Best Little Quilt Shop
This year is my ten year anniversary with Temecula Quilt Company. No, I am not really affiliated with them, I’m just a devoted customer. I first discovered TQC in 2009 when it was featured as one of the top ten quilt shops in Quilt Sampler magazine. It was one of those shops I noted as “must visit if at all humanly possible” and to my delight I was visiting southern California just two months after the magazine was published. That year, 2009, was also my first year of blogging about my obsession love of reproduction quilts so I described that first visit in this old post. Here I am at TQC earlier this month with some special quilt friends I’ve made over the last ten years. It’s time to share more of this wonderful little shop than I did in that first post.

Visitors quickly know they are someplace special when they are greeted with the sight of this bed covered in quilts made from TQC patterns, some free on their blog! My personal current favorite – and bucket list quilt – is the red, green and shirting one just in front of the pillows. It’s what I like to call a “drop everything” quilt which means when I saw the picture I drop whatever I am currently working on and start a(nother) new project. That one is free on the blog and I am helpfully providing the link to the instructions for “Secret Santa Sew Along” HERE! I’m also planning on doing the red triangles one and the house pillow. Pretty ambitious for someone who struggles to find time for sewing but I love a challenge (and hoarding pretty fabric).

Above is another of many, many quilty vignettes around the shop. I think Sheryl Johnson, TQC’s owner, has as good an eye for vintage treasures as she does for fabric and quilt design. Don’t you love the little wooden easel as prop for the quilt, kit and pattern? Those are the touches that make us quilt lovers squeal in delight. The book behind the kit, Quirky Little Quilts, is Sheryl’s first book, published last summer. A couple of years ago, I shared a small basket quilt I own with Sheryl so she could pattern it. Now, it’s in the book! I’m pretty selective about which quilt pattern books I buy these days because I have so many. Sound familiar? But, I love this book and I’ll definitely be buying her next one, Returning to Temecula, when it is published this August.

More scrappy quilts for your viewing pleasure plus a sneak peek at some of the fabrics that were available when I visited. I think these might be by Betsy Chutchian for Moda. That’s another thing I like about TQC. We reproduction quilt lovers have been a neglected lot in the last view years when it comes to our fabric preferences. But, you can rely on TQC to find and stock those precious reproduction lines (the good ones — you know what I mean) and not clutter up the space with too much of what is called modern fabrics these days. Not dissing contemporary fabrics but I made a decision years ago to allocate my fabric budget to what I truly love and not stray into other fabric temptations. I’m loving those reds above and thinking I need to order some.

Another exciting venture for Sheryl has been the production of her very first fabric line, “Temecula Treasures,” by Marcus Fabrics, those producers of some of the very best reproduction fabrics ever printed, in my humble opinion. <ahem> I must confess to borrowing the photo above from TQC’s website. The fabrics are still available in the shop – she has to carry these forever, right? – but the bolts are much less full than when she first put them out. Seriously, as a lover of reproduction fabrics that are saturated with color, not “browned out” to look like someone’s idea of old and my idea of a dirty quilt, I think these are the apex of reproductions. Don’t let these get away without adding some to your stash. You’re welcome.

I consider this a “blow your mind” kind of picture. Just imagine the total number of scraps in all the quilts in the photo… The second quilt from the bottom is a Sue Garman pattern called “Oh My Gosh.” My thoughts exactly. Still, it might be fun to have a contest to guess the scraps. Nah, that will never happen because someone WOULD have to count them all.

This is another quilt display look I really like. I love the colors in the log cabin (maybe courthouse steps?) quilt in the foreground and the Baptist fan quilting is just perfect. No, that one isn’t on the bucket list (yet). I will be doing that quilting on something soon, however. I must also try the adding the loops for hanging the quilts, too.

One last vignette, for now. I am particularly fond of the quilt with the red/shirting pinwheels that is folded on the shelf above. Plus, more vintage props and scrappy browns waiting to become part of my own quilts. I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of TQC. For the record, this isn’t a paid ad or anything like that. Sheryl has created her version of scrappy repro Disneyland for this repro quilt lover’s heart and I can’t help but over-indulge in eye candy and fabric acquisition. Like the new book’s title…I’ll be Returning to Temecula as soon as I can.
I found a quilt on a shelf in our garage wherw we had recently moved almost exactly like log cabin quilt colors and all back in 1967. It was old and smelly. I took it out in the sun to check it out. It wasn’t damaged just dirty. Washed it cold water and hung it to dry in the shade. It was such a warm comfortable quilt. We wore it out.
Looks like an amazing shop – I thought Temecula focused more on modern, bright quilt projects, but can now see it would be heavenly to visit and it would be oh so easy to find reproduction fabrics!
This post is quit inspirational. I absolutely loved the narrative and all of the inspiring quilts shown. The vignettes are so intriguing. Everything is beyond wonderful. And I heartedly agree that the new reproduction fabrics now have their own energy. Since i live in Maine, I’m sure that I will never have the opportunity to actually visit the shop so I am enjoying it through this post. I did however finish the Snowball quilt a long that they did during the winter of 2017-2018. It’s one of my very favorite quilts and so thrilled that I made it. My favorite quilt is the courthouse steps that is hanging. BTW, what a great way to showcase a quilt. And i know what I’m going to do with that idea. Back to the courthouse quilt. As you noted, the quilting choice is so perfect for that quilt but i am also drawn to the unique border. Thank you soooo much for this very special post and the time to produce it. Now I’m going to head over to their website and yes, bookmark it for the future.
I happened on this little shop years ago, 2004 maybe, when I was visiting my new granddaughter. It is a terrific shop and I loved revisiting it with your picture. I might have to order some Betsy Chutchian fabric too – ha!
This is one of my favorite shops since about the same time as you and I remember and still have the Mag you are talking about. I absolutely love their blog and fabric and thank goodness they are such representatives of the reproduction fabrics. This is a wonderful review and wish that I can also give the same one day i will be able to visit, Ontario is a little far but…one day!
drooling! I NEED an income to get those, and I LOVE those fabrics!
Oh, such beautiful colors and quilts!
What a fabulous shop! Oodles and oodles of inspiration in these pictures. I have been once to this fantastic shop and really hope to go again one day. Love the Temecula Treasures fabrics !
What a wonderful post! It is such a fabulous shop. I was there once about 10 years ago and would love to go back one day. There is just oodles of inspiration in your pictures here – thanks!
I’ve loved this shop for years, but living in NJ, hadn’t been able to visit. Finally was able to tag along on a trip to San Diego with my husband in early May and we made the trip to Temecula and OMG, it was so worth it! We spent lots of money and overloaded our suitcases with treasures! I loved the shop and we both gravitated to the red and white quilt on the bed…came home with the fabric to make that and many others, along with her book and a few patterns. What a delightful store. Can’t wait until he has to go back!
Thanks, Taryn, for the virtual tour. I haven’t been there but do order frequently from the website. And I often can’t resist starting a new project when Sheryl has a quilt along!
Great pics! I was lucky to visit once – so much inspiration.
Oh, I love this shop. Got Sharyl’s book and am subscribed to the Quirkly Little Quilts Monthly kit! Thanks for sharing!
I enjoy Temecula’s news letter. Always something interesting to see . Their fabric choices are quite good.
I also love this shop Taryn, as well as about everything Sheryl does. Thanks. for the virtual tour, it made my day!
Oh my what fun you must have had. I’ve never been there but have certainly done considerable drooling over their offerings 🙂