When we hosted the retreat at Lou Ann’s Quilt Garden and Retreat I took some time to snap some photos so you all could see the great quilt where so many of us spent our money.
Lou Ann’s shop is friendly and cute but the best feature of all is Lou Ann herself. One of the gals that came to the retreat was from southern Iowa. Last time when she came she got a speeding ticket. Lou Ann remembered her and that she got a ticket. They laughed about and joked that “now she had extra money to spend” being she didn’t get a ticket this time. Lou Ann really makes the quilt shop a home for all of her customers.
There are lots of cute little vignettes to entice you.
LouAnn makes great use of her store leaving plenty of space to move around and shop but still filling the store with lots of tempting items.
Not only is there fabric there are sewing machines for sale too.
Lou Ann carries lots of Judy Niemeyer patterns and regularly hosts classes in the retreat center who wish to take classes with a certified instructor.
Along with that, many amazing samples are featured.
All I can say is WOW. They are so pretty but at this point in my life, I think I’m too chicken to try…and I don’t have a place to display them once finished. Maybe someday.
Lou Ann had this quilt hanging which surprisingly, I liked. Typically I don’t like quilts that are this simple…this one for some reason I did.
Something else that really caught my eye in the store. This collection of fabrics.
The fabrics had all sorts of fun prints from horses to jacks to all sorts of other childhood memory prints. It turns out that Lou Ann had used the simple pattern I liked with these prints and the quilt top was on the frame being quilting.
I was sold. I bought the kit.
I also bought a T-shirt.
I love Lou Ann’s shop. Going there makes me feel like I went to visit to a close friend. Lou Ann can’t be beat as far as shop owners go!
I decided to start a new system when I do quilt shop tours. I am going to do a 1-5 rating….five being the best-I’m going to be stingy with my fives. This is just my impression on the day I visited and took pictures.
Warm and Friendly: 5 Lou Ann is AMAZING!
Selection of Goods: 4
Neat and Organized: 5
Parking: 5
Cozy and Cute: 5
Watch for an upcoming stash report when I confess all I bought at the shop.
When I was at the retreat, I did not spend to much time looking around the store, but did get to meet Lou Ann and heard her speak, and she is an awesome woman! Thanks for sharing the pics! Maybe some day you and I can do a Judy Niemeyer quilt together:)
I think this shop needs to be on my bucket list the next time I travel to Iowa to see family. I love the look of Judy N quilts but paper piecing all those pieces frightens be a bit. Thank you for the tour of her cute shop.
❤️ Thank you Jo ! I remember the day you came to my shop 5 years ago to meet Laurel, a retreater and your blogger friend. Thank you for choosing to host the Bonnie Hunter retreat at LouAnns in Oelwein, Iowa!! What I love most about my shop/retreat is the wonderful women I meet!!
OK, you said you loved those fabrics and bought a kit. But what is the pattern? Can you show a pic? Can’t see squat on the quilting machine. Thanks!
You are just the best Lou Ann–