Gossypium is my favorite shop in the area. If you like knitting or crocheting also, there is a great yarn shop across the parking lot behind the store.

I didn't know that Ben Franklin stores were still in existence. Are they still like the Ben Franklin of long ago, or are they a modern version that barely resemble the old ones?

There are indeed a few Ben Franklins scattered about, I was just on a cruise to Alaska and visited one in Juneau that is much as I remember them from my childhood -- but in my child's eye they were huge even though I don't think they really were.

Again, as I understand, the name is individually franchised so each store is a bit different.

The ones here in Redmond and Monroe are really craft stores more than 5 & Dime of days gone by. Fabric is probably less than 1/4 of the store, but I always enjoy their selections. Because of the small space they offer some pretty good deals on last year's fabric/bolt ends (especially the Redmond store) and I always find something I like.

I sent Crispy a PM that mentioned that the Ben Franklin and the Pacific Fabrics are probably the best places to get specific Seattle/Washington fabrics. I really enjoyed getting fabric as my souvenirs of my Alaska trip -- it packs well!

If you are traveling north from the Seattle area, there is a quilt shop in Smokey Point (I think it's Aunt Gracie's) another on downtown Mount Vernon and also one in downtown Sedro Woolley (take Highway 20) Cascade Fabrics. There is also one in Anacortes and three in Lynden which is approximately 3 miles from Canadian border. The first shop and my favorite, is Folk Tales off the Guide Meridian close the the Fairgrounds (I think its the Kok Road - I haven't lived there for over 40 years). The second is Calico Country which is in the Fairway Center. If you turn right from The Guide Meridian on to Front Street-between the 2 cemetaries-and go about a mile the Fairway Center is just down from the Fairgrounds. The 3rd is in downtown Lynden and on Grover Street which is one block off front street. It is in a former medical office and across from the First Reformed Church. I think the name of the shop is Tangled Threads.