Row by Row Tour de Fraser Valley.

Last week I decided to drive out to the Fraser Valley and pick up some of the row by row patterns from a few shops I rarely go to.  The first stop was at Hamill's in Chilliwack.  I've always loved this shop and it has been a main stay of Chilliwack for many years.  A few years ago they moved the shop out into the farmlands so it is a pretty drive off the highway to get there.  They carry some of Primitive Gatherings and All Thru the Night wool patterns amongst some very modern fabrics and batiks.

 Love this whimsical owl embroidered piece.  I think it is by a local designer.

 Love that guy hanging upside down.

 This place is stuffed to the rafters and has an upstairs I didn't go up to this visit.

 Here is their winning quilt.  Their row is on the bottom.

 They have a small but colourful selection of wool.

 With a bit more adjacent.

 And a bit more.  They also carry DMC six strand embroidery thread and Valdani Perle cotton.

 Cute Kimberbell pillow for Summer.

 Here is they row.

 Next I drove into Chilliwack to Country Folk which is in the old Hamill's Fabric shop!

 Here is their winning quilt.

 They had the Spring Kimberbell pillow on display.

 Back to Abbotsford and A Great Notion to pick up their row.

 They also have a second store in Surrey where I found this row.

 They also offered this second bonus row for purchase as a kit that I've not seen anywhere else.  It is a row by row fundraiser.  I may have to go and get one.

I also stopped in at Castle's Sewing in Surrey, I didn't realize they have a very small selection of fabrics along with sewing machines for sale.  I think their pattern is digitalized for embroidery but will probably try and do it by hand.


I then went to Tom's Sewing in Surrey but forgot to take a picture of their row and then to Burnaby Sewing Centre and got their row.  Country Folk, Tom's Sewing and Burnaby Sewing Centre are all owned by the same family.

So here are the row patterns.  The only stash enhancement was a piece of Soft Fuse to try out.

Hamil's Pattern.

Country Folk, love the Herons, I often see them in the river feeding outside my condo.

 Abbotsford.

 Surrey/Langley.

 Surrey Castle's Sewing Centre.

Tom's Sewing Centre.

 Burnaby Sewing Centre.

 When Anna and I visited in La Conner, I mentioned I had a wool teapot block of the month from The Quilted Strait from many years ago.  Well I pulled it out and found I've stitch 6 of the 12 blocks.  They still have some lovely buttons to add but they may be damaged by heat so I'll add them once the top is quilted.  The BOM started in September.

 Not a cat person but love this guy.

 Great pumpkins Charlie Brown!

 Figgy pudding for Christmas.

 Snowman's face will be done in buttons.

 So I cut some fabric and did the embroidery for the last six months.

 And almost have completed March.  Can you guess what it will be?

Enjoy your week!

Harrison Hot Springs 2015 Retreat

Friday morning I drove out to our annual guild retreat in Harrison Hot Springs.  I stopped along the way at Hamel's Fabrics in Chilliwack.  This shop has been in various locations since 1956; this is the most recent venue set amongst farms.

 I love driving up and seeing what seasonal display is on the porch.  Hamel's Fabric was featured in the latest Quilt Sampler magazine which I finally managed to get my hands on a copy!

 Lovely Crabapple Studios designs are popular here.

 I bought this pattern several years ago, love the crescent moon and star pumpkin...

 ...and the crow and stars one.

 Early arrivals setting up.  This year we had 40 participants in the large room, they also included a second design, ironing, breakfast room.  We then had a buffet set up for dinners in a third ballroom adjacent to each other.

 Starting to fill up.

 My number one project was to put these birds together in a small wall hanging.  It was an on line Mary Lou Weidman swap I received in July 2014.

 Starting to build from the bottom up.

 My table mate Wendy is working on a quilt for her grand daughter's tenth birthday next year.

 Cathy got this Cogs top together.

 Beckie has been working on Chrissie Down Under for 5 years, she got the top done, but I missed getting a picture.

 A completed square quilt to the left by Tricia, and a work in progress by Lorna.

 Celeste is working on a pumpkin table runner.

 Thinking of going in a slightly different direction...

Maybe some blue with something else...will think on it for awhile.

Playing with fabric is fun and trying new techniques out in your head can be challenging.  Need to draw a few things out and then cut the fabric.  What will be in the space?

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.