Thursday, August 25, 2011

Diablo Valley Quilter #2…Shop-Shop-Shop!!


If the teaching and lecturing wasn’t enough there was the shopping…and lots of it!

Suzi was my tour guide to some wonderful shops.  My money visited these shops and decided to live with most of them.  We quilt and antique shopped our legs off during all of my free time.  Truthfully, when I wasn’t earning money I was spending it!

I will post pictures of the shops and then maybe in a day or so I will post a few pics of what I bought.  You won’t want to miss the antique quilts I fell in love with and brought back to Minnesota. 

First stop, In Between Stitches, located in beautiful downtown Livermore, CA…This quilt shop was bright and cheery.  It was voted one of the “Top 10 Quilt Shops” in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine.  There is plenty to choose from to make just about any quilt on the planet!  I loved their selection!



Next stop - One of Suzi’s favorite picks, Wooden Gate Quilts, located in Danville, CA…In this shop you will find a wide variety of contemporary fabrics and a pleasant welcoming staff.  Cyndy R. teaches some wonderful landscape classes.
Christina, Cyndy R., Suzi and Marby (0wner)
Thursday – Class day.  My class of 20 students met at ThimbleCreek quilt shop in Concord, CA.  Roxie and Joe Wood (owner)s were friendly and inviting.  This is a large store with a great selection.  They were very helpful throughout the day and I want to send them a big thank-you!  This shop will be carrying my Quilts Remembered pattern line.  They are also in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine as a "Top 10 Shop"!




We also made a stop at Sew Many Quilts in Tracy, CA…A smaller shop with a very nice staff that greeted us at the door as if we had shopped there forever.  Sorry no pictures of this one.

Now on to the Antiques...Suzie and I stopped at several Antique shops.  I left money at all of them.  I will have more pictures to follow of my purchases. 

Blue Door antique in Livermore, CA was the 1st antique shop we stopped at. This is a crowed store with lots of treasures.  It is a digger’s paradise.  So much to see but be careful when you turn around the surroundings are very tight.  Well worth a stop.  I found a couple little items there to start off my day. 

I wish I lived near this shop…Cottage Jewel in Danville, CA.  WOW, I have never seen such a collection of vintage jewelry, a true treasure trove!  I was in heaven!!  Suzi and I looked around for an hour, so much to see and admire.  Owner, Marcia Harmen, is so knowledgeable you can see why she shop has been voted "Best Antique Boutique". I did walk out with a vintage pin that I will show in an upcoming post.


Olde Towne Antiques Mall in Pleasanton, CA is a shop you will need hours and hours of time to spend looking.  I loved this antique shop.  A friendly helpful staff and well organized displays.  I bought 3 doll quilts there.  Pictures to follow. 

As you can see my trip was a whirlwind…a fabulous time!

Hope your day is as wonderful as can be,
Annemarie in MN


2 comments:

bberryhillquilts said...

Wow! So many great shops to visit. I think we should put together a Scrapbaggers trip to California.

sjohns said...

Thanks, Annemarie, for sharing the photos and highlights of your travels. It's fun to see the insides of shops and to learn about what is going on in other parts of the country.