The Front Porch Quilt Shoppe

It is probably a good thing that there are 1441 miles separate me from my sewing machine. As we came back from a grocery run in Ozark, AL, Mr. Dreamy indulged my whim and stopped at the Front Porch Quilt Shoppe. Although quilting is not one of my craft addictions, my mother was a talented quilter and I enjoy seeing quilts and quilting fabric. Perhaps some day my fingers will itch to piece together lots of pretty patterns of fabric, and then stitch through the layers to make quilts.

All photos courtesy of the quilt shoppe

 This shop made that thought very tempting! The quilt shop is located in a cute southern-style home with a huge front porch. I am thinking that it is a quilter's idea of Heaven. Inside the shop there are several rooms that have bolt after bolt of fabric in just about any color or pattern imaginable.

You can buy bundles of precut quilting squares and bundles of triangles, called "turnovers". There are numerous quilts and hangings on the walls for inspiration.

If you need more ideas, there are magazines and books for sale, too. In one room the shop had a huge machine for stitching through the layers of a finished quilt, creating patterns following computerized instructions.

For a fee, quilters can have this somewhat boring process performed for them. As we left that room, Mr. Dreamy pointed out a quilted dress hanging on the door jamb. It was gorgeous!  It was constructed with a soft solid-color cotton that had a bit of a sheen to it. The bodice was quilted in matching thread with a close 'squiggly' pattern (I am sure there is a term for that, which I don't know). The long skirt had large intricate flowers formed by the quilting. It was stunning in its simplicity and subtlety!

The owner of the shop was very warm and gracious. She welcomed us, even though we told her we were 'just looking'.  She talked with us about her daughter, who is studying fiber arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA. The school was practically in our back yard for many years. She also shared her excitement that the Front Porch Quilt Shoppe was one of 11 shops featured in the Better Homes and Garden Quilt Sampler magazine. How cool is that?!

One thing I love about traveling is bumping into gems like this. How wonderful to find such an outstanding shop. If/when I decide I want to try some quilting, I know where I want to go shopping!