Visit to Flip Flop Quilt Shop Sewing Machines Parts and Sales in Los Angeles

Last month I had the pleasure of visiting my best friend with my other best friend around St. Petersburg area.

To my disappointment I was told not to even bother looking for a small, indie sewing and fabric shop because none of them existed.

On our way to the outdoor market I spotted a sign that said, Flip Flop Quilt Shop!! SCREAM!! This made my day! I asked my friend Brenda to stop on our way back from the market. To our surprise it was their grand opening, double score.

It was unseasonable cold that weekend and I was so happy I brought all of my winter gear because I needed it.

This is Andrea the shop owner and quilt maker. She said she decided to open her own shop because she was tired of driving so far to get good fabrics.

She had a wonderful fabric selection. There is an entire wall of batik fabrics. She says they are her most popular item in her shop.  That’s my best friend Brenda that moved to Florida on us.

This is her mother Rita Konicki, she passed away in 1996. She says having her photo and machine in the shop makes her happy. Her 1951, vintage, sewing machine is so much prettier than my picture.

This is my friend Kelly and she is a gardener. I can imagine that she thought I was Charlotte’s Web’s rat Templeton at the circus.

The shop was sew cute with a lot to look at every where.

Andrea lives upstairs from her shop, which has always been a dream of mine too. Her cute kitty comes down for a visit from time to time.

My sewing goal for 2016 is to sew garments only using solid colors. This way I can see my mistakes very clearly and also see my good craftsmanship too. It will also force me to get creative. All of my dresses so far this year are on instagram under tracysews with the hashtag #solidschallenge

I wanted to make a solids challenge dress to remember my trip by. Above my inspiration photo.

The top fabric is a pillow case from the Fla Treasure Barn antiques place we visited. It’s all solids that are hand applique’ to the pillow case. I bought it before we found Flip Flop.The other 3 colors I bought at Andrea’s shop.

Here is the finished Florida dress inspired by the architecture we saw on our visit.

I won the raffle they had for their grand opening too.

I’m so happy I stumbled across this cute indie fabric shop and I made a new friend. If you are in the St. Petersburg area make sure you plan a visit to this cute and friendly shop.

Thank you for reading.

Tracy McElfresh