citruscountyquilter

I always hit the quilt shops while on vacation and that is what my souvenir usually is from a trip. I have things that are always on my collect lists - batiks and 1930's reproductions so if I'm in a shop that has a large selection of either of those I can usually find something I don't already have. I also have projects I collect for such as animal prints which took me several years to collect for a quilt for my daughter, music prints which I'm collecting now for a friend. I also check out the projects and patterns and find those vary quite a bit from region to region so in addition to fabric I have a collection of unusual patterns that I use to make gifts.

tessagin

I'm flying to Indiana in June (GD's graduation) and am leaving room in suitcase for anything I might see and must have or depending on how much will have it shipped back home.

matraina

I like to visit new quilting stores in the area I'm vacationing in - at least one fat quarter from each store. I'm not sure the Miller Dry Goods in Amish country is the same as the one online. If you do end up going there, there is another one directly across the street from it. Can't remember the name.

w1613s

Suitcase?!??? Large duffle bag, traveling sewing machine, sewing basic essentials, our RV, and a patient husband who uses my iPad or my laptop when we're on vacation!!!!!!!!

Now, that list of favorite places????

:-) Pat

SandySews

Millers is located in the small town of Charm Ohio. They have lots and lots of fabric. The downstairs store had the marked down fabrics and I've bought some very nice fabric there. Also they have a lot of patterns and books. Also in Berlin is the Helping Hands shop (I think is the name of it). It isn't as big and doesn't have as much as Millers, but their downstairs shop has some mark downs. Just outside of Berlin is a shop called Gramma Fannie's and they have nice fabrics too with a small marked down area upstairs. Lots of fabric stores in Ohio...Good luck and have fun...

Scakes

When we travel, quilt shops are very often our rest stops. Neither my dh nor I like to ride for extended periods of time so we stop quite often - quilts stores, tourist attractions, flea markets, etc. - whatever we see that we want to stop and look.

I just watch for fabrics that I like and will usually get a yard of it. Patterns from local designers are fun too.

citygirlsews

Criteria? What is that? Take extra suitcases and yes, you might want to set aside a dollar amount to spend on "fabric essentials" before you leave. I usually take cash and put it in a special place in my wallet. When it is gone, it is gone. There is no over spending. Shortly after I started quilting, I went on a bus trip with the local quilt shop. So much fun!!
But, I needed so many things to "get me started" and oh my! Credit card bill was pretty heavy! Live and learn...but it sure was fun!!

mckwilter

I don't blame him. Koa wood is absolutely beautiful. If you've ever seen the back of a guitar made with it, you'd never question it!

In answer to the original question, I buy fabric that I love and have never seen before. Many LQSs stick to a few select lines of fabric, so going to different stores, you will see different lines. For example, here in my hometown, I went into Hobby Lobby yesterday and ended up buying 7-1/2 yards of one fabric. It wasn't there Friday when I went in, and it may not be there tomorrow, so I got what I wanted.

Skyangel, I love your avatar. I have a 1950 FW that I am thinking of having painted. Purists cringe, but I have 3 other blacks, so can have my cake and eat it, too.

mckwilter

Many quilt shops have a store pin, and I always purchase one. I have several from Texas, of course, and one from a shop in Tennessee and North Carolina. I have visited a couple quilt museums, and they, too, have pins. I made myself a "pin blanket" which hangs from a small quilt hanger, and the pins go on it. That way, my collection is in one place, and I can enjoy the memories of each place I visited. I also buy refrigerator magnets.

qbtexas

Bluebonnet. That's the name of the Texas state flower. Just so ya know. They're blooming right now, and simply lovely.