Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day
January 18th, 2013
This coming Thursday (Jan 24, 2013) is Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day. Which means that every day is Visit Your LQS Day, but on Thursday we get to have cake (right?) (right!). I am a huge supporter of LQS’s (as I am of independent online shops, too), and sometimes I get a little carried away when I step into my LQS. But in my defense, the fabrics I’m in love with might be gone tomorrow. When the FabShopNet asked me if I’d be interested in being on the VYLQSDAY blog tour I jumped at the chance. Not only do I love to talk about my favorite LQS - I knew I had to go there so I can take some freshie pics. Yes. Fact finding. Gathering up-to-date, current info. Research.
Just a quick 35 minute drive south of my home in Astoria, and just off the scenic 101… lies my fabric nirvana (also known as Center Diamond) in Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Because one pic is not enough
Julie, the proprietress of Center Diamond, stocks her store just for me. And maybe a few other things for other people with other tastes. It never fails that when I walk in I want pretty much everything I see. Center Diamond is almost two decades old, but is always fresh like it just opened last month. Much of that is due to Julie being so knowledgeable about the textile industry and what’s new, hot and fresh - and stocking her store with all that’s new, hot and fresh.
It was in Center Diamond that I first discovered Echino, and Julie’s shop was the only one I knew of that had it. This was back in 2005 maybe? I remember discovering “Encino” (you can take the girl out of California, but you can’t take the California out of the girl) and thinking, “what is this magical Japanese, Swedish-ish looking fabric and can I please buy it all?!”. Center Diamond is always way ahead of the fabric crushes and trends.
Everyone is always warmly greeted by friendly staff, and then greeted with a hearty stock and assortment of sewing awesomeness. Center Diamond’s warm and cozy space is filled will all thing must-have, like:
Samples and patterns.
More samples and more patterns.
Books, books, and more books. Lots of yummie publications from Japan, too!
Notions (especially my favorite things like Aurifil thread and Creative Grids rulers)
Aneela sighting!
And of course fabric. Glorious, glorious fabric.
Aisles of colors
A yard please. Yes, I already have some of this Echino at home. But it might be gone tomorrow. It’s for the greater good.
Until next time, Center Diamond. I love you. (blowing kisses)
Taking the long way home. Because The Goonies is my favorite movie in the whole, wide world.
Be sure to check out the VYLQSDAY blog tour and see all the tours.
Posted in I Heart Oregon |
Farting around with needle & thread and then blogging about it.
Ooh! I LOVE Center Diamond! I once found almost an entire bolt of the fishes in baggies print of Heather Ross there. Unfortunately, at the time I was fairly broke and could only get like half a yard. If I knew that we would never be able to get it again I would have had my parents (who were with me at the time) float me some cash.
They do have astounding customer service and an AMAZING selection!
January 18th, 2013Oh how I LOVE Center Diamond. One of my favorites. I don’t know how I could have been so remiss in leaving them off my list in today’s posts. I have gotten so many wonderful seaside fabrics from there.
January 18th, 2013This looks like a great shop! I love that notions wall and the books are displayed so you can see them all. Love that! I am going to see if I can get a Center Diamond pin for my collection. Thanks for showing off your LQS! It looks like my kinda place for sure.
January 18th, 2013Quilt shops are like opium dens to quilters! And a good one is worth it’s weight in 100% cotton ;)
January 18th, 2013My current fabric faves are Monaluna, Cloud 9, and Heather Ross. Have you seen her Itsy Bitsy Spider fabric? SHOOT ME NOW!
Oh! I want to go there! It’s so much more fun to see fabric in person! My LQS is only open MWFS, so I guess they will have no cake Thursday!
January 18th, 2013I almost squealed when I saw your 2nd photo. I just watched The Goonies during Christmas holidays with my grandkids & fell in love with it all over again!
I want that LQS by me! Looks amazing! Sadly, my fave LQS closed…still not over it. There is another not far but it is not really a ‘me’ kind of LQS. Just not the same :( The scenery is stunning to your LQS too!
January 18th, 2013What a neat store in beautiful country! My fav LQS closed and they had over 5,000 bolts! Right here in the middle of Kansas. Sigh, I miss that store .
January 18th, 2013Beautiful store! It is on the wrong coast though, oh wait maybe I’m on the wrong coast. Thanks for sharing!
January 18th, 2013That reminds me, I’d better go over to Quilters’ Cupboard in Atascadero to do a preview of VYLQSD and then go back and double-check to make sure I have it all fresh in my mind before the 24th. It may take me a few preview trips and at least a couple of post-trips before I have all the information I need.
For my, uh, report. Yes, that’s it! My report!
January 18th, 2013oh I WISH my LQS was as completely gorgeous as Center Diamond - that looks like fabric + book + notion heaven. And it’s in such a beautiful place too. Oh, you must love it.
Every time I walk into my LQS - which is staffed with lovely, kind, helpful ladies - I stand there and think ‘there is not a single piece of fabric I want to buy’. I do buy all my notions and batting from them and they service my machine, and I take classes with them. But pretty much all my fabric comes from online shops in the US.
I will definitely go visit them on Thursday though, and I will even ring to see if there will be cake! Catherine
January 18th, 2013Yes! Center Diamond is right there at the top of quilt shops…I love the variety of fabrics, it’s amazing how much they fit in their shop. They always have the best patterns, too…often with samples.
January 18th, 2013Mo’s chowder is great and the crab melt sammies are pretty amazing (I think you have to ask for those).
Holy yeah baby! In July, Bill and I are packing up the camper and the kids for a trip down the Oregon coast. Well down to Eureka, actually. I will FO SHO be making a pit stop at Center Diamond! It looks like the perfect place for a stop!
January 18th, 2013What a great post…thanks for the heads up - yikes…I better start baking for Thursday!
January 18th, 2013How is it that your fact-finding-LQS mission means driving past Haystack Rock….and mine involves quickly driving through the original Skid Row? With doors firmly locked, lol. I clearly need to come shop with you!
January 18th, 2013I’ve been there! Its one of only a handful of quilt shops I’ve been to that I really, really want to go back to.
January 19th, 2013I’d give my eye teeth for an LQS like that!!!
January 19th, 2013I’ve not been to Astoria yet and it looks like a little road trip is in order ~ all roads lead to Center Diamond!
January 19th, 2013ooooh Monica ~ run over to sew take a hike’s blog ~ she’s reviewing Mama Said Sew’s local shop and there’s a Ron quilt hanging in her shop!
January 19th, 2013Loved your post….it makes me want to run right up there! Next time I am in Oregon, it will be on my must-stop list. And ooooh, yummy Mo’s. i spent several summer vacations in Reedsport, so a trip to Newport was always in order for a bowl of chowder.
January 19th, 2013I LOVE the Center Diamond…my favorite thing is it’s location and the fact that I am usually with girlfriends on a retreat! lol
January 19th, 2013Oh, I wish I had known about this shop when we visited Oregon last summer. We even stopped briefly near Cannon Beach at the state park.
January 19th, 2013Guess I will be heading over to Material Girls Quilts on Thursday! I have never been to Oregon but I hope to get there someday. It isn’t like I live too far away over here in Utah! Thank you for sharing your little bit of quilt shop heaven!
January 19th, 2013I have been to this shop and think it is perfection. It has everything you could possibly need and the fabric is wonderful. The location is the icing on the cake!
January 19th, 2013holy moly! i swear i just picked my hand off the mouse and caressed the fabric in the picture on my screen.. sigh.. if only my side of the world carried your side of the world awesomeness. thanks for the tour of the shop!
January 19th, 2013Oooo, this is my fave quilt shop!! I kinda consider this my LQS too because I visit every time I go to the beach… Which is often ;). Loved your post!
January 19th, 2013Whenever we ar at the coast - we absolutely stop at Center Diamond and right next door - Ice Fire.
You did a superb job of sharing the shop in this post. And i just had to pop in to tell you so!
You are right - the selection of “hot new” fabrics is breathtaking - and tempting!
January 19th, 2013Wow that’s a fab LQS!! Love all the awesome new fabrics you found- dreamy!!
January 19th, 2013Sadly our closest LQS closed last year, the next nearest one is about 45min away- I am going there on Friday to celebrate this special day, albeit a day later, huzzah!!
OH. MY. FREAKIN’. JEALOUS-MUCH. GOODNESS! I am SO SO SO SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Green with ENVY!!!!!! I heart Cannon Beach. I was married there. I heart Haystack. I heart Goonies. I heart that French-themed fabric. I heart you. I heart this quilt shop. I heart quilting. ACK!!!!!!! My heart is going to BURST!!!!
I just visited my LQS (Keepsake Cottage), but WHY NOT! I’ll go again and pick up some MORE!!!!!
Double ACK!
January 19th, 2013I love me some Encino (sic ;)) but I have exactly none in my stash. I KNOW, right?HELLO! Road trip!
January 19th, 2013I love Center Diamond! When we go to the beach, I have to make sure I have saved up so I can go fabric shopping there…and I still never have enough to buy all I want to! They are so sweet there, last time they showed my little one where the buttons were and she happily (and quietly) picked through them while I shopped for fabric. Heaven! My favorite LQS is Cool Cottons in Portland :). Lovely store!
January 19th, 2013I, too, love visiting Center Diamond. I’ve been there twice while RVing down the Oregon Coast. I love that their fabrics are so ‘new’ and it was one of the only LQS’s on the coast that had a selection of wool.
January 19th, 2013We stop by on our next trip down the coast for sure!
I wanna LIVE in that quilt shop !!!! I wanna MARRY that quilt shop !!! I didn’t see ANY fabrics etc that I don’t positively LOVE …. ALL OF IT …. I LOVE ALL OF IT !!!!
January 20th, 2013….. and if I’d ever actually leave that quilt shop and go outside, the scenery is GORGEOUS !!! What a perfect setting for a perfect quilt shop !!!
I CANNOT wait until I live within walking distance of Center Diamond. Cannon Beach = Heaven, and CD and most of the other little shops make it such a special place. I’m glad you found/find lots of treasures there…and the sun was out! :) heehee
January 20th, 2013Happy for you…. Sad for me…. Thank you so much for sharing all the great pics of… well, all of it! The scenic drive - priceless… The shot of the outside of the quilt shop - to die for…. The pics of the INSIDE of the quilt shop… Well, my keyboard shorted out from the drool! Thanks for giving us a peak into your world.
January 20th, 2013OMG I LOVE THE GOONIES!!! I was going to write that the only reason I’ve heard of Astoria is from The Goonies, and then you mentioned the movie. Your local quilt shop rocks! If I ever get to your part of the USA (I’m Australian) ill have to call in. Being a child of the 80s I love so many 80s kids and teen films, and now as a middle school English teacher I expose my students to films if the 80s! Partly for my own enjoyment.
January 20th, 2013I am popping back over to your awesome LQS post to say YOU TOTALLY MADE MY DAY with your comment on our blog post!! I couldn’t email you back, because it came up that you are a no-reply-blogger, so I came back here.
Thank you so much Monica - I was scrolling through my emails on my phone, with my morning cup of tea, when I saw it. My day was already perfect, at 6.30 in the morning.
If you do make a x+ quilt, it will be awesome. I want to make x+ blocks all day right now, but school-holiday-life keeps getting in the way :-)
thanks again, so much. You are one of my absolute favourite-ever fabric designers, bloggers, instagrammers. Love what you do. Catherine x+o
January 20th, 2013My hero! Could you be any cooler? I gasped at the first few photos and knew exactly where your were. (Going to re-watch my favorite movie now while I quilt…)
January 22nd, 2013I would spend hours in your LQS. It is so pretty. I am in Central Texas and there are stores here, but they do not look like yours. Thanks for sharing :)
January 22nd, 2013How fun to see a shop featured that I have actually visited! I was blessed to live in Portland a few months and Cannon Beach was my favorite discovery in that part of the country! You are lucky to live there. Your photos are beautiful.
January 22nd, 2013As a Northern California girl(woman?), my favorite LQS is Runs with Scissors, on the edge of Roseville and Carmichael which I just discovered after driving past it for 4 years! Tryingto save money, I guess. Friendly,smart people, lots of beautiful fabric…what else could you want? Oh, the money to buy it all would be nice…:)
January 22nd, 2013Center Diamond is a fantastic quilt shop. I am a lucky girl cuz it IS my LQS!
January 22nd, 2013Forget my favorite LQS, loved the pictures of the local scenery! You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area!
January 23rd, 2013Center Diamond is a wonderful shop. And the rock!! My favorite rock in the whole world. Thanks for the photo journey. xo J
January 23rd, 2013None nearby my home, but I love looking for LQS when I am traveling.
January 24th, 2013I LOVE Center Diamond! I always visit the shop whenever I’m staying up there on the northern coast. After reading your post I am itching to get back in there!
January 25th, 2013You make me laugh AND want to quilt again….so I’m going to right now. Laugh. And tonight, I’m going to quilt!
January 25th, 2013I must give a shout out to Flying Geese in Kodiak, AK. Also, Compass Rose a newer, smaller shop. When we are in San Diego visiting old friends I go to Rosie’s Calico Cupboard (I think in La Mesa). She has some of everything there. A big store that has grown into space after space in a strip mall. If she doesn’t have it, you don’t need it. Also, must add that Oregon has THE BEST state parks in the entire country! Nehalem (on the beach, horse facilities) and Wallowa (biggest deer I’ve ever seen).
January 28th, 2013I also love this shop and glad it is so close to me. I found some cute gnome fabric there a few years ago - made in Japan. Great pictures.
January 28th, 2013My kids and I loved Goonies and watched it when we needed a good time….both of them still know the script of the movie by heart….all these years later….my oldest DS is 37 :0).
Love the trip to the quilt shop and a glimpse of the Oregon coast…how beautiful.
Happy Sewing
February 2nd, 2013Ooo, thanks for posting about that. I think I will need to take a quick jaunt to the beach for a visit and some serious cash lay out.
February 13th, 2013I just watched Goonies with my grand kids. So funny to see that movie again!
February 19th, 2013I LOVE Center Diamond! We used to live near Seattle, WA, and would drive to Cannon Beach at least once a year. I always had to stop at CD. Now I live in Portland, but alas, have no money. I still stop in, though, because it is so beautiful and I love the ladies who work there. I am always inspired by the fabrics and projects I find there.
March 6th, 2013The Center Diamond is one of my favorite quilt shops. I live in Washington and visit Cannon Beach several times a year. I always find something I just have to buy.
March 7th, 2013Yes, I’ve been to Center Diamond quilt shop while visiting my sister’s beach house in Seaside, OR. I currently live in Maryland, and my favorite LQS (although not so local) is Material Girls in LaPlata, MD. My favorite LQS near my future home (when I retire to Texas) is Creations in Kerrville. So many shops, so little time……
March 8th, 2013Why didn’t I find this review before I went? I had a great time browsing their shop last week, great review!
May 12th, 2013