Pioneer Quilts

Pioneer Quilts occupies the Historic Broetje House in Portland, which alone makes it worth a visit even before you get to the fabric — there's something fitting about a quilt shop set inside a building with its own history. Inside, the shelves run deep, with thousands of bolts to work through.

Two specialties set this shop apart. The hand-dyed wool is a draw for anyone doing wool applique, where the subtle color variation in hand-dyed pieces gives shading and depth that commercial wool can't quite match. And the Japanese and Asian fabric selection is the kind of thing worth a special trip for — these prints don't turn up in every quilt shop, and Pioneer Quilts has built a real following among quilters who collect them.

There's also a block of the month program running, a nice way to build a quilt gradually and keep a reason to come back monthly. Between the historic setting, the specialty fabrics, and the ongoing programs, Pioneer Quilts is a shop that rewards more than one visit.