Shop Hop: Sew Oregon 2011

Sew Oregon is just about here! We (The Cotton Patch) along with 49 other wonderful Oregon quilt stores, will be participating in this shop hop. Click on the Sew Oregon link to view more details on the official website but for those unfamiliar with shop hops and Sew Oregon, I'll give a little explanation.

A shop hop is an extended event held by regional quilt stores, usually lasting 2-3 weeks, where free quilt blocks are offered using 1 or more common fabrics between shops.  Customers can travel shop to shop to get a free block at each one, and to shop in their store As you accumulate these free blocks, depending on how many shops you choose to visit, you will be able to make a quilt commemorating your trip. The free blocks give you incentive to get out to store you otherwise don't visit often, and it's a great way to get out of twon with friends.

Sew Oregon is the largest shop hop in Oregon, this year with 50 stores participating, and we are one of them! You will need to get your Sew Oregon Passport (CLICK HERE to get your passport) stamped in each store to show you've been there, and if you visit all of the stores in a district, you will be able to fill out a drawing ticket, which will make you eligible for the Grand Prize drawing - this year, the grand prize is a Alaskan Quilting Cruise for 2 good for the August 2012 trip. How cool is that? Last year, one of our regular customers won the Grand Prize...this year it could be you! Turn in your passport at the last store you visit and they will take care of your drawing tickets for you.

Now for the boring rules and regulations. Every store has their own rules as far as passports go. The Cotton Patch's rules are as follows:
- One Passport stamp per customer.
- You must be present to recieve stamps, either in-store or visibly waiting in the car. We will not stamp Passports for friends who are not present. Even if a store you've already visited stamped multiple Passports for you, we are not required to do the same.
- We always ask if your companions with Passports are quilters as well. We do not give stamps to children or to tag-a-long husbands who are along for the ride but don't quilt - stamps go to quilters only and we allow only one Passport per quilter. Even if a previous store stamped their Passports, again, we are not required to do so as well.
- We don't discriminate; we will give stamps to young and male quilters, but as stated before, we will ask.


Every year Sew Oregon is an absolute blast. I'll be going around to a few shops, on what will be my very first shop hop, with my friend Isabelle. It's going to be a lot of fun! I know us gals at the shop can't wait to see all of our regulars and the new faces that Sew Oregon brings, and I'm excited to see (and buy) the wonderful things our local quilt shops have to offer!

See you on the hop!