Since I am on the road in West Virginia doing school visits, I am done each day by about 3:00 PM. I didn't get my act together and bring some quilting with me, so I thought I'd investigate the possibility of finding a quilt shop to visit and get my "fix". I looked online and found a couple shops close to me. The first two I went to, however, no longer exist! I was pretty bummed! But then, on my way back to my hotel, I thought, let me try just one more. Not only did I find it, but there is a SHOP HOP going on!!!
Jackpot!
I got a list of 15 shops, and made it to 4 before they closed. I'm going to try to hit 2 or 3 more tomorrow afternoon. And even though I am on a "no-buy", I couldn't really visit these peoples' shops, take their free patterns, enter for their door prizes and not buy anything, right? I didn't bring my camera on this trip so I can't share photos, but I bought 4 neutral remnants for my scrap quilts and 2 flannel remnants for my buzzsaw quilt that I'm trying to get off the UFO list. At another shop, I bought some fabric gripper circles to put on my rulers to make them no-slip. At another shop I bought a pattern - perhaps the first pattern I've ever bought, but it is BUTTERFLIES, and I think I've already shared my affinity for butterflies. It is this crayon quilt from Black Cat Creations. I've been wanting to do a crayon quilt. I doubt I will actually follow this pattern, but I am excited to have all these different butterfly patterns to copy and use.
Then, at the last shop, I just ate their yummy free cookies!
So, not only did I enjoy my shop hopping, but when I arrived home after my last trip and before this one, there was a package waiting for me. It was a book that I ordered back in May, not realizing that it wasn't going to be released until late September. While it was disappointing back in May, it was a pleasant surprise to have a book to take on this trip. So, during my meals and any other stolen moments today, I've been reading the latest Clare O'Donohue book, "A Drunkard's Path". In reading it, I realize that I never read the first book in the series. I'm enjoying this one, so I guess I'll have to go buy the first one, too.
I hope some of you are able to get some actual quilting done. I'm going to climb into bed with my book.
