My Favorite Quilt Store

Last summer Planet Patchwork sponsored the "My Favorite Quilt Store" contest for our visitors to nominate their favorite quilting businesses. We received lots of great entries, and it has taken longer than expected to pick the best ones, but we have finally picked first, second, and third-place winners, whose entries are published here.  We thank all of you for your wonderful entries, which we hope to post soon. There are obviously a lot of really friendly quilt stores out there!

First Place Winner

Fantasticks
135 Vista Way
Kennewick, WA 99336
Phone: 509-735-3844
Email: visit@fantasticksonline.com
Website: www.fantasticksonline.com

By Marilyn McCann

Comfortable. That describes Fantasticks, my favorite quilt shop in Kennewick, Washington. The feeling begins outside, where seasonal displays create a cheerful atmosphere. The garden influence continues inside to a bright, sunlit shop where each customer is greeted as a friend by owner Carol Jekel or one of her staff.

Fantasticks' style of friendliness and casual comfort has garnered a loyal following of quilters from the three towns (Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland) where the Yakima and Snake Rivers join the Columbia; their fellow quilters from surrounding small farming communities often drive for over an hour to shop, attend classes, or just visit in the pleasant surroundings.

Help is immediately and cheerfully offered for those who need questions answered or suggestions on how best to solve a quilting problem. Often an impromptu conference is held among employees and customer to determine the best accent color to make a quilt-in-progress sparkle, or to decide if a particular design would look better if placed on point. (And yes, other customers freely chime in!)

Browsers are left to roam the aisles of colorful fabric and quilting needs. Ideas are everywhere, and Carol and her staff have a flair for presentation. Color-coordinated fabric packets are ribbon-wrapped and look like tiny gifts. Fat quarters fill old valises. The latest heart-melting snowmen and benevolent Santas smile down from their shelves in the Christmas corner, always filled with holiday fabric for those who keep Christmas in their hearts all year.

If you are lucky enough to be there on a day when the UPS man comes, you are treated to the excitement of seeing the latest order unwrapped. The excitement is catching, and you find yourself wishing you, too, worked at Fantasticks - the staff always acts like it's the best job in the world.

On those days when your Quilt Muse is napping, inspiration can be drawn from the many sample quilts, quilted projects, clothing, dolls and toys, neatly tagged with identification, which cover the walls and fill every nook and cranny. Thebooks and patterns from which they are made are easily accessible and trims and accessories such as silk ribbons, buttons, and miniatures are grouped nearby. If a sample-maker has included an item from a craft store, the source is shared.

Classes are varied and the selection changes quarterly. There is always a class for beginners. When several quilters are interested in a particular technique or pattern, a class is created for them. Children have been introduced to the joy of quilting. Fantasticks has always been oriented toward community service and is very supportive of the area's quilt guilds.

Also included in the shop is a delightful gift area which offers area-produced gourmet foods, holiday decorations, home accessories, Department 56 figures, Margaret Furlong ornaments, and an extensive greeting card selection different from anything offered in the area. Fantasticks boasts a candy counter of selections "to die for" with samples of the latest treat, and tucked away in a corner, a tiny espresso bar. A corner play area with educational toys is a magnet for children. Through a connecting door Carol's husband, Bob, oversees The Train Station at Fantasticks, a model railroader's dream. The nostalgic atmosphere is a place for waiting husbands to indulge in every boy's fantasy. Sometimes quilters end up having to wait for THEM!

The combination of casual comfort, an extensive selection, and the friendly, knowledgeable staff blend together for a great experience. It's a place where quilting friends frequently meet one another, and newcomers are made to feel like neighbors. Fantasticks is fantastic!

Second Place Winner

Treasured Stitches
28 North Main
Sheridan, Wyoming 
307-674-0558

By Christine Castle and Tammy Burr

Treasured Stitches at 28 North Main, Sheridan, Wyoming is truly a treasure to the quilters living in the area. The store is owned by Josie Schreibeis and she is assisted by her daughter Rita Barker, granddaughter Robin Debolt, and friend Penny Pudge. The store opened four years ago, March. They quickly grew out of their original site and moved to a larger location two years ago September. They are now able to expand the number of bolts of fabric and the classes. They are located downtown in historic Sheridan, Wyoming. 

There is a reading corner for non sewers to wait on their loved ones to make selections. There are two stuffed chairs, a lamp and a selection of magazines with a direction towards male tastes. The chairs are placed in the area next to the display of books so a shopper could sit and browse through the books.

They offer a sewing day for anyone who would like to come and just sew with a group. Lunch is brought in by one of the ladies who is sewing. Taking turns so the burden does not fall on the same ones.  The lunch is getting to be a competition to see who can come up with the best new recipe. It is a great support group for the ladies who sew, sharing news about families, friends, and community. Gossip is not allowed unless absolutely necessary.

The best aspect of this shop is the friendly, helpful attitude of the staff. It is hard to just call them staff because they are all friends. They will spend what ever amount of time it takes to help you select the correct fabric, adjust a block that won't lay flat, figure out the borders, miter the corner on a binding or which ever area you may be having a problem with.

I have seen people walk in off the street and ask for help and it was freely given. One lady, who had never been in the store before was treated as if she was a long time customer. She had placed the needle in her machine backwards and it would not sew correctly. Another brought in fabric for a binding that she had purchased elsewhere but needed help in doing and that help was freely given, actually, Rita made the
binding for her.

There are samples of patterns for you to study or copy the fabric selections if you would like. There are finished projects displayed on the walls, made by customers and staff. Each month a customer is asked to allow the store to hang their quilt on the main wall for all to see.

The selection of available classes is hard to chose from. There are so many, and such a variety that it is hard to decide which ones to take. The instructors are all friendly and helpful. Everyone is given a 10% discount on purchases for classes and 10% discount on any purchase on class day.

There is a monthly fat quarter lotto. You purchase a fat quarter, place your name on it with a sticker provided by the shop and then they are all placed in an old penny candy jar. The first day of the month a fat quarter is drawn out and that person gets all the fat quarters in the jar. So far the highest number has been 34 and that was won by a man.

There is a gift registry. Spouses or family members can select gifts from a card each shopper has filled out. They will make up kits of patterns, fabric and whatever else is needed to complete a project for gift giving purposes.

The last business day of each month is the wonderful end of the bolt sale. Any fabric purchased that finishes a bolt on that day is 25% off. It is a great way to build your stash. The record number of  bolts finished in one sale is 42.

The phone number for this wonderful shop is 307-674-0558. They are not
on line.

Third Place Winner

Sharin' Stitches& Strokes
163 East Gobbi
Ukiah, California
707-462-7397

By Tina Voris

"Sharin' Stitches & Strokes" is my favorite quilt store, 
Just walking in, can make your imagination soar. 

You don't have to travel clear to Nairobi, 
But to Ukiah, California, at 163 East Gobbi. 

If you want to write them a letter, don't send it by snail, 
s.almeida@pacific.net is their e-mail. 

There's no need to wait, winter, spring, summer or fall, 
Just dial 707-462-7397 to give them a call. 

Tho' it may be a little bit small, 
The customer service, makes you feel ten feet tall. 

All the employees are kind and caring, 
Their vast knowledge they don't mind sharing. 

There are beautiful fabrics, even nice cozy flannel, 
It's there I want to go, after watching the quilt channel. 

I go there first, when I want a new quilt book, 
Sometimes I go in, just to take a look. 

They have just about everything, you could possibly need, 
And if it's not there, they try to get it with all speed.

There are needles, notions and all kinds of thread, 
In a rainbow of color, from blue to red. 

So just pop in there, anytime, 
To get some quilt fabric or find a new design.