If you're sew inclined, take the quilt shop tour

Staff report

Sewing enthusiasts will celebrate the joy of quilting during the fifth annual Charming Quilt Shop Tour, set for Aug. 27 through Sept. 5 throughout Northeast Ohio.

Twelve quilt stores are collaborating for the event, which will feature free fabric, free quilt patterns and the opportunity to win sewing-related prizes. The shop owners hope a new shopping bag promotion will boost donations for each store’s selected charity. In the past four years, tour shops have donated to local food banks and women’s shelters in their areas.

Participants can register, buy a passport and get a shopping bag for $5 at any of the 12 shops. The bags present a discount on certain merchandise for the next year. For information and shop addresses visit www.acharmingquiltshoptour.com or call 330-637-3106.

Creativity also plays a role in the tour. Each shop secretly designs a quilt or quilted item, such as a place mat, table runner, purse or wall hanging for the event. On the first day of the tour, shops unveil their projects.

At each store during the nine days of the tour, shoppers receive a free quilt block pattern for the project and five charms squares of fabric that are 5 inches square. Shop hoppers who visit all 12 stores will end up with 60 charm squares. Shops will share ideas on how the squares can be used in sewing projects.

Those who turn in their completed stamped passport will receive a sewing charm and charm bracelet and become eligible for the many prizes.

The grand prize this year is a quilting weekend retreat for two at Needle in the Haystack in Findley Lake, N.Y. It’s valued at $500. The second-place prize is a Wafer Thin Lightbox valued at $150, and the third-place prize is a Blue Fig Wheeled Machine Carrier, project bag and notions bag combination valued at $140.

Each shop also is donating two $25 gift certificates and two gift baskets valued at $100 and $150 each, filled with an assortment of sewing notions, tools, books, fabrics and patterns. Sewing manufacturers from around the world have donated bundles of fabric, patterns and sewing tools for this event.

The 12 shops are Anna Louisa’s Needle Arts in Louisville, Cottonpickers in Chardon, Craft Cupboard in Middlefield, Just Quilt It in Warren, Mara’s Fabric & Gifts in Eastlake, Olive Grace Studios in Cortland, Polka Dot Pincushion in Richfield, The Quilted Thimble in Chesterland, Quilter’s Fancy in Cortland, Sew Deja Vu in Stow, Tiny Stitches Quilt Shop in Middlefield and Village Quilts in Canfield.

All the shops will keep the same hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 29 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 5. The tour is closed on Sundays. Check with each shop to see if it might have extended hours.