A Day Off Turns Into a Day to Shop Hop

Yesterday was my "day off." A day just for me. I decided that I needed to go on a little shop hop down south. So I took off at 10am and was able to get to 3 shops and back by 4pm. Not too bad.

First stop - Quilts N' More in Midlothian. Next was the Corner Square Quilt Shop in Cedar Hill. I ended my journey at Common Threads in Waxahachie. It was quite a little trip...complete with a stop for lunch at Burger King - yuck! and a stop at Dairy Queen that was much better - way, way cleaner. Below are my thoughts about the places I visited.

Quilts N' More has tons of stuff. Fabric, Notions, Books and Patterns. Lots and lots of stuff. It's a bit of a ramshackle kind of place with a somewhat cluttered look. This store is packed to the rafters with all things quilt related. If you're looking for awesome ambiance, this is not the place. If you are looking for something unique to complete your quilt, you'll likely find it here. I was overwhelmed and awed at the same time. I wouldn't put this shop at the top of my favorites list and I probably won't be back, but if I lived in the area I'd be happy to be a customer.

Corner Square Quilts is a bright, cheerful little shop with an enthusiastic and hospitable shop owner. The selection is limited and that helps keep things fresh because turnover is quick. For such a small shop I felt that it had a nice variety of projects and patterns. The batik and blender sections were full and could be incorporated into many lovely quilt tops. The shop has tables available for guests to drop in and use.

After a bit of back tracking I finally landed in Waxahachie at Common Threads. My friend, Sally Ashbacher, adores this shop and I can see why. It is indeed a lovely shop. Packed with beautiful samples and a large range of fabric, there surely must be something for everyone. While the focus is on Civil War reproduction fabric, there are certainly many other genres of fabric available, such as thirties, blenders, novelties, and other traditional styles. There were many patterns and books. The staff was friendly, even though there focus that day seemed to be redecorating after Halloween. The displays in the shop are well done and present interesting vignettes. The downtown location is quaint, attractive and clean. Located across the street is a nice antique shop. The town itself offers many scenic photo opportunities and I am inclined to think that I will be returning at some future date, with the hubby.

Over all, I was satisfied with my shop hop and am glad that this was how I chose to spend my day. My GPS, on the other hand, died part way home. Thankfully, it was the part where I already knew my way, so I made it home safe and sound, with a few fat quarters and a pattern or two.