Shop hopping is relatively new. It seems to pertain to quilt shops more than any other type of store but could be used for coffee shops, electronic stores, and so forth.

This shop hopping is set up among a half a dozen or more stores. Each store decides on what type of games, prizes and any type of refreshments to serve, if any. This shop hopping is held for a certain time but allows you enough time to visit all the shops involved.

For example, say eight quilt shops in a town get together and decide what they will do at their place of business. Maybe one shop will be designated as the starting point. To become eligible to win door prizes, you sign up for the tour by purchasing a so called “passport”. This passport gets stamped each time you visit a store. You are given an information pamphlet about each store in the “hop”. On your store visit, you also receive a quilt pattern piece and instructions. To receive all the pieces and instructions, you must visit each store.

The grand prize might be a sewing machine and bags of sewing equipment. By going to each store, you learn different styles and forms of quilting. Traveling to the different stores, some of which are not among your usual stops, can be fun. Each store may hold separate games from each other and have prizes to give out to the winners. There could be a percentage off on some items in the stores when purchased.