Summertime, and quilters are hitting the road. And whether you’re traveling to see friends and family, or to visit a place you’ve never been, we know that one of the highlights of your trip will be the chance to visit new quilt shops. So, if you’re out and about between June 21st and September 6th, you should know about the Row by Row Experience!
Row by Row
The Row by Row program is the brainchild of Janet Lutz, owner of the Calico Gals quilt shop in Syracuse, New York. She wanted something fun for quilters to do during the summer months of travel. The program began in the summer of 2011, with 20 quilt shops across New York state, and has grown to include 2655 shops across the US and Canada! For those of you travelling abroad, there are even some European quilt shops taking part.
Every year has a theme—for 2016 it’s Home Sweet Home. Each participating quilt shop designs a row representing the theme. This is where you see the amazing creativity and talent out there! Finished rows must measure 9” x 36”, and the designers can use any technique or method to create them.
Row by Row is “like a shop hop, but it’s not.” There are no fees to participate, and no cards to stamp.
How to join in:
- Visit the Row by Row website and look for participating shops where you live, and in places you’ll be visiting,
- Between June 21st and September 6th, go in person to the shop and ask for their Row by Row pattern. The pattern is FREE.
- Many shops will have kits, fabrics, license plates, and pins available for purchase. Collecting all these goodies is lots of fun!
Want to take it one step further?
- Collect eight 2016 Row by Row patterns, from eight participating shops.
- Make each row, and combine them in one large quilt.
- Be the first to bring your finished Row by Row Quilt into a participating shop by October 31st, 2016, and win a stash of 25 fat quarters!
Rules, We Have Them.
- You (or your relative/best friend/quilter you met at that retreat) must go in person to the shop. Please do not ask shops to send you a pattern, whether by mail or email. After October 31st, patterns and kits will be available for sale in any way a shop chooses (online, etc.).
- One pattern per person.
- Patterns MAY NOT BE COPIED. The designs belong to the person who created them, and it violates both copyright and the spirit of the program to copy these Row patterns.
- Only 1 winner per participating shop, and your quilt can only win 1 time.
Happy Travels, Quilters!
Your Needle & Me 