It's with sadness to report that after many years and great success, the Heart of the Lakes Quilt Shop Hop will be a fond memory for us.
This little shop hop was created by Terri Kennedy, the former owner of Stitchin' Post in Alexandria in 1999. Over the years we offered patterns from Debbie Caffrey, Terri Atkinson, Cotton Tales, and original designs created by each shop.
Being part of the creative process has been a joy for Pam, as each year she tried to create projects to keep the shoppers inspired, and the shop owners challenged to put their own unique spin on her patterns to make it a representation of their shop, and their own personal style.
We remember the excitement as the shoppers would fly through the front door, and ask..where is your shop hop quilt? For Pam, as the designer, it was a thrill to see how each shop took her pattern and interpreted the design in their own unique style. Do you all remember the African inspired quilt from the talented ladies at Colorz Quilt Shop in Brainerd? The log cabin blocks were made from Ethnic fabrics, and there were women dressed in native attire, carrying clay pots and baskets on their heads in the plain blocks. That year we chose to reduce the size of the blocks and we made a baby quilt, with Star Light, Star Bright... poem stitched into the plain blocks with an applique'd moon.
Perhaps you remember Twilight in the Garden? Terri from Back Porch Quilts in Detroit Lakes wowed all of us with her version of the quilt. Instead of making the moon and star blocks, she replaced them with Snowmen and birdhouses! It was brilliant!
We will miss this annual event, and we will miss seeing all of you.
We have loved being a part of this event, and for us at Piecemaker's Quilt Shop, and Cotton Tales, we want to personally thank all of you for your continued support, and we hope you will join us as we plan new events for the future!
Hello Everyone!
This is
my very first effort putting together a book! The book is a
collaboration between Cotton Tales, and the ten quilt shops here in
Northern Minnesota that have an annual quilt shop hop, called The Heart
of the Lakes Shop Hop.
For 2010, a sampler quilt was designed
to incorporate
blocks that were either submitted by the shop, or were left up to me to
design and coordinate. The result is a sampler style quilt, plus 10
additional
quilt projects ranging from place mats to lap quilts. Each shop has been
featured in this book. It is a special keepsake for the Heart of the
Lakes Quilt Shop, and the participating shops.
Whit Spacere
With this new
year, 2011, we find change in our shop hop. From the name, to the
rules, and
the shops who are participating. So this quilt will be my Swan Song.
I've designed the project year after year for 10 years, with the
exception of just a couple of years. With the new group of shops, a
decision was made to head to a new direction. This just makes this book
all the more
special to the quilters who have followed our shop hop since its
inception in 1999.
So many changes have occurred, and
we have grown as individuals, and as shops. I hope you enjoy all that we
have to offer in Beyond Tradition.
