A Local Quilting Store Is Something
To Be Thankful For

If you enjoy making quilts, you should give your local quilting store a visit. If you do not have a local store, you will be able to find plenty on the internet, though online quilt shops do not have the same character as a real store. The atmosphere is very different when you can feel the fabrics, even smell them, and have a good close-up look at all those lovely quilts.

Many quilt stores have a good stock of quilts, not just the modern ones, but examples of the older work quilted to traditional patterns. If you are really lucky, you will have an Amish quilting shop near enough for you to visit. Many Amish communities are famous for their quilting and some of the antique samples their stores have are very beautiful.

Old and New Quilt Patterns Can Inspire Newcomers to Quilting

Most quilting shops, however, are restricted to showing modern quilts and quilting blocks, as well as all the materials and equipment needed to make them. Modern quilting patterns can be just as inspiring to the new quilter as the older more classical ones, and some of the imaginative designs on show in even the smaller quilt stores can have tremendous visual impact.

Many people like to spend some time just browsing round. Newcomers to quilting, especially, find quilt shops of extreme interest; there is so much to see and learn. The use of quilts as wall decorations may be new to them and the high quality of the fabrics on show might surprise them.

Anyone who is used to purchasing their fabrics from discount stores, or even from the better known department stores, will probably be surprised at the quality of fabric available from small local quilt stores. The reason for this is that specialized quilting shops buy fabric that is of quilting quality. This is a higher quality than would normally be used for the fashion and upholstery industries, for which textile companies often produce cheaper versions of their quality designs.

Quilt Stores Stock High Quality Fabrics

This is the reason why fabrics from quilt shops are frequently more expensive than from department or other textile stores. It’s not because they are putting on a higher margin, or even because they are not buying in bulk. The reason is that they are stocking a higher quality fabric that will last long enough to be handed down through generations.

The next time you wander round your local quilting store just stop and take in the beauty of many of the quilts you see on display. Consider all the loving work that has been put into them, and check out the designs and fabrics that were used in them. Not only will you get lots of ideas for your own quilting designs, but you should also consider how lucky you are to have a quilt shop in your own locality.

About the author:  Jessie Pedersen is an avid quilter, having made quilts for over 10 years. She has come out with a simple and easy method to make a quilt in a weekend.