When it didn’t work out for my mom and I to make a day trip for the Northern Arizona Quilt Shop Hop (part 1 of this saga), we opted instead to visit a couple of her favorite East Valley quilt shops. Both of them participate in the official Phoenix-area (Valley) shop hop that usually takes place in the fall, so we were hoping to get the scoop on that while we were there.

Quilt Shops

The stores we visited were A Quilter’s Oasis and Mad B’s Quilt and Sew. Afterwards, while we were in the car headed to see Barbie, we recorded a few thoughts about the two shops.

Mom: Both places [A Quilter’s Oasis and Mad B’s] are always very helpful to get you what you need and help you find what you’re looking for! You see the owner’s characteristics in the shop,  just like if you go into somebody else’s home. It shows their personality.

A Quilter’s Oasis

Mom: I think they’re exceptionally helpful in A Quilter’s Oasis. They have a really big collection of batiks, so that would be a distinctive for them.

Me: I think A Quilters Oasis also had more “cutesy” fabrics, which is good if that’s what you’re looking for.

Mom: Yeah. And so many quilts displayed, which is really nice!

They were indeed very helpful at A Quilters Oasis, which was our first stop. I think by the time we’d been there 10 minutes, three different people had asked if we needed anything! We checked out their classroom space, and even the class participants were super friendly.

We ended up in a whole conversation with the staff about our attempted trip to the Northern Arizona Quilt Shop Hop and the upcoming one in the Phoenix area. They shared what they could about shop hop plans that were already in the works.

For their store specifically, that includes deciding where to get cookies this year, because, apparently, they give away tons of them during the shop hop! The fact that they’re already working on this tells me their priorities are in the right place.

Mad B’s Quilt and Sew

We followed that up by visiting another Mesa-based quilt shop, Mad B’s Quilt and Sew.

Me: Maybe the fabrics were a little more modern at Mad B’s.

Mom: Yeah, maybe a little more modern. Mad B’s always has their projects out for you to look at – if you can find them! 

She laughed, because we had gone around the whole store trying to find a particular sample project that she wanted to show me. Turns out the teachers make their own demonstration samples for classes and take them home once the class is over, so it actually wasn’t even there anymore.

We turned our attention to gathering supplies for the next class Mom would be taking there. Sales associates helped us locate the right zippers and figure out how much of different types of fabric she’d need for the project.

She’s been taking extra classes at Mad B’s this summer. They offered this great deal where you’d buy a Class Pass and then could take all the classes you want in July and August without paying additional class fees.

It seems like a nice way to liven up a time of year when the heat is feeling oppressive and not much is going on!

Shop Hop Around the Valley

Mom: A quilt shop hop is a regional opportunity to see different quilt shops. For us here in the Valley, they’re spread for – I don’t know – 50 miles? So a lot of times people will divide and do the West Valley one time and the East Valley another time. But there’s also groups of quilters who will just rent a bus or a van and go, for the whole day, from one shop to the next!

While many of the details were yet-to-be released, we did find out a few things about this fall’s Phoenix-area shop hop, which is more formally known as…

Hop Around the Valley: Maricopa County Shop Association Shop Hop

• Dates: October 6-14, 2023
• Passports are $10 and are now available for purchase at any of the shops.
• Get passport stamps by visiting all 9 participating shops during the Shop Hop dates to be eligible for the grand prizes!

Each shop in the hop will…

• Do a different demonstration.
• Give you something to take home with you.
• Have prize drawings, including two $50 gift cards for their shop!

October should be a much nicer time of year to be hopping around Phoenix. I think my mom has already bought her passport!