Florida Breeze Shop Hop Stop #5

Stop number 5 on the Shop Hop was the Sew and Quilt Shop in Bunnell.  I have never heard of Bunnell, which is located right off of I-95.  Inside was a large store chocked full of fabric, samples and sewing machines.  I had some time to myself as hubby went down to the hobby store at the other end of the shopping center.

I got my Passport stamped, filled out my ticket for the drawing and nibbled on some cookies, which were located in an area surrounded with fabric on three sides.  I was looking for some fabric for an up-coming class at the quilt guild called "Quilt with a view".  I needed a piece of focus fabric that would be turned into a frame and then embellished with applique and doo-dads.  I tried to get the saleslady's eye, but she kept running around the store straightening up bolts of fabric and muttering how the place looked like Joann's and how tired she was from the Shop Hop.  So I wandered right on out to the hobby store.

I thought the bathing suits were cute.  The package did not come with the life preserver pattern or fabric so I need to figure out how to make one.  I like how each panel has the two different pieces of fabric around it.  Doesn't the bathing suit block look like a demented smiley face?

Florida Breeze Shop Hop-stop #4

The fourth stop on my Shop Hop quest was the Byrd's Nest, located in Ormond Beach.  Ormond Beach started with the Timucuan Indian tribe that lived there in the 1500's.  They lived along the river and were experts in weaponry, clay pottery, jewelry and clothing.  But it is famous for being the "Birthplace of speed".  In 1903 cars started to race along the beach and set international speed records.

The Byrd's Nest is located only a few blocks from that famous beach.  It has over 5,000 square feet of fabric, sewing machines and samples.
After I got my Passport stamped I wandered around admiring the array of colors and textures that were packed in every nook and cranny.

Their quilt was wider and shorter than the others.  The purse is embellished with a cute bow.  I like the way the quilting looks like ocean waves.  When I got home, I opened my package and noticed the fabric and pattern for the sea shell was not included, even though it was on all of the store quilts.   Poo.

Florida Breeze Shop Hop-stop #3

Stop #3 on the Florida Breeze Shop Hop was located in Eustis, about 30 minutes from Deland.  Mapquest had us going straight from Deland down 44A and making a right on Hart Ranch Road.  Sounds simple enough.  Once we got out of Deland the scenery turned to fields, horse ranches and old trailers.  There were eleven miles of black bear crossings.  It was not an area you'd want to break down in.

I figured that A Material Girl Quilt Shop would be located in downtown Eustis so that is where we headed.  After looking in vain for Hart Ranch Road I called the shop.  I was told to turn around and head 8 miles out of town and make a left on Hart Ranch Road.  After going the eight miles and still having no luck, I called again.  This time I was told to make a u-turn, then a right on 437, a left at the dead-end and a right on Hart Ranch Road.  We finally made it, after stopping to let a gaggle of turkeys cross the road.  The shop is located inside a barn, which is in the middle of a huge field.  Who'd a thought...

Hubby refused to get out of the car.  I went inside and mentioned that the shop was hard to find.  The owner said that the other 100 people who got there before me had no trouble.  I got my Passport stamped, filled out my ticket for the hourly prize, grabbed a package of animal crackers for hubby, my quilt square and skedaddled.

The view from the shop

In their version of the quilt, they ragged the squares. 

As I was leaving, the owner said it was easy to get back to the main road, just go out and make two lefts. I don't know if she was directionally challenged or just plain mean.

Florida Breeze Shop Hop-stop #2

I was really excited to be heading to Shop # 2 in Deland.  Downtown Deland was founded in 1876 and still has the original buildings including a movie theater and opera house.

Their version of the Quilt

The Quilt Shop of Deland was filled to the brim with fabrics, quilt projects ranging from bed size to place mats, fabric dolls and clothing.  I worked my way to the back and got my Passport stamped and picked up my quilt square.  After a quick tutorial on how to use Texture Magic to create a dimensional effect on the crown of the sunbonnet, I was left to browse the store.  I bought some Steam-A-Seam to help with the applique and grabbed hubby, who was chatting up the ladies in the back, and we went exploring.

Deland has a main street with quaint shops and bakeries.  Groovy Records carries old albums and record players, there were antique stores, art galleries, ice cream shoppes, clothing and jewelry stores.

The old movie theatre

Downtown

This is the square they created. The bonnet of the hat is textured and the watch face is beaded.

Florida Breeze Shop Hop-stop #1

We are back in Daytona Beach for the month of January.  This week I am participating in the Third Annual Florida Breeze Shop Hop.  6 days...6 shops.  At each shop you pick up a kit to create a12 inch square.

My first stop was to The Sewing Garret in Daytona Beach.  I needed to sign up and get my Shop Hop Passport.  After handing over $6.00 I got my passport stamped and was soon holding the contents of my first quilt square.  The shop was bustling with ladies.  Pina coladas and cookies were available as well as a $5.00 calendar created by local realtors to benefit the American Cancer Society.  The picture each month is an embellished bra.

After filling out my ticket for the hourly prize and a chance to win a quilt, I was off.

Here is the quilt The Sewing Garret created from the 6 blocks.  The square from their store is the Sandman at the top left.  The lady in the picture is actually a cardboard cut-out.