Tuesday, April 21, 2009

A Build-Your-Own Quilt Shop Hop Otherwise Known as The Ultimate Shop Hop

By Emily Thiessen

Have you heard of the Ultimate Shop Hop? What is an Ultimate Shop Hop you say? It is a unique twist on the local shop hop concept that came about in 2008. The owner of the Quilt Shop Directory WRBQ, Inc. - "We'd Rather Be Quilting" announced the introduction of The Ultimate Shop Hop - a coast-to-coast, build-your-own, one-of-a-kind shop hop experience with 4,500 shops to choose from in May of 2008!

Exclusively featured in WRBQ Inc.'s Regional Directories and National Directory beginning with the 11th Edition, The Ultimate Shop Hop encourages quilters to become better acquainted with the quilting community. Quilters may request a stamp on their passport when they visit any shop listed in the directory - two stamps if they visit a shop which advertises with WRBQ, Inc -- making this truly a nationwide shop hop, one in which anyone and everyone can participate. Passports are included in the Quilt Shop Directories, currently for sale on the company's website www.wrbqinc.com and at many quilt shops. Two great quilting buddies were visiting one day about the annual shop hop that they do in their local area. They were laughing and talking and decided that someday they'd like to visit all of the shops across the country, each and every one! Thus the idea for The Ultimate Shop Hop was born.

The idea of The Ultimate Shop Hop came about when two longtime friends and quilting compadres ended up discussing their local annual shop hop that they had participated in for a number of years. As this discussion progressed with memories of the fun they had had it was decided that someday they'd like to hop to all quilt shops from here to there across the country!

The shop hop fits perfectly with the motto of WRBQ, Inc., 'Quilters Helping Quilters'. By participating in The Ultimate Shop Hop, quilters will be supporting small businesses - and fellow quilters - all across the country. The Ultimate Shop Hop gives the quilt shop owners the ability to connect with quilters and artists in new ways and from various parts of the country, not to mention quilters connecting with other quilters they meet as they make the rounds from quilt shop to quilt shop. The goal here is to get quilters on the move and the Ultimate Shop Hop is the perfect opportunity.

Quilters may also be inspired by something new they see or hear about as they travel from quilt shop to quilt shop participating in The Ultimate Shop Hop. Where with your average quilting shop hop you have anywhere from 3-5 days to complete the required number of visits to participating quilt shops, there is an advantage with The Ultimate Shop Hop in that you have 6 months to make the rounds.

As you arrive at each chosen quilt shop you have the passport stamped or signed to indicate you have been at that particular quilt shop. The quilt shops have all been provided with the information about The Ultimate Shop Hop. There is more information for both the quilters and shop owners on the WRBQ's website. Once you have filled the passport with stamps from quilt shops the passport is then returned to WRBQ, Inc. to qualify for the prizes. There are 4 major category prizes and then each participant receives a thank you gift from the quilt shop directory WRBQ, Inc. The winner's names are listed on the WRBQ, Inc. website. What more could a quilter, new or old ask for?

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