Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Happy Day

I wanted to finish telling you about our excursion last Saturday. As we were leaving the quilt show, we stopped to ask several quilters for restaurant recommendations for lunch, and when we said we'd like to sit down and dine, we were directed toward establishments like Perkos, Burger King, and Taco Bell. Not exactly what we had in mind. When someone finally recommended the best Chinese restaurant in town, we were on our way!

Let's just say that maybe Yuba City isn't the gourmet dining capital of California. Lunch was okay, but not excellent. I guess I should have done my homework ahead of time, but when we went to the Manteca quilt show, we ended up having lunch at an excellent Mexican restaurant that wasn't even on my list, so I was expecting to repeat the experience. Oh, well, we weren't out for a day of fine dining--just a day of fine shopping! And we definitely got it.

On a positive note, the restaurant was just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the quilt shop, Sew So in Yuba City. The shop recently changed hands and moved from old downtown Marysville to downtown Yuba City on Plumas Street.


I know I'm a city girl and more rural ways seem odd to me in a way that they probably DON'T to most of us in the United States, but it struck me as kind of funny that the quilt shop was right next to the Gun and Ammo shop and across the street from the Discount Florist and Casket shop.


Everyone at this shop was super friendly and helpful and they had a good selection of fabric. With the quilt show going on, it wasn't only the gun and ammo shop that was booming. (Yeah, I know it's a bad pun, but what do you expect really?)


They had a lot of quilts hanging around the store as well as kits to make many of them. See that one on the far wall that's folded in half? The one made with the Ruby line of fabric?


A kit might have followed me home.


We left Yuba City with every intention of heading home, but as we were passing through Lincoln, Imelda asked if we wanted to check out a fairly new shop. Duh! Of COURSE we did!


A couple left turns off the main road found us at Sew Katie Jean.


Just looking at the sign made me think I was going to like the shop.


One of my friends said, "Kim, they have your happy fabrics!" And, of course, she was right. The shop is small and the stock of fabric isn't extensive, but Katie is carrying a lot of the fabrics, like Riley Blake, that aren't in every other quilt shop in our area. It's great to know that next time I need my happy fix, I only have to drive to Lincoln--about a 30 minute drive at most.


See that wallhanging? It's made using two different panels and some coordinating fabric--I think all three of us left with those panels in our bags.

Just before we left Sew Katie Jean, I overheard Imelda and Katie talking about the purple house. What's the purple house? Turns out there was another quilt shop in the area I didn't know about. The real name of the shop is Angel Quilters, although it's known as the purple house because the shop occupies a large studio next to the owner's home on some acreage out in the country, and every building on the property is painted some shade of purple or another.

I think I was pretty well shopped out by the time we arrived at the purple house. Not only did I not purchase anything, but I failed to take any photos. A large purple house and quilt shop and I didn't take any photos! I guess that tells you how tired I must have been!

Angel Quilters had a really nice selection of contemporary fabrics, though, and I'm sure I'll return someday. If you're ever in or around Lincoln/Rocklin/Roseville, check out their website and stop by. I'm sure I'll be back sometime--when I'm not quite so tired, or so broke!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fun day you had! I will have to contact you before my next trip back to CA to get updates on shops. It has been so long that I wouldn't know if any of them were still open that I would go to.

Judy in Michigan said...

Thanks for the tour. I love how the cars are parked in Yuba City. Do you have a fabric budget - like so much each month goes into the "quilt bank" and that's what you get to spend that month? or do you "save up" and only spend what's in the "bank"? Very curious - don't ask me about my system...

marie said...

About 45 minutes south of me in Philomouth, OR is a quilt shop in a old movie theater with a gun/ammo shop across the street. Needless to say, if hubby wants to go visit the gun shop I go along so I can visiting the quilt shop.

Brandie said...

I keep laughing at all the Yuba City quirks! You do remember that it was the town with the lowest rating about 15 years ago.
My SIL lives there and I hate it. The only thing I like is the sushi restaurant there on Plumas, otherwise, I just stay away. They actually come up to Chico to eat.
I avoided that quilt show this year. Last year I saw positive they had shown a few of the same quilts. They have a show every year and it seems that many are a step above beginer.
But next time I drive through Lincoln, I know where to stop! Thanks for another heads up!

Suzanne Kistler said...

I hope you and your traveling quiltie ladies will consider coming to Lindsay, CA (4 hours south of Sac) to the Best of the Valley quilt show April 13-15. We've got over 244 competition quilts this year, a large vendor mall, Hoffman Challenge quilts and dolls and a doll show, all under one roof. It might be right up your alley!! maybe I'll get to meet you in person (will I know you by your topknot and toes?) ;)

Jen said...

Oh Kim! I was born in Marysville and my grandparents still live there! (they're 98 and 95 and still live at home) - LOVED this post - it just made me happy and took me home!
I didn't know that the Sew & So had moved - good to know! I'm headed that way in about 3 weeks!
And I may have to detour back to hit Katie Jean's! (Totally my flavor!)

Have a great day!
xoxo
jen

strawberrycream39 said...

The kit you got is so cute...and it came in the little basket? That's a nice touch! Sew Katie Jean looks like my kind of place. I love everything about the sign!!

Gamma said...

I'm a little behind in my blog reading, but just ran across your post about Yuba City. I lived there from 1963 until I graduated from Yuba City High School (home of the Honkers) in 1971. I haven't been back in over 20 years, but from your photos, it doesn't look like it's changed a bit - right down to the cars parked on Plumas Street. Thanks for the update and the chuckle I got knowing that someone has been there recently.

(oh, and my first name is Kim!)