What is a Quilt Tour?

How organized quilting is taking over the globe!

Have you always had an itch to see the world but don’t want to go alone? Did you know there are several tour groups that do just that and are geared specifically for quilters!

Hundreds of Quilt tours are scheduled each year to places like Ireland, England, Japan, Egypt, Iceland and even many quilt destinations here in the US! For an unforgettable quilting adventure of a lifetime, I’d highly recommend giving them a try!

In this Article:

• What is a Quilt Tour
• Why Take a Quilt Tour
• What to Expect on a Quilt Tour
• How Much does a Quilt Tour Cost?
• What to Pack on a Quilt Tour?

 A few years ago, Mark Sherman came to speak at our Quilters Guild and brought with him some flyers. He was advertising his first Quilt tour to Ireland. On that trip he would be premiering his amazing Book of Kells quilt at Trinity College in Dublin. Well, on a whim I picked up a flyer and took it home.

The next day I showed the flyer to my husband and, half-jokingly, told him we should go. No way did I expect the next words out of his mouth, “When do you leave?”

Dumbfounded that my husband, Mr. ‘why do we need to spend money on that’ was telling me to actually go to Ireland on a Quilt tour. I quickly hopped on the phone and made my reservation before he decided to rethink his position.

Y’all, that trip changed my life. Seriously. 12 strangers from various parts of the US came together in New York to trek across the Atlantic and explore just a few of the amazing sights and experiences Ireland had to offer. After 9 days, those strangers left life-long friends. It was, by far, one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. And, I can’t wait to do it again!

What is a Quilt Tour?

For over 30 years a handful of tour companies have been taking quilters of all ages to various locations to experience quilt shops, retreats, shows and much more. Today, those trips include destinations all around the world including Japan and even Iceland.

Each Quilt tour usually includes entrance fees, travel and hotel accommodations and some meals. Some even include airfare.

Why Take a Quilt Tour?

There are definitely a few pros and cons to going on an organized Quilt tour. The best Pros:

• Everything is done for you. Once you sign up, all that’s required is for you to show up and enjoy. All of your accommodations, travel, ticketing, and itinerary has been scheduled for you.
• New friends! Going in you already know that everyone on your trip is a fellow quilter. That means you already have something in common. By the end of the trip, you’ll all be great friends having experienced a grand adventure.
• Security and peace of mind. There’s safety in numbers. That, coupled with your tour guides and their expertise, you can feel safe and secure to better enjoy your trip.

The only draw back that I can see with organized Quilt tours might be the price. Full 1 – 2 week long Quilt tours can range from $1000 up to $5000 depending on the location. However, most of them do take payments so you can spread it out a bit.

All that said, in my humble opinion, the tours are worth every penny.

Whether your goal is to see the US or to see the world, there is a Quilt tour adventure out there just waiting for you. From workshops to tours, museums to the wild outdoors, it’s sure to be the quilt adventure of a lifetime!

What is on your Quilt Travel Bucket list? Let me know in the comments!

What to Expect on a Quilt Tour

Each quilt tour is unique. They vary in size and destination. Some schedule all your meal locations. Others only schedule a few. Some include full quilt workshops and others do not. Some will take you to various quilt shops, while others don’t include a stop at a single one. However, the biggest thing you can expect on every quilt tour is to be traveling with an entire group of fellow quilters.

For me, I always feel comforted going into a quilt tour because right away I know we all have a significant common interest. And, if you’re like me, you can talk about quilting ’til the cows come home. It’s sort of like a great unifier amongst people who might otherwise be strangers. 

The next thing to expect is that the group will be filled with all sorts of interesting personalities. There will be the super adventurous one who would rather be exploring when she should really be napping (that’s usually me). There might also be the “Auntie Mame” type that keeps the entire group laughing. There usually will also be the shy one who isn’t really sure what to say to strike up a conversation. These are the people I like to seek out first to make them feel welcome and part of the group.

No matter who you meet, you’re sure to find lifelong friends after experiencing such a wonderful adventure together.

Whether your goal is to see the US or to see the world, there is a quilt tour adventure out there waiting for you. From workshops to tours, museums to the wild outdoors, it’s sure to be the quilting adventure of a lifetime!

How Much does a Quilt Tour Cost?

As a general standard, full 1 – 2 week long quilt tours can range from $2500 up to $8000 per person, depending on the duration and the destination. However, most of them offer payment plans so you can spread the expense out a bit.

I know that may seem like a large chunk of change; however, consider what is included in the price:

• All entrance fees to exhibits, museums, etc. that are part of the itinerary
• Hotel accommodations and scheduling
• All transportation costs while on the tour
• A professional tour guide
• Some tours include a quilting workshop with established quilt teacher
• Most include some meals
• Many also include airfare to and from your tour destination

I’ve also seen quilt tours that offer special “behind the scenes” type adventures that you can only experience with a tour group.

What to Pack for a Quilt Tour?

Before going to Ireland, I had absolutely no idea what to take with me. I checked the weather projections so that I could pack appropriate clothing. Then, I bought a brand-new pair of walking shoes. If you do this, please make sure you break them in for at least 2 weeks BEFORE your trip. Your feet will thank you.

However, when it came to the size of my bag or the type of carry-on or even the quilting supplies I might need, I was clueless. So, I just bought the biggest suitcase I could find and filled it with whatever I THOUGHT I might need. I’m here to tell you, I didn’t even need half of what I brought. In fact, I ended up leaving a few things in Ireland.

For most quilt tours, especially overseas, you will be doing a lot of moving around. Unlike quilt retreats where you mostly stay in one building, on quilt tours you’ll most likely be staying at a few different hotels and traveling to many different cities. I grant you that tour buses do have a decent size storage area. Unfortunately, you will be the one lugging that bag around to and from each hotel change.

So to save your back and your sanity, I highly suggest going with a medium-size suitcase that is on wheels.

For 1 week of travel, here is what I suggest you pack:

• 3 shirts
• 2 pairs of pants
• 1 pair of shorts for warmer climates
• 1 pair of good walking shoes
• Bathroom products kit (travel-size bottles)
• Any medications required for the full length of your quilt tour
• Light rain jacket that can squish into your day bag
• Regular jacket for colder climates
• 1 – 2 items and/or projects to keep you busy during down times. For this I highly suggest a hand quilting project, a smaller-sized book, or perhaps an electronic tablet for playing games or watching movies.

PRO TIP: To save space in your luggage, roll your clothes instead of folding them. This technique has been used by military personnel for generations to fit all their gear inside one duffel bag.

To save space and time, there are a few things I recommend you leave at home:

• Laptop. As useful as they are, laptops can be heavy and take up a lot of room, especially when you add in their cords and mouse. However, if you have one, an electronic tablet would be a much better space-saving option.
• Full-size bathroom product bottles. These are bulky and you will not need that much product for such a short time of travel.
• Too many projects. On your tour, you will have very little down time. Therefore, the only projects you should need are things to keep you busy on the plane and/or at night before bed.