Heritage Designs Quilt Shop, Amana, IA

http://heritagedesignsquiltshop.com/

Got to visit Heritage Designs Quilts at the Amana Colonies a few weeks ago.  Don't let its rather plain outer appearnace fool you - there is much to see inside!

Here's what you see when you walk in the door. 

See those quilt backs hanging overhead?

Here's how they look from the other side.

This shop has a lot of batiks and Japanese prints.  They also have a knack for using traditional patterns in non-traditional ways, such as these hexies appliqued to a very modern looking quilt.  Ingenious!

I also like these off center quilts.  Not only do I tend to think "inside" the box, I think dead center in the MIDDLE of the box.  These quilts throw that practice right out the window - with striking results.

Likewise for the colorful star quilt and the moose - good visual impact!

More quilts and fabric.  Wouldn't mind that center quilt in my living room for spring!

Though I tend to focus on quilts, cuz that's my "thang,"

Heritage Designs sells a lot of needle work supplies as well. 

Check out their website, they sell patterns, quilts and even complete quilts.  :)





Pine Needles Sewing Center

Visited Pine Needles Sewing Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Their motto is "Sew Inspired," and as you peruse the following photos, you'll see that they do it (inspiration) well.  Not only are the quilts and merchandise impressive, but they hold over 100 classes a month!  Some cost money, others are free.  Nice, huh?

http://www.pineneedles.net/store/pc/home.asp

They sell a lot of sell kits, so if you see something you like, check the website. 

Now, feast your eyes:

So many quilts!  So much fabric!  It was a little overwhelming.

A Chicken in Every Pot

American Pie

Basket Sampler and Almost a Flower Garden

Buggy Wheels

(Looks like they'd make for a bumpy ride.)

 Dreamcatcher's Rainbow

 Food fabric!  Always near and dear to a dietitian/quilter's heart.

Fruit Salad and Domino.  Notice the gorgeous fabrics on right.

Interweave is on the right.

Love these bright kid colors!

It was time to leave when I snapped this picture, so I didn't catch the name. 

Its so big!  Impressive, no?

Let's Build a Snowman

Block & White on right.

Lucky Stars - I love how they integrated a traditional quilt pattern with the bold colors.

Milky Way - Considered buying this kit, but the colors didn't work for me.

Still more food fabric.  Good thing we had limited time. 

I might have bought it all.

This one is on the website, where you can see the entire quilt. 
LUV the purple fabric.

Simplicity.  This is one of the first things you see when you walk in the door.  Also saw the Bernina stitch regulator in use.  Wish I'd known about that before I bought my machine.  I might have made a different decision.  If you've never seen one, the machine senses how fast you are moving the fabric and adjusts the needle speed so that you can speed up and slow down as needed without getting irregular stitches. 

FYI - They DO take trade-ins....

Summer Gifts

Table runner - very bright!

The Way We Were

Thousand Pyramids - this one makes me sad the Food Pyramid was replaced with MyPlate.  I could have made a smaller version of this quilt with food fabric scraps.

Dessert! 

They even had Peeps fabric (not pictured). 

They really have something to inspire just about anyone.  Whether you like Civil War reproductions, 1930s reproductions, batiks, kids' quilts, modern or traditional - Pine Needles has something for everyone. 

If you're in the Cedar Rapids area, be sure to stop.  You won't be dissappointed!  :)

Hidden Quilts - Quilt Shop

Pictured here are the directions to Hidden Quilts, in Platteville, WI.  When you see this tank, follow the arrows down the driveway and down the hill.  Hidden Quilts is tucked away on the back side of a medical building.  Its a small shop, but full of goodies.  The staff there are very friendly.  The day I visited, a sewing group was in session in the back room and they seemed be having a great time.

I'd been looking for fabric for my next project, for a paper peicing class in March.  I took my pattern along and found exactly what I needed:

The folks at Hidden Quilts liked this pattern so much they took down the information so they could order some also.  Here are some shots of the shop and quilts:

Batiks make up over half the store.

They even have a quilted clock.

Classroom area.

Hidden Quilts is building a website at:  http://www.hiddenquilts.com/  The Contact Us tab provides the telephone number, address, map and store hours.

Mill House Quilts

A BIG "Thank You" to Karen at  http://cre8tivekick.blogspot.com/ You made my day!

Karen let me know that the book I've been looking for was at Mill House Quilts, in Waunakee, WI.  Turns out, Laura Halpin, author of Quilting with Laura: Patterns Inspired by the "Little House on the Prairie" Series,  teaches classes there.  So I headed straight to "The Only Waunakee in the World." 

Mill House Quilts has a wealth of books, patterns, fabrics, supplies and some one-of-a-kind notions.   They offer a wide variety of classes - which are held on the second story.  They had a LOT of kits - which are nice for someone like me who isn't always certain which fabrics will work well together.  I snapped some pics of the beautiful fabrics and quilts.   

This is Cheaper by the Dozen.  I liked the quilted hearts:

This is called Splashed:

Cleaning Out the Sewing Room - This would be a great stash-buster:

Here are some of the fabrics.  I hope my pics will do justice to these beautiful prints:

And here's what I bought.  Can't wait to read my new book:

I'll definitely be visiting Mill House Quilts again soon!