The magazine includes a Passport for your Great Sewing Adventures™ Across Illinois. Turn in your completed Passport for a chance to win Prizes which are also featured in the magazine. You’ll find Regional Maps, to help you plan your route, and listings of special Shop Hop store hours. Your magazine includes free patterns from local designers featuring our exclusive line of All Illinois Shop Hop fabrics. Beautiful photography showcases these fine projects. Plus, there are fun, industry-related articles to keep you entertained and informed.

Your magazine serves as a directory of stores. Use it all year long to locate and visit stores as you travel throughout Illinois. ALL proceeds from magazine sales go DIRECTLY to support your local quilt shops. There is nothing quite the same as walking into a shop to see, touch and even smell the fabric. The passion behind our Shop Hop program ensures that brick and mortar shops continue to thrive and serve generations of sewing enthusiasts.

All Illinois Shop Hop Magazines will be available approximately six weeks before the start of the event. It takes about a year to plan, gather and complete all the store features, project designs, patterns and articles. We want to make sure every last detail is perfect.

Stop into your favorite local store to purchase your magazine! They will be available at ALL participating stores about 6 weeks before the August 1–September 30 event. Stores will have an option for Shop Hoppers to reserve a magazine. Follow us on Facebook and our website for information on magazine availability.

If you are an out-of-state Shop Hopper or just don’t have a nearby source, rest assured that many of our stores will sell magazines online or by phone, with mail delivery. You can find the full list of participating stores and their contact information on the All Illinois Shop Hop website.

Present your Passport at each participating Shop Hop store to receive a free Quilt Block Pattern Card. Each store has their own block pattern, so you must visit each store to collect all of the cards. The Quilt Block Pattern Cards feature this year’s All Illinois Shop Hop Fabrics and provide instructions for cutting and stitching the block.

A set of Quilt Block Pattern Cards is a great resource for a variety of projects! Combine your favorite patterns using the exclusive All Illinois Shop Hop Fabrics to make many one-of-a-kind projects. Refer to your cards for inspiration on future projects as well. We’d love to see what you create! Share a photo of your project with us on Facebook or through our contact form.

The All Illinois Shop Hop is divided into regions. While we know everyone would like to visit every participating store in the Shop Hop, sometimes it’s just not possible. Splitting the event into regions allows Hoppers to visit fewer stores and still qualify for some really great prizes!

Stores are grouped into regions based on a number of considerations including the total number of participating shops, their geographical locations and major roadways that connect them. We try to have a similar number of stores in each region, but occasionally some regions will have more than others due to the close proximity of those stores.

We have found over the years that no matter how the regions are sliced, they tend to get the same amount of traffic. Some Hoppers prefer a region with fewer stores and more road time between them. Others start with a region because stores are closer together. The majority of Shop Hoppers complete multiple regions, and many will do the entire state!

The All Illinois Shop Hop is supported through the generous donations of national and regional companies who serve the sewing industry. Participating Shop Hop stores also contribute prizes and giveaways. Hundreds of prizes will be awarded as part of the Great Sewing Adventures™ Across Illinois.

To qualify for Prizes, you will need the Passport found in the All Illinois Shop Hop Magazine. Present your Passport at participating Shop Hop stores to be stamped. To enter, place your completed Passport in an envelope and mail directly to Shop Hop Inc. The mailing address and entry deadline are noted on your Passport. (Participating stores do not accept completed Passports.) All winners are selected by random drawing from the prize levels where they qualify.

Yes. In the months leading up to the All Illinois Shop Hop, prize drawings are offered on our Facebook Group and during Facebook Live events. Some Shop Hop stores also offer in-house raffles for visitors during the event.

Prizes will be awarded during our LIVE prize drawing following the completion of the Shop Hop event. (Exact date of prize drawing will be announced via our Facebook Group and Website.) A list of prize winners will be posted on our Prizes page a few days after the prize drawing.

Prize winners will receive their prize or a certificate for their prize in the mail. Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery after the prize drawing. Information will be included on how and where to redeem prize certificates. Some prizes must be picked up at the awarding store. Alternatively, winners can pay shipping costs to have the store send the prize.

We’re all about encouraging the next generation to develop a passion for sewing. That's why we offer a passport specifically for kids ages 8 to 17 to participate in the Shop Hop. Youth passports may be picked up at any of our Shop Hop stores. Just collect stickers from any number of stores, then mail us your passport at the end of the Shop Hop to receive a special gift courtesy of our sponsors.

Every year, a new line of fabrics is designed for each of our statewide Shop Hop events. We use industry professionals to design fabrics that celebrate the unique imagery and character of Illinois.

Fabric designs and colors are a personal preference. That’s why we change things up every year. Whether it be color combinations, designs, themes or styles – it’s always fun to see what the designers come up with next!

Fabrics may be ordered through participating stores prior to the event, but you will not be able to take possession until the Shop Hop begins. We almost ALWAYS sell out of these exclusive fabrics! So, get them when you see them at Shop Hop stores. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Of course, the real magic happens when you see the fabrics brought to life by our talented pattern designers! We feature these designs and patterns in our magazine and on our website, so you have plenty of inspiration. Many Shop Hop stores also produce patterns and kits of their own designs for even more creative options!