Quilters’ Quest 2012 – Day #1

Well, it’s begun! This year we have 10 whole days to Quest! This is good because the 10 “Local” Quilt Shops that make up the MD/DC/VA Quilters’ Quest are scattered all over the place.

This is the 5th time that we have participated in the Quest. In 2007, I was new to quilting and this gave me a chance to learn where the Quilt Shops were in the area. If I remember, we went to all 10 shops. The next couple of times, I don’t remember making it to all the shops. Last year we did complete the Quest.

So, today was Day #1 of the 2012 Quest. We started this morning about 9:00 am and got home about 3:00 pm – putting 94 miles on the car.

First we headed north to Mt. Airy, MD, and Patches Quilting & Sewing was were we began.

We timed it just right. They had just had a busload of shoppers leave and another busload was on it’s way. We had a nice visit with the staff. I found a ruler that I needed and picked up some fat quarters and the shop’s featured 2-1/2” strips. Each store will have a different group of strips and after stopping at all 10 shops we will have 100 2-1/2” strips and 10 different quilt patterns that can be made with the strips.

The next shop we went to was Capital Quilts in Gaithersburg, MD. I guess you can call this “My Local Quilt Shop.” This shop is the closest to our house. I picked up a yard of the special, limited edition Quest fabric, plus some “Mary Ellen’s Best Press Spray” and a couple of Fat Quarters. I picked up their free quilt pattern and when you spend $30 or more you get the strips free.

Finally we headed to Great Falls, VA, and to Jinny Beyers’ Studio. Jinny is known nationally & internationally as a quilt maker, author, lecturer & fabric designer. The Limited Edition Quest Fabric is her design. So many pretty fabrics! I could have spent all day there!! Each shop has a number of quilts & other projects featuring the Quest fabric. There was a BOM (Block of the Month) included in the pre-Quest Newsletter which highlighted the Quest Fabric. I purchased a kit to make a quilt/wall-hanging using the BOMs.