Nothing recharges my quilting mojo like a trip to a real quilt shop. Shopping online just doesn't have the same effect. I'll admit 99% of my fabric purchases are online. The reasons being is I collect out of print fabrics and the truth be told convenience plays a big role when you live out in the boonies. It's a 30 minute drive to the local shop and I can't go to town in my jammies with my hair not brushed. Well I could and I have, bug not to the quilt shop. I'm sure if I lived in town I would spend more time in our local shop. So much so they might tire of seeing me.
I'm convinced the fabric manufactures are adding pheromones to fabric dyes because as soon as I open the door to the shop my heart starts racing, I take a deep breathe and sigh like a school girl in love.....This is the dimension of imagination. It's area we call The Twilight Zone..... Before I know it an hour or two have passed and it feels like 20 minutes.
The picture below is what I saw when opening the door. Stunning isn't she? What's the pattern? Who made it? I was in such a daze I didn't even think to look for the answer to either of those questions. I floated through the shop giddy like a kid in a candy shop.
The Back Door Quilts carries a little of everything. Here's a little corner dedicated to Edyta Sitar.
And some yummy new Flea Market by Lori Holt. Her panel prints are a must have. I'll be going back for one or more of these little cuties soon.
They normally don't have any space left on the shelves for more fabric. But our current pandemic has caused some shipping issues. This 30's reproduction area used to be full of the cutest fabrics.
Do you hear angels singing? Isn't this gorgeous? I need them all!
They have one of the largest selections of English paper piecing I've ever seen. This isn't all of it there's more to the right of this picture. I'm not a big fan of handwork but if I ever change my mind I know where to go.
The wool selection is also impressive. I've been toying around with the idea of working with wool. It's a new to me medium so before jumping in I'd like to do a bit more research. The pretty blue wool on the right made my quilty wheels start turning.....these would make adorable little bluebirds.
The picture below was not taken by me. I borrowed it from their Facebook page. They recently did a little rearranging of fabrics and posted the results. All of the reds caught my eye and I had to share the rainbow.
I forgot to take a picture of the ENORMOUS selection of civil war prints. The Back Door is known for its civil war reproductions and it's huge samples of quilts throughout the entire store. Every nook and cranny of this shop has samples. It's quite impressive, a must see if you visit Central Indiana. I also failed to picture the huge classroom/longarm room. Yes they quilt quilts in the back. This really is a one stop shop for quilters.
This quilt shop has been in business for about 45 yrs. They have been featured in quilting magazines and when things are normal they set up as vendors at quilt shows. During normal times the shop will bring big named quilters for trunk shows and classes. The one that stands out the most was Edyta Sitar. I love Edyta's quilt designs.
I can't say enough good things about The Back Door Quilts. One of my favorite things is how they always greet me as I come through the door. A quick "Hello, is there anything we can help you find today?"
I like to look around without being followed or bothered. They have a good sense of what every customer wants. On this day they had a couple new quilters in the shop needing tons of help so they had 2 different employees jumping through hoops to get these gals all they needed. I loved watching the staff helping the gals to find just the right fabrics and tools. You could tell they loved quilting and helping those who wanted and needed it.
As soon as I went to the cutting table another staff member popped out of nowhere ready to cut my fabrics. A very pleasant experience every time.
In the past year they have also started doing more online. Facebook and Instagram is a good way for shops to stay connected when we can't be in the shops. Terry has a weekly Sunday video called Sewing in My Jammies. Each week it's something different. She has shared free projects, new projects in the shop, new tools or techniques. Here's one of the free patterns she shared on Sewing in My Jammies.
They have an online store but like most brick and mortar shops it does not have all that they carry in the shop.
You can find it here.
Did you know I'm an April Fool's baby? Yep that's right. My birthday day is April 1. So I decided to have a my biggest sale of the year to celebrate my birthday.
40% OFF
No joke! This is a great time to stock up. I may have other sales throughout the year but none this large.
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I feel the same about walking into a quilt shop. Lots of temptation there.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, birthday baby!
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me a customer for a LQS is the "Hi how are you . Can I help you" greeting when I come in through their front door.
ReplyDeleteI've visited the back door once when a friend and I did an overnite trip to Indy. It's a wonderful store and I hope to shop there again someday. Thanks for the tour!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind words! We're lucky to be able to do what we love! Linda and Teri, Back Door Quilts
ReplyDelete