Another favorite Wisconsin shop!

Before leaving Wisconsin this past Tuesday, I visited a unique quilt shop in Greenfield, a suburb of Milwaukee, conveniently located near the interstate highway that would be the beginning of my trek home to Iowa.  The shop is unique in the sense that it is not just a quilt shop.  The name of the shop is Coins and Quilts.  You guessed it... they buy, sell, and trade coins, jewelry, silver, gold, and currency.  They also sell fabric, patterns, templates, rulers, threads, and other merchandise that quilters want and need.  They provide Long Arm Quilting Services.  By my estimation eighty percent of the shop is quilting; I call it the her side.  Twenty percent is coins, the his side.  A strange combination?  You might think, but it works.

Once again, I asked for permission to take pictures, and permission was granted.  My only regret?  I wish I would have taken more!

The shop utilizes its space smartly, making it easy to
move around and not miss a thing!

Okay, I will admit that I enjoy browsing in quilt shops that are a little more quaint, a little more charming, a little more primitive.  But while Coins and Quilts appears to be more practical than quaint, (and really, it's all in the eye of the beholder), I was impressed  with the fabric selection and customer service, two major reasons I walk into a quilt shop in the first place!  Coins and Quilts gets 5 stars in delivering both!

Edit 11/14/2012 - I forgot to mention one other 5 star feature... the lighting!  It sure makes a difference when selecting fabric!  For example, I purchased two fat quarters at the shop in Sun Prairie a few days before visiting Coins and Quilts.  I thought the two fat quarters were grey... when I got home and was admiring my purchases, I discovered the true color of the two fat quarters... brown!   Just sayin'!

My favorite spot in the store is the corner in this picture! 
That's where I found the bolts of 1862 Battle Hymn
by Barbara Brackman for Moda.

I'm for supporting all quilt shops... after all, if they weren't around, I doubt I would be as enthusiastic as I am about this wonderful hobby known as quilting!  I like being a fabric fanatic!  I like adding to my stash!  I like spending time in my sewing room!  I like gifting something I made, and I treasure the somethings that I keep!   This is a healthy hobby, because it makes me feel good!  So there...  I owe it all to quilt shops!





The store has a nice selection of batiks, and a cute area
of youth fabrics, patterns and kits.


I selected some 1862 fat quarters, but still needed a number of them to be cut from the bolts.  Mr. Coin was more than happy to cut them!  (I've been in some shops where I feel like I'm asking a lot for a fat quarter to be cut from a bolt...  I get a sigh, a straight face, and I feel like saying, "give me the rotary... I'll cut my own if you'll let me!"). 

Sentiments by 3 Sisters for Moda, and fat quarters of
1862 Battle Hymn

I've seen the Sentiments line of fabric on websites, and I didn't go crazy over it until I found it in the shop.  I love it!

I picked my three favorite prints and a panel of holiday
postcards... not sure what to make.  Any ideas?

 

Thanks for letting me take you on a tour of my two, new, favorite  Wisconsin quilt shops!  If you are ever lucky enough to travel there, do your best to visit Coins and Quilts, and J J Stitches.  But don't forget to spend some time on the Internet searching for other quilt shops in the great state of Wisconsin, be they quaint or practical.  They all deserve our support!