All Blue Ridge Shop Hop - Magazine
Known as “The Great Sewing Adventure™ Across the Blue Ridge,” this event offers unique benefits not available in smaller hops. Features include the All Blue Ridge Shop Hop Magazine, free patterns, a fun thank-you gift from each store for visiting Shop Hoppers, and chances to win prizes at the end of the event. An exclusive Blue Ridge-themed fabric line can be purchased at participating stores. There is no purchase necessary to participate or to win prizes.
In May and June of 2026, Thimble & Stash will join more than 80 North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia stores in hosting Shop Hoppers. The All Blue Ridge Shop Hop Magazine, which serves as a guide, goes on sale mid-March of 2026 at participating stores.
In addition to great articles and free patterns, this magazine is a key for participation with maps, extended store hour listings, and giveaways!
Never heard of a Shop Hop? Though initially unique to the quilting and sewing industry, Shop Hops are “cousins” to other marketing events that promote certain industries (think pub crawls, antique road shows, road rallies, and similar events in the food industry). Customers visit a quilting and sewing store, SHOP, and then HOP to the next store to repeat the process.
Shop Hops introduce quilting and sewing enthusiasts to participating stores. They are also a way for stores to showcase their unique personalities, offerings, and talents to new and returning customers.
Typically, Shop Hoppers collect stamps or stickers at each store they visit. They are also offered chances to win prizes or earn discounts. Shop Hops can vary in size from a few stores in one area to 100+ stores across an entire state or region.
In a day when brick and mortar retail locations are dwindling across the nation, a Shop Hop works to keep quilting and sewing stores thriving, so customers can continue to touch and feel the fabric in person.
In addition to supporting quilting and sewing stores, a Shop Hop also has a significant positive economic impact on tourism and other travel-related businesses. Thousands of Shop Hoppers converge on the cities where stores are located – eating, shopping, and staying overnight. Shop Hop Inc manages large-scale shopping events across the country and estimates that, depending on the number of stores involved, the economic impact to a state can range from $4.5 to over $9 million.
For Shop Hoppers, the experience is also about making memories. Many quilters hop with friends, family, or their favorite “quiltsie” as they travel the Hop together. Besides visiting sewing stores, Shop Hoppers also enjoy traveling through large and small towns, discovering parts of the state they may have never visited before.