new empty nester moves to Virginia!

[Joan J.]

Hi, I am new to all this forum and blogging. My son has been helping me before he leaves for college. We moved to Burke, Virginia from San Diego, California, in July, and I'm wondering if anyone knows of quilt shops in and around the area, quilt guilds, quilt shows, anything! I have been quilting since 1989, was a Navy wife, raised three boys who are all in college this year, was a librarian and reading teacher in San Diego, and now that my husband has a job as a judge in D.C. I find myself retired, with an empty nest and wanting to quilt full time. Anybody out there near here??
Joan in Burke, VA

[Joan J.]

Hi Joan,
Good luck on your new home & neighborhood! I'm from Pt. Loma, SD...work for SD City Schools! Sorry I can't help you w/any quilt shops, but good luck in your search.
Priscilla

[Patti P.]

Oh Joan you are most fortunate. You landed in a quilt maker rich environment. I moved a couple of years ago from there and still am in mourning. Here's a site for a big guild and they have a Burke chapter.
http://www.quiltersanonymous.org/
And here's a great quilt friendly fabric store that has 3 stores in the DC area. They like to hang a mini-show each month of local quilters
http://www.gstreetfabrics.com/
I know you'll be hearing shortly from the TQS members who see this Forum entry soon.

[Joan J.]

Thank you for your replies! I didn't think anyone was out there! I will be looking up your suggestions, and hopefully find a quilting buddy!
Joan

[Joan J.]

Hi Joan,
I'm from NH so not exactly your next door neighbor LOL, but....
if you scroll to the top of the page and click on 'Search' then click on 'Find a Member', enter your 'state' and click on Submit. Every TQS member who is from your state will come up. Hope this helps.
Sylvia

[Teri L.]

Check with Pat Sloan http://patsloan.typepad.com/. She's in VA and could be a good resource for you.

Jinny Beyer's shop is also in VA http://www.jinnybeyer.com/.

There is a list somewhere, I don't have the link any longer, for guilds in VA.

Happy Quilting!
Teri

[Teri L.]

Joan where is BurkeVa. I live in King George Va it is east of Fredericksburg

[Teri L.]

Joan where is BurkeVa. I live in King George Va it is east of Fredericksburg

[Teri L.]

Hey Joan, welcome to VA! I'm in Fredericksburg which is maybe 25 minutes south of Burke. Patti got it right, G Street Fabrics is a wonderful place, although I'm somewhat broken-hearted that they closed the Potomac Mills store :cry: which was closest for me. Quilters Unlimited is a guild that has branches all over NoVa, not as far south as me but I'm pretty sure there's a Burke chapter. QU does a terrific show each year I always try to get to. So jealous of your opportunity to quilt, quilt, quilt!
Florence

[Joan J.]

I am grateful for all the replies I have been receiving! I don't know how to answer each one, so I'll just say to Happycampbell: I have no real clue how far you are from Burke, I grew up my teenage years in Annandale, which is near Burke, but have been out of the area for the 27 years we have been married. It is so changed! I think I am north of you, up by DC. I will check out the QU and other sites you all left for me. right now we are in Steubenville, Ohio, dropping son #2 at Franciscan U. I will miss him! But we are closer than we were when we lived in California! Only a 5 hour drive! Maybe I will meet some of you when there is a quilt show in town!
Joan

[Lynn K.]

So, Joan, I take it you ended up in Va b/c of DH job in DC?

How does one get to be a judge from being military? Imagine that is an interesting story, in itself!

Lynn

[Joan J.]

Hi Lynn,
we are originally from NoVa, and decied to stay in California when he retired at 15 years, he was one of the few with early out. Then the kids decided to grow up, the parents decided to get old, and we thought it would be a good idea to move back closer to family on the east coast! So he applied for many many jobs, and was hired by the Labor Dept as an administrative law judge, and it's his favorite job! And we will be closer to two sons: one in Ohio and one in Indiana. And I will be better able to make the trip to Florida to care for my parents!
Joan

[Joan J.]

Anybody out there near here??
Joan in Burke, VA

Hi Joan, welcome [back] to Virginia. I live in Short Pump, outside Richmond. We are also empty nesters, although our kids were in middle school when we transplanted here from Los Angeles [Long Beach]. If you ever get down this way, check out Quilting Adventures on Staples Mill Rd @ Glenside Drive. It's not far from the I-95/I-64 junction. It's probably the most convenient shop around here. Another favorite of mine is south of the rivah in Midlothian Village: Quilter's Corner.

p.s. when did G Street in Potomac Mills close? [sob] They saved my butt last year when I needed 10 yards of a fabric that I couldn't get locally and didn't want to chance with different dye lots. Needed it right then, couldn't wait for mail order. Was worth the drive.

Robin in Short Pump

[Joan J.]

Hi Robin,
My sister-in-law lives in Short Pump! Otherwise I'd never heard of it! We have been out of the area for 27 years, Navy tours then settled in CA after he retired at 15. So I don'tknow about Potomac Mills! We have only been here since July 5th and I'm still learning my way around. I plan on checking out the Quilt Patch in Fairfax tomorrow!
Joan

[Betty J.]

Hi, welcome to Virginia. I'm in Ashburn. I use G-Street Fabrics, which has three different places. I see someone already sent you a link to them that has their addresses and phone numbers. They are great stores.