Shop Hop is a familiar term to many quilters but not so to many others. During a Shop Hop, customers visit or “hop” to participating stores. Shophops can vary in size from just a few stores to statewide or regional events. Participants are introduced to new stores and shopping experiences. The Kentucky Quilt Company is participating in the first All Kentucky Tennessee Shop Hop.
The All Kentucky Tennessee Shop Hop is coming to Kentucky and Tennessee for the inaugural event during the months of July and August, 2025. It offers the opportunity to explore 50+ stores in two states during the event. You can start your adventure by picking up the All Kentucky Tennessee Shop Hop Magazine at The Kentucky Quilt Company. This is a great resource to help you navigate the Shop Hop and something you can use all year long as you travel throughout the state. The magazine contains the “passport” that you can fill with stamps/stickers from the participating shops. You can then enter the passport into a drawing for prizes!
Many quilters hop with friends, family, or their favorite “stitching buddy.” They’re not just shopping – they’re making memories as they travel around an area together. Shop Hoppers not only get to visit sewing stores, they also enjoy traveling through large and small towns, discovering places they may have never visited before.
Many of us have a “favorite” quilt shop – a place that’s convenient, familiar, and that carries the things we like. But there is a whole world of new and different fabrics, notions, equipment, and personalities you’re missing out on if you don’t occasionally branch out. A Shop Hop provides quilters with a specific plan to do just that.
Hops are also about other kinds of fun. Most offer a reward, like prizes or discounts, for visiting participating shops. And of course, you get to express your creative side when you return home by making something beautiful with the items you picked up along the route.
A few things to remember about participating in the Shop Hop:
•Each participant must have a passport with them to collect the stamps and free charm square.
•The passport must be completed with the name, address, etc. of the participant.
•The passport stickers and charms can only be collected by the person with the passport! No sending in family or friends to collect for you!
•The Shop Hop is meant for fun and introducing you to the various shops around Kentucky and Tennessee and the different “styles” of each shop.
•Take some time to look around the local communities where shops are located… try a local diner/restaurant!
Whether you hop to enjoy or support your community, we hope you’ll mark a few days on your calendar to explore the great states of Kentucky and Tennessee and all their sewing industries have to offer. To learn more, visit AllKentuckyTennesseeShopHop.com and join the Facebook Group AllKentuckyTennesseeShopHop.
-submitted by The Kentucky Quilt Company/The Sewing & Vacuum Center
