Annual Calendar
Quilt Shop Hops 2026
The complete 2026 calendar of US regional quilt shop hops — New England, Pacific Northwest, Mid-Atlantic, Michigan, Blue Ridge, Southeast, Maine, Utah, plus the returning Row by Row Experience.
What is a quilt shop hop?
A quilt shop hop is a coordinated event where a group of independent quilt shops in a region — usually a single state or a multi-state area — run a joint promotion over a defined time window of one to three months. Participants visit each shop, get a passport stamped, qualify for prize drawings, and sometimes receive free or discounted patterns. Shop hops are the largest organized events promoting independent quilt shops in the US, and they double as quilting road trips: visit a dozen shops across a state, collect fabric and stories from each, and you have a vacation, a stash refresh, and a passport full of stamps to show for it.
Most modern shop hops are run by Great Sewing Adventures, a Michigan-based organization that has expanded steadily over the past decade. In 2026 they manage the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Michigan, Pacific Northwest, Blue Ridge, and Southeast hops, plus added Idaho to the Pacific Northwest and split the former All Carolinas hop into two new regional events. Standalone state hops (Maine, Utah, and a few others) run independently. The original Row by Row Experience name returned in 2024 after the program's 2022 wind-down — under new management, with a different row size (9″ × 36″ instead of the original 36″ wide) but the same shop-hop spirit.
The full 2026 shop hop calendar
FabShop Hop
Organized by FabShop Network
Monthly online shop hop where participants visit participating online shops and find hidden bunnies on each shop's website. Year-round event with monthly prize drawings.
Utah Shop Hop
Organized by Utah Shop Hop · UT
Utah's statewide shop hop. Spring event coinciding with milder weather across the state.
All Michigan Shop Hop
Organized by Great Sewing Adventures · MI
Michigan-only summer shop hop. Two months to explore Michigan quilt shops from the lower peninsula to the U.P.
All Pacific Northwest Shop Hop
Organized by Great Sewing Adventures · 3 states
Pacific Northwest shop hop expanded in 2026 to include Idaho alongside Oregon and Washington. Three months covering the region's best quilt shops.
Maine Quilt Shop Hop
Organized by Maine Shop Hop · ME
Maine's official statewide shop hop. Three months to explore shops from Portland to Bar Harbor and inland.
All Mid-Atlantic Shop Hop
Organized by Great Sewing Adventures · 5 states
Mid-Atlantic states shop hop running July 1 through August 31. Pairs perfectly with summer family travel through New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.
Row by Row Experience 2026
Organized by Row by Row Experience
The Row by Row Experience returned in a new form — 9" × 36" row patterns themed to each participating shop's region. Visit shops between July 1 and August 31 to collect free row patterns. Different from the original 2011-2022 program (which used 36"-wide rows), but the same spirit.
All New England Shop Hop
Organized by Great Sewing Adventures · 6 states
Two-month shop hop covering all six New England states. Visit participating shops between September 1 and October 31, collect passport stamps, qualify for prize drawings.
All Blue Ridge Shop Hop
Organized by Great Sewing Adventures · 3 states
New for 2026 — the All Carolinas Shop Hop split into two regional events. The Blue Ridge hop covers North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
All Southeast Shop Hop
Organized by Great Sewing Adventures · 3 states
New for 2026 — the All Carolinas Shop Hop split into two regional events. The Southeast hop covers Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Shop hop pro tips
Map your route before you start
A multi-state hop has dozens of participating shops scattered across hundreds of miles. Pull up the official hop map, identify which shops you can realistically reach, and group them by day. Don't try to hit every shop — most quilters complete a fraction of the full list and still have a great hop.
Bring snacks and water
You'll be in a fabric store, then driving an hour, then in another fabric store. Lunch options near small-town quilt shops are sometimes limited. Pack a cooler.
Set a fabric budget per shop
Without a budget, a 12-shop hop can become a 12-month fabric bill. $25–50 per shop is a sensible starting point — enough for a fat quarter bundle or a small kit, not so much that the hop becomes ruinous.
Photograph each shop's exterior
Many shop hops give you a photo journal of where you've been. Even if your hop doesn't, taking a photo at every shop's front door gives you a visual record to look back on.
Ask the staff what's special
Every quilt shop has a specialty — a fabric line they're known for, a notion their customers love, a class they're proud of. Ask the staff what makes this shop different. The conversations are often the best part.
Don't skip the small shops
It's tempting to drive to the big destination shops and skip the small ones. The small ones are often the most charming, with one or two owners who know every quilter who walks in. Visit them too.
Frequently asked questions
What is a quilt shop hop?+
A quilt shop hop is a coordinated event where independent quilt shops in a region (state or multi-state) run a joint promotion over a defined time window — typically 1–3 months. Participants visit each shop, get a passport stamped, qualify for prize drawings, and sometimes receive free or discounted patterns. Shop hops are the largest organized events promoting independent quilt shops in the US.
How does a shop hop work?+
Buy or pick up a passport at any participating shop. Visit other shops in the hop region during the event window. Each shop stamps your passport (sometimes with a small purchase requirement, often without). Complete passports earn entries into prize drawings and sometimes a small completion gift. Most shop hops are free to participate; the value is the passport program and the regional shop discovery.
What shop hops are running in 2026?+
Major 2026 regional shop hops include: All New England (Sept–Oct, six states), All Mid-Atlantic (July–Aug, five states), All Michigan (June–July, Michigan only), All Pacific Northwest (June–Aug, OR/WA/ID, with Idaho added in 2026), All Blue Ridge (Sept–Oct, NC/VA/WV, new in 2026), All Southeast (Sept–Oct, AL/GA/SC, new in 2026), Maine, Utah, and the returning Row by Row Experience. Most are run by Great Sewing Adventures.
What happened to the Row by Row Experience?+
The original Row by Row Experience ran from 2011 to 2022 — a summer-long national shop hop where participating shops gave away free 36"-wide row patterns to visitors. It was discontinued in 2022. A new program using the Row by Row Experience name returned in subsequent years with a different format (9" × 36" row patterns) and continues through 2026. Many quilters consider the newer version a separate program inspired by the original.
How much does it cost to participate in a shop hop?+
Most regional shop hops are free to participate — you just need to visit the shops and get your passport stamped. Some hops sell an official kit or souvenir pin ($10–30) but participation in the passport program is free. The cost comes from gas and the fabric you buy at each shop along the way.
Do I have to visit every shop to win a prize?+
It varies by hop. Some shop hops require visiting every participating shop (a true "complete passport") to qualify for top prizes; others enter you for each shop visited (more visits = more entries). Read each hop's rules. Most have multiple prize tiers, so partial-completion participants can still win something.