “If you like what you’re doing, it will be fun.”

They also are a Bernina dealer.

I think I found the secrets to this shop’s success in a small town. Besides the friendly and helpful staff, they carry a wide variety of fabrics. Calico Hutch Quilt Shop is easily accessible off two major roads and has ample parking. In addition, they offer many classes, 8 clubs, bus trips, retreats, and participate in shop hops. All of this helps her customers stay current and active in quilting. Active quilters need fabric and when they need fabric a lot of them come to Calico Hutch Quilt Shop. You might like to, too. Oh, and when you do, say hi to Carolyn and the gals, and tell them Tu-Na sent you.

If I chose a motto for Carolyn, it would be this one. Within the hour I spent with her, I sensed the drive, skill, and compassion that is making this shop successful in a small town.

Block for the Day

The sewing machine hasn’t left the car yet. I used my daughter’s machine when we were staying with them. I just haven’t had time to sew up today’s block. It didn’t take long for me to discover that I’d have to choose between sewing or writing. Writing won, for now.

What I Learned Today:

My daughter still heeds and needs my advice. “When debating between two different patterns, buy them both so there’ll be no regrets later,” I told Emily at the quilt shop when she asked which of the two she should purchase. Later in the car, she announced that she was glad she had decided to buy both of them.
My daughter’s laugh is just like mine. That’s what the gals at Bluffview Quilt Shop told us. We laughed a lot there.
There really is some truth to the phrase “Like mother, like daughter,” at least in the areas of fabric purchases.
There isn’t much time left after we find a hotel and eat dinner in the evenings. Maybe tomorrow will be different.

Question: Have you ever tasted or made a Kolachy? What can you tell me about them? I had two aunts who used to make them. However, they spelled it kolache, and made them because their husbands had grown up eating them. I remember those wonderful, light, and airy buns with poppy seed filling.

Thank you for all the wonderful comments! I am not able to answer each one yet. I do read and appreciate each one and there have been some that have set me to laughing. Keep them coming and eventually, I will respond, probably when I’m back home.

Giveaway Winner:

The Random Number picked the giveaway winner for the Christmas stocking and all the goodies:

Random number generation / Random Numbers

Generate number between 1 and 110 = 2

Jean McKinstry July 25, 2017 at 3:03 am

I met you during the 12 days of Christmas Blog hop, and you are now on my blog list, I follow you with Blogger.

Congratulations to Jean McKinstry. Thanks to all for entering.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

See my other posts about the 2017 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop:

Tu-Na Travels: ♪Over Hill. Over Dale. We Will Hit the Dusty Trail. As the Quilt Hop Goes Rolling Along….♪

Tu-Na Travels: Day One, 352 Miles, 11 Shops, Only 55 Shops Remaining

All the links to my posts for last year’s Quilt MN Shop Hop can be found at the top of this blog under the title. Click on the Shop Hop tab; in the drop down menu, click on 2016 Quilt MN Shop Hop Posts.

Linking to:

Let’s Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Jo’s Country Junction

Linky Tuesday at Free Motion by the River