Western Washington Shop Hop 2015 and a Row By Row Experience all at once.

Saturday morning my friend Rita came and picked me up so we could do a bit of the Western Washington Shop Hop.  It started on Wednesday and went through until Sunday.  We crossed over the border at Aldergrove B.C. and went to Lynden Washington.  First stop was a bite of breakfast and then we walked a few doors down to Calico Country.  On display on the wall is last year's row by row of flip flops or thongs as I grew up calling them and below is the H2O theme depicting boats and a lighthouse along with a few seagulls.  Interesting design choice for a farming community.

 Here is the block they offered for the WWSH, a chrysanthemum.

 Next stop was Tangled Threads also in Lynden and they had designed these cute bobbin boats racing along the sea.

 Here was their WWSH block, how appropriate to their shop name.

 My friend Rita recalled seeing a pattern for a Featherweight Sewing machine, unfortunately they no longer carried the pattern but one of the gals had hers to share with us.  It covers your case to help protect it.

 Here is the other side of the case protector.

They have some wonderful old sewing machines in their shop.  This is a Kenmore.

 Next stop also in Lynden was Folktales.  They designed a vertical row for the row by row experience.

 Their block for the shop hop was in four pieces.  Very sweet autumn theme for the height of a heat wave.  They made it into a tote bag.

 Love this farm themed quilt that they had on display.

 Love this Herbs shelf.

 This hour glass grey and white quilt caught Rita's eye.

 Next we drove down to Aunt Mary's Quilt Shop in Smokey Point/Arlington.  She has started to stock wool again.  Those three little rolls on the second shelf are called Curlers!

 Carol designed this whimsical under the sea stitched and crayon coloured piece.  It is hard to tell but the deep sea diver is Aunt Mary!  You can see the hull and propeller of the boat with a long line and a hook on the end of it.  Last year she drew up a whimsical camper on the road with Western Washington landmarks.  Love that lady!

 Carol showed off several ways to sew the shop hop block.

 Then we drove over to the historic downtown area of Arlington about 3 miles off I-5, we checked out an antique shop and these napkins caught my eye.  Definitely the mantra for the day.

 The Quiltmaker's Shoppe had their row depicting a rainbow and carts of flowers being hauled by a tractor. Again I forgot to photograph the WWSH block.

 We headed back north to Mount Vernon known for it's tulip festival in the Spring.  They recently added these Irises to an entry to the freeway.  They would be fun to replicate as paper pieced blocks.

 Calico Creations is the Shop in Mount Vernon, sorry I forgot to take a picture of their shop hop block but here is their row by row.  Colourful fish!

 Back up to Bellingham and a stop at Fabrics-Etc.  Their whimsical fish along with seaweed and their licence plate. Their WWSH block depicts a young girl in silhouette throw up leaves from a leaf pile.

They were also showing this porthole quilt they designed to honour the ferry builders and all the ferries that are seen along the coast.

  A peek at the bottom half...

 ...and the top half.  They said they would not be making a pattern for this.  Too bad.

 Finally after much searching I found the Spring 2015 Quiltmania special edition!

 Here is a peek at the back cover, they had some spectacular projects in this one.

I'm hoping to get a few more row by row experience patterns.  I have one from one of my local quilt shops and plan to get some more from south of the border.  Stay tuned to see what else is available. Seven quilt shops in 80+F weather was more than enough for one day!

Day Three Stitching with Sue Spargo...all good things must come to an end.

Third and final day of stitching with Sue was very fulfilling.  Sue has been stitching samples of her new line of threads.  She has 36 colours of Eleganza, Dazzle and Razzle threads in three different thread weights.  

 The samples are still works in progress but are truly spectacular!

 Stitched several critters amongst the circles.  I may have to do a small sampler after finishing my leaves.

 Love the little teddy or dog that appears to be developing in the photo above.

 If you like clear bold colours these threads are sure to appeal to you.  They have a very smooth Perle finish to them.

 The variegated threads change colour every two inches!

 I love the pink, red and yellow combination above along with the turquoise and yellow.

 So many combinations to choose, can't wait to see them in the different weights on the spools.

 Woven picots free standing and stitched down in the photo below.

 Sue also has some lovely neutral samples that she did before developing her new colour line.

 I love the visual textures the prints give to the sample.  She has a mix of wool, cottons and velvets.

 Simple running stitch, some beads and French knots.

 1/4" hexagons with back stitch and cast on bullion stitch surrounding.

 One of her butterflies from a sampler.

 These are Uschi Grenier and her partner Kerry Karram brought Sue Spargo to teach us.  The chicks below are Uschi's.  She took a class with Sue in Bellevue about six weeks ago and is still working them.  You can find a link to Wool Penny Rugs here.

 Love this colourful fellow with flowers on his hat.

 This little one has a velvet wing with beads stitched on.

 Flowers in her hair being pursued by a dapper chap with a bowler hat and bow tie!

 Love this pink and green combination.

 These are my friend Ethel Snow's chicks.  Love the use of the ribbon on the background.

 Works in progress.

 So many great ideas.

 All of us seem to be stitching and stopping and starting another stitch as Sue teaches us something new.

 Kathleen Parton's chicks,  Interesting to see how each person places their chicks and wings.

 Susan Lum's leaves.

 Sorry I don't recall this gal's name but a few closer looks at this completed bird.

 Beaded drizzle stitch on the tail, woven circles, bullion knots.

 Couched bullion knots over Perle cotton, with pistil stitches down the belly.  Woven running and back stitches on the wing.

 Pistil stitches couching down silken chenille and beaded drizzle stitches on my green leaf.

 My sampler of stitches.  The variegated thread is one of Sue's new ones.

 Ran out of thread, but I've finished it now. Crested Chain Stitch.

 Palestrina knot with a long leg to it.

 I added some open buttonhole filler stitch to look like waves to my palm tree.

 A closer look at the little island in the tropics.  More coming to this leaf.

So after three days of stitching with Sue we were tired and filled with so much creativity. I've stitched a bit almost every day since but yesterday when temperatures went over 80F or 28C; usually we don't get these temperatures until late July early August so stitching wool was not in my wheelhouse!

July 6, I'm linking to Super Mom-No Cape!