The Vacation Row By Row

 So, while we were on vacation in Wisconsin, I collected the patterns for the Row By Row Experience. I've done this for a few years now, in the end I come out with a nice vacation souvenir quilt! Hubby is always very patient while I navigate our way to all these quilt shops. He waits patiently while I collect the patterns and I just may purchase a little bit of fabric too!

 Here's a screen shot of the row from the shop in Madison, the theme for the Row by Row is Taste the Experience, so all the rows a food themed.

 This sushi row had sooo many tiny pieces to applique on.

 I got all the rows put together, and here I have it spray basted outside on the garage door. That row in the corner, Chef Cheesie, is from My Favorite Quilt Shop in Green Bay WI. The Row by Row allows for several different sizes of blocks, or rows, I had a hard time fitting Chef Cheesie in there!

 I was getting close on the tread! I love it when I don't run out!LOL!

 Here's that sushi row all finished.

 And I like the way this row from Quintessential Quilts also in Madison came out. I used some trims for the frosting layers.

 The ice cream row is from Quilting Divas in Green Bay, WI and the turtles row is from Twin Turtle Quilts in Clinton, WI.

 The Cheers row is from Sew Much More in Waukesha WI, I added the soda bottles to that row-I thought it needed a little something. And the Quilt-Eat-Sleep row is from Heritage Designs over in Amana, IA. Don't you love the Hawkeye I's!

 The tall Corn row is from Helio's Stitches & Stuff over in Mt Vernon, IA, and the log cabin blocks are part of the row from Home Ec Workshop in Iowa City, IA.

 See that cute license plate! I thought it was perfect since at our house Hubs does all the cooking!

 I added a name badge to Chef Cheesie, and I didn't stitch around the sushi-it seemed to look better just ironed on. Later on I'll need to do something to it, since I know it won't wash well.

 I used some license plate print fabric to fill in the gaps. I got it at one of the shops along the way...maybe the electric needle-Hubs and I laughed, we thought it sounded like the name for a tattoo shop rather than a quilt shop and guess what? There's a tattoo shop next door!LOL!

 All Quilted, bound and finished.

 Here's the back I pieced together form the Wisconsin fabrics I bought on vacation. Such a nice souvenir! I loved the grey Wisconsin print.

 And the rainbow print is the cities that were participating in the WI State Shop Hop, which was also most of the shops I visited!

 The rules say you have to use at least 8 rows and if you're the first to bring a finished quilt in to a participating shop you win!  So off I went over to  Heritage Designs in Amana , Iowa and collected my prize!

A nice fat quarter bundle and a gift certificate. Winner, winner Chicken Dinner! Here's a link Row by Row Experience if you want to see if you have shops near you. There's still time to collect patterns and get a quilt finished. It doesn't have to be a good quilt, just a finished quilt!

Rowing For The WIN!!!

 So I got my rows all done...Bob was helping me with the layout.

 I always have a hard time making things look good together, when they are all different. It was even harder this year because the rows were available in different sizes.

 I think I got it worked out. What do you think Bob?

 SO I went outside and used my garage door spray basting wall! LOL! I pieced the backing out of  fabric I got while I was on vacation.

 Love the spray baste! It works so well! I just used masking tape to hole the backing smooth, then sprayed and added the batting, then one more spray and added the top and TA-DA quilt sandwich is done!

 Looks good hanging there doesn't it!

 I do like how it turned out.

 Here it is all done! I went outside and pinned it to my clothesline-I just got it last weekend at a yard sale for only $3!!!

 The sun is pretty bright....

 But you can see the Amana block with the OOM-PAH! THe block below that is the one from over in Ankeny. Quilters Cupboard had this block for their row, but I just couldn't manage to work it out so I changed it to

a night time look!

I really like how it came out!The top block with the hearts and the bottom block are the ones from Minnesota.

 And here's the backside....

 And here's what I won when I took the finished quilt in to the nice folks at Heritage Designs over in Amana.

 WINNER!!!!!!

They are also displaying my quilt in their shop!!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!

Rowing In FLA and MINN and IA too!

So, I got started on the Row by Row Experience last year, and had such fun I thought I'd try to get some rows from Florida while I was there. Luckily the event started on Thursday-we were flying out on Friday! You can see the map with all of the participating Quilt Shops Here.  ANd if you want to see last years quilt, that Post is Here. So my cousins are pretty wonderful people, but they are not big quilters...well MCR does a little quilting, but MCK...not so much and Aunt Bev, well she was in for a treat!!!

 First stop BERNINA SEWING CENTRE 3593 LAKE EMMA ROAD in Lake Mary FL.

 This is waht their row block looks like. I got the pattern and also a little bit of fabric.

 They had such a cute shop-always nice to fondle fabric!

 Next Stop  THE SEWING STUDIO FABRIC SUPERSTORE 9605 S US HIGHWAY 17/92 in Maitland FL. Now remember that my lovely hosts had NEVER BEEN TO A LOCAL QUILT SHOP! So with the help of Google Maps, and careful navigation we made it!

 They had these wonderful old machines in the window on display. This is what their row looks like.

 Then on we wnet to shop number three on the Row by Row List. Wandering Stitches Quilt Studio

5818 HOFFNER AVE, SUITE 905 In Orlando Fl.This shop reminded me so much of the one I went to in N.C. last year.

 

Here's their row- they made their row into a big quilt!

 And our 4th and last stop was at  QUILTS & MORE 11601 S ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL in Orlando. Here's your tip-Google maps doesn't locate this shop well at all! Try searching for the La-z-boy store instead-it's right next door.

Here's what their row looks like!  They were very nice and were in the process of remodeling their store. Still I was able to find a few bits of fabric...Oh I know! It's a struggle, but I had to keep in mind the space in my suitcase!!

 After all of that it was time for a treat!!!

 Yum!!

 See there, MCK is giving directions to those folks. I tell you, I would have never been able to make it to all those shops with out MCR driving and MCK and Aunt Bev navigating!! It was a real thrill for me to get the rows from all those shops!

 And here's the loot I came home with!

Plus MCR and me made a couple of quick stops in Minnesota before it was too late after our flight arrived on Friday.

We stopped at QUILT COVE in Eagan MN and got their row.

And we also got a row from QUILTER'S HAVEN in Rosemount MN. SO I have 6 of the 8 required rows and I picked up the rest when I got home to Iowa!

 

Here's the row from Heritage Designs over in Amana, Iowa

And the row from Fern Hill Quilts & Gifts also in Amana, Iowa. It's the only square one in the bunch.

I'm not liking that so far, but we'll see. More to come about the Row by Row as I get rowing!