Quilt Shops

Minnesota NorthShore Quilt Shops

Kunnert Creations Quilt and Gift Shop
Kunnert Creations Quilt and Gift Shop

In July, 2010 my girlfriend Sue and I took a quilting-travel trip up to Lake Superior’s Minnesota North Shore. On the way up, near the town of Gordon on US Highway 53, we stopped at a shop that I’ve noticed on previous trips to Duluth but never had a chance to stop. It is called Kunnert Creations and features fabric, quilt supply’s, yarn, some great womens clothing and other gifts.

Later we stopped for a lunch break at Two Harbors lakefront across the bay from the Two Harbors Lighthouse. Two Harbors has a nice lakeside campground that we’ve stayed at before – Burlington Bay -and also a decent rock picking beach popular with agate hunters. Another reason Ross likes the campground is that it is just across the street the Lakeview National Golf Course. Our next stop was at the Beaver Bay quilt shop (Quilt Corner). I wanted to show Sue this shop because it features a number of northwoods and wildlife patterns and fabrics that she likes.

Between the Seams Quilt Shop
Between the Seams Quilt Shop - Minnesota North Shore

Just a few miles more down the road near Tettegouche State Park we discovered a new quilt shop that I hadn’t had on my list of Lake Superior quilt shops- “Behind the Scenes Quilt Shop.” It is set back from Highway 61 quite a distance so it is easy to miss it. Large variety of fabrics types. I was particularly drawn to the selection of batiks and the variety of light tones.

crystals log cabin quilts
Crystal's Log Cabin Quilts - Grand Marais, Minnesota

Our destination was Grand Marais, Minnesota, a picturesque harbor town with lots of neat places and things to see and do – including a nice quilt shop, Crystal’s Log Cabin Quilts.  She has more northwoods themed fabrics and Sue found a quilt rack made from logs that she had to take home.  This shop also has quilts that they sell – just incase your not a quilter.

grand marais harbor from the Angry Trout Cafe
Sue and I enjoyed a gentle breeze from the lake and great whitefish and lake trout sandwiches from the deck of the Angry Trout Cafe

In Grand Marais we dined on the deck of our favorite café – the Angry Trout with the harbor lighthouse and the harbor beach as our overlook.

We had planned to spend some time in Duluth, Minnesota and Canal Park on our way home but road construction and traffic changed our plans and we headed east to Ashland and stayed at the Kreher RV Park. During the last year the Bayfield Quilt Company moved their shop to Ashland but it was closed for the day when we arrived so we couldn’t see their new diggings.

Fabric Works Quilt Shop
Fabric Works Quilt and Yarn Shop - Superior, Wisconsin

While Sue and I also spent some time in Superior, Wisconsin (twin city to Duluth) we missed the fact that there was a quilt shop on Tower Avenue. I discovered this shop on a later trip with my husband Ross. He was golfing at Nemadji Golf Club and I went out of coffee and scones to the Red Mug Expresso Café and that’s when I noticed “The Fabric Works” shop. It has been there for 20 years and somehow I missed it during previous trips to Superior.  This shop has a nice variety of fabric plus lots of yarn.  Barb the shop owner was finishing a really great looking sweater with a zipper down the front – made me want to take up knitting.

While our original plan was to stop at a quilt shop in Siren, Wisconsin on our way home, we were getting weary of all the miles in so few days so we took the more direct route back to our homes in South Central Wisconsin.