Row by Row Experience...Fraser Valley Edition

Early Saturday morning Rita and I decided to head up the Fraser Valley in search of more row by row experience quilt shops.  Our first stop for the morning was in Chilliwack at Countryfolk Fabrics and Gifts.  Imagine our disappointment to see that the store was completely gated and locked up with a sign stating...Closed for Long Weekend!  As this is over an hour drive we won't be going back again very soon especially with the high price of gas this summer.                                                                                                                                                   

Happily our next stop on the way home also in Chilliwack was Open for business and a very busy shop called Hamel's Fabrics.  Below is their row of sailboats, they didn't do a license plate.

 I've been to at least five locations of this shop over my quilting life and always find this shop a delight.  They have all sorts of samples hanging on the walls.

 Love those ice skating blocks.

 Woolie Snowman border this beauty.

 Threads and some pillows, notice the quilt on the ceiling...missed that when I was there, it looks like on of the row by row quilts.

 At the base of the stairs leading to their second floor is part of their wool fabric selection.

 Also some more inside the main floor just before the stairs.

I got some more lovely pink charm squares to keep my other selection from Sisters company.

 Next stop was A Great Notion in Abbotsford.  They designed this great row depicting wildlife along the Fraser River and our provincial flower the Dogwood.

They have two location and have an extensive selection of sewing notions, threads, rulers for both home and quilting.

 Hexagon quilt sample on the wall.

I think that is a Mckenna Ryan quilt in that corner by the threads.

 They have two license plates, one for each shop.

I've been looking for the row by row licence plate fabric and found some here!

 They also had an interested visitor in their parking lot...didn't see any purchases though!

 After lunch we went to A Great Notion in Surrey on the Langley By-Pass.  Lovely detail for the four seasons of H2O Sue!

 I love how their row can be either vertical, horizontal or even a four patch!

 They have a great clearance section in the corner and some wonderful specials for the long weekend!

 Love their black and white.

 Another wonderful license plate.

 Don't you love that fun sewing themed fabric...see how they show the three different settings for their row.  Love it!

We decided not to go to the last shop on our planned list in Surrey, Tom's Sewing as they are part of the same company that has the shop in Chilliwack so we presumed they also would be closed.

I just realized I've not shared some other Vancouver locations for row by row.  This first one is my LQS The Needle and I in Burnaby.  Love this shoreline view from above that Debbie designed.

 The first place I encountered as a quilt shop in about 1987 was The Cloth Shop.  They are located on Granville Island and one of my favourite shops in the lower mainland.  Maria one of the co-owners of the shop designed this lovely west (wet) coast themed row.

 On the north shore in North Vancouver Stephanie from Bobbin and Stitch shares this west coast lifestyle row.

 About 30 minutes from home is Laura's Fashion Fabrics in White Rock.  Is this not one of the most action packed row!

 Rows shown are The Quilted Bear in Ladner on top, Laura's Fashion Fabrics second row.  A Great Notion Abbotsford row three.  Sorry I don't know row four and five.  Row six is Bobbin and Stitch in North Vancouver. Seven and eight I don't know.  But it is a lovely quilt.  I'm heading over there next week to pick up my liscence plate so I'll correct the missing rows. The photo is a bit blurry as I took it with my iPod.

 Love the detail embroidery work on the White Rock in the lower right hand corner or their second sample of the row.