Yesterday I had a long but enjoyable day at Quilt Revolution in Gig Harbor demonstrating my template-free Kaleidoscope and Bargello block techniques during the Western WA Shop Hop. This annual event excites quilters, not just from Western WA, and they drive insane distances to take in as many participating quilt shops as possible during the five days

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There are in the region of 55 quilt shops from the Canadian border down to the Oregon border, and each offers a different block for the Shop Hop quilt. Quilters receive a small baggie with the block pattern and fabric. There is a theme fabric with coordinating prints which all the shops use. Here’s the fabric and a poster which includes all the blocks from the shops.

Then of course, the quilters have the opportunity to shop and watch demonstrations. At Quilt Revolution, they had a wonderful exhibit of Shop Hop quilts from previous years and the quilters really enjoyed reminiscing with many bemoaning that they hadn’t finished their quilts! However, this doesn’t deter them from doing the Shop Hop year after year!  There were at least eight quilts displayed and they were all made by the same quilter, Becky Curneen. The one in the picture is from 2011 and was quilted by Rose Flannigan. There were 55 participating shops in 2011 and Becky visited them all. She added one more block to make a total of 56. The blocks are 6-1/2″ and the quilt is large. The other photo shows my demo area before the doors opened. I stayed busy all day with scarcely a dull moment and it was fun.