Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler Shop Hop v.2

The second weekend of the Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler (Let the good times roll) shop hop was pretty low-key for me.  I had more fun just visiting with fellow quilters and didn't do a lot of stash acquisition.  I even stopped at a local estate sale, hoping to find a treasure or two, but all I bought was a heavy duty vintage food mill.  I've been watching John Besh's Family Table on public television - he convinced me I needed a food mill, although I've got a perfectly good food processor!

My first hop took me to The Quilted Owl, my local reproduction-loving quilt store.  I bought a few things, but these three fabrics are my favorites:  two cheddars and one Halloween print.  No particular project in mind, just stash enhancement!

Next, I hopped over to Mes Amis Quilt Shop, my other local quilt hangout.  The vibe at Mes Amis is much more modern, as you can tell by the fabrics above.  The fabric on the right (lightest pink) is one of the Grunge fabrics by Basic Grey for Moda.  I really like those fabrics and collect new colors whenever I see them.  I think they would make a great Hopscotch or Paintbox quilt.

I bought the green and pink floral (above) as one of the fabrics for this bag.  I wasn't thinking about using one of the pinks above, but now that I see them together, I like the possibilities!

Fabric in the Crescent: Mes Amis Quilt Shop

New Orleans quilters are doubly blessed to have two wonderful quilt shops!  The focus of each store is different, so the variety of fabrics, patterns and classes makes a great palette of quilting choices.  I'm going to give each shop their own blog entry so you can get an idea of what influences quilters in the Crescent City.

Mes Amis Quilt Shop opened for business in April 2010.  The shop is located in a small business area in a largely residential neighborhood near Lake Pontchartrain.

Owner Denise Taylor has worked with fabric in one way or another for most of her life. 

Denise loves color, and her shop is stocked with traditional to modern fabrics that pop!  She carries lots of well-known designer fabric, including Kaffe Fassett, Amy Butler and Kate Spain.  There is also a large selection of juvenile-themed fabrics and a section of black and white fabrics.  If you need batiks or textured solids/blenders, Denise has that, too.

New Orleanians love to celebrate Mardi Gras and their NFL football team, the Saints.  Mes Amis has a great selection of purple, green and gold fabric for Mardi Gras-themed quilts.  There's also plenty of black and gold fabric - just right for a Saints-themed quilt or a carnival costume!

A Mardi Gras-themed quilt shop sample and pattern.  In front of the quilt is a rack of animal prints.

The shop also has space for classes and other gatherings.  Hanging on the wall behind Denise is a special block of the month quilt featuring famous New Orleans landmarks.

Mes Amis has a very active Facebook page, too.  Denise loves sharing pictures of new fabrics that have arrived at the shop, as well as pictures of customers and their quilts.  She loved my Greek Square quilt!

If you're visiting New Orleans and want to stop by Mes Amis, your best bet is to have your own vehicle or take a cab.  The shop is a little over 6 miles from the French Quarter, but worth the trip!  It's also possible to use the city bus line to visit the shop; call ahead for instructions.