Celebrating quilt shop owners on National Quilting Day

Quiltmakers, historians, textile aficionados and anyone that loves quilts, fabric, thread, and stitching are celebrating National Quilting Day today! 

To celebrate, I'd like to turn the spotlight on all the creative and hard-working quilt shop and independent sewing center owners and their associates who inspire new and veteran quilters and sewists on a daily basis. They are the catalysts that bring the time-honored craft of quiltmaking into our homes and our lives.

"Creativity is Messy... and I'm very Creative!" Inspiration from Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

Inspiration awaits at your local quilt shop [YLQS]

Here are just a few of the diverse projects I've encountered and admired at quilt shops and independent sewing centers through my travels as a fabric rep.

The Ghastlies fabrics from Alexander Henry Fabrics at 3 Hens and a Chick Quilt Shop.

Bookish from Art Gallery Fabrics at The Quilting Squares of Franklin.

Mixing M&S Textiles Australia fabrics with various blenders at Patches and Stitches.

Fabric panels, kits and programs

Quick and easy quilts can be made with fabric panels.

Frond Design Studios panel from Northcott at Tennessee Quilts.

Make your own wall art with a panel from P&B Textiles at Stitcher's Playhouse.

Another option for fast-and-easy projects are the Kwik Kits from RB Studios. All the pieces are cut to size and ready to start sewing. Backing and binding is included. Open. Sew. Repeat.

Kwik Kits by RB Studios at Quilted Creations.

Ready-to-sew fabric pieces in Kwik Kits by RB Studios at Quilted Creations.

Quilt shops offer on-going clubs and programs like a Block of the Month [BOM] to help quilters build skills and tackle a big project by breaking it down into smaller, manageable activities.

Quilt shops across the country are hosting the Illusions BOM with Banyan Batiks. 

Blocks from the Illusions BOM at Beyond Stitches.

A Sampler BOM with 1930s reproductions from Dutch Heritage at The Cherry Pit.

Cotton prints, solids, flannels and more

Quilts shops and independent sewing centers offer higher quality fabrics for myriad quilting and sewing projects. Shop owners and their staff are knowledgeable and experienced—ask them about classes, patterns and instructions to help you with your next quilting or sewing endeavor.

Yarn-dyed wovens from Diamond Textiles at Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

Machine quilting services are offered at Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

Wovens and prints play together at Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

Quilting cottons are perfect for children's garments.

Festive Fauna from FIGO Fabrics at The Sewing House.

Table topper with Farm Days by Dashwood Studio at Chattanooga Sewing Machines.

Sweet Baby from RB Studios at Stitcher's Playhouse.

Some quilt shops carry other substrates such as flannel, knits and rayons.

New flannels from Art Gallery Fabrics at Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

Quilt shops embrace vibrant colors, pattern and designs as well as the cultural aspects of the fabric designers. M&S Textiles features fabric designs from Australian Aboriginal artists. 

M&S Textiles Australia at Atlanta Sewing Center.

M&S Textiles Australia at Mountain Quilts.

Zipper pouch using M&S Textiles Australia at Barb's Sewing Center.

M&S Textiles Australia at Little Women Quilt Shop.

Need ideas for stash busting and using up your scraps? Visit your local quilt shop [YLQS].

Triangle quilt using an Art Gallery Pure Solid at Thomas Sewing Center.

Free-motion machine quilting at Thomas Sewing Center.

Does the super hero in your life need a quilt? 

Super Dinos from Paintbrush Studio Fabrics at The Sewing House.

Your local quilt shop creates inspiration though all the seasons.

Peppermint fabrics from FIGO at The Quilting Squares of Franklin.

Halloween fabrics by Lewis & Irene at The Quilting Squares of Franklin.

Clothing and garment sewing

And don't forget about the garment sewing going on at YLQS... there is that, too!

The "quilt coat" with Waved from Paintbrush Studio and Grid from Art Gallery Fabrics
at Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

Ask for Art Gallery flannels at Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

Using a panel from P&B Textiles for reverse appliqué at Stitcher's Playhouse.

Pre-quilted fabric from Paintbrush Studio Fabrics for a child's jacket at Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

And there are plenty of new fabric collections arriving at YLQS weekly. New projects (on the bolts) are waiting for you.

Prehistoric World from Northcott is coming to Shiloh Pieced and Present and Sew Squared.

Little Darlings Safari from P&B Textiles at Beyond Stitches.

Aviary by Dashwood Studio at Stitchers Garden.

Celebrate National Quilting Day every day!

What are you waiting for? Get in on the celebration of creativity through quilting, fabric and thread. Stop in at YLQS today... visit their website... interact on their social media sites... take a class (virtual or in-store)... sign up for their newsletters to get the latest info! 

Inspiration is for the taking...

All You Need is Love... and a quilt. Art Gallery Fabrics at Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.