A Quilting Field Trip

I had a really fun outing yesterday with a few of the Frankfort Girls. We took a little field trip to a new-to-me quilt shop in Oak Hill, OH, called Appalachian Mercantile. It's located out in the remote, farming regions of Jackson County. 

I'd heard some of the girls mention this shop before, but really didn't think I'd be as "wowed" as I was upon visiting. Gosh, what a hidden gem of a shop! She might be out in the middle of nowhere, but she definitely has a lot to offer, making it totally worth the trip from wherever you are.

Owner Cynthia was so very accommodating, fun to talk to, full of industry tidbits and clever banter. It truly felt as though she'd known us for ages. We were quite at home.

Cynthia offers long-arm services, internet sales, and a very well-organized and well-stocked brick-and-mortar store. Just take a look at these photos. I was particularly fascinated with all the samples, many of which are tacked to the ceiling, and all of which are her own makes.

Yes, I did rescue some fabric from this shop, and not just a little. More than likely, I'm just short of needing an intervention, so please be on standby. 

Helen, Sharon, Terry and I

Nearby to the quilt shop, we had lunch at Four Mile Bakery, where we had delicious pulled-pork sandwiches and freshly-baked desserts. 

I highly recommend an occasional outing with quilting friends to explore new shops. This one was a definite winner!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Shopping in Michigan

We have recently returned from a 4-day drive through northeast Ohio, northwest Indiana and both lower and upper Michigan. This was our gift to ourselves after working so hard all July to re-do the bedroom and get ready for the family reunion. When we take off like this, we seek out the roads less traveled so we can see farms and barns and villages and all manner of true America that one doesn’t see from interstate highways.

Our ultimate goal was seeing the scenic areas around the Upper Peninsula. We never have too much of an itinerary; no reservations for any particular attraction; we never know where we'll be sleeping at the end of the day. We've gotten pretty good at flying by the seat of our pants, you might say.

We find some mighty interesting places this way, too. For example, in the photo below, this appealingly moody room is a restaurant/bar/speakeasy we had dinner in one evening. Look at the ambiance here! So inviting with its tin ceiling and ornately carved bar wall. We had friendly service, and an icy cold beverage along with a delicious meal. All we have to do is ask the folks at the hotel desk what local spot they recommend and we regularly come away with a fabulous experience. This place is called Tap 21 located in downtown Manistique, Michigan, in case you're interested. It's a real gem!

Traveling this way is very much a team effort. DH loves to drive; in fact, I rarely ever take the wheel. While he drives, I look out the window. I like to study the countrysides; I research stuff on the phone when we are curious about any particular thing; and I book a hotel in some town up the road when we feel ourselves growing road-weary. We've successfully traveled this way for several years now, and it suits us just fine.

 

I just had to take this picture as we exited Tap21. Straight across the street was this blast from the past. First, I rarely see Ben Franklin stores anymore. Oh, how I loved the one we had inside our grocery here in town. Second, I can't help but admire the vintage graphics still adorning the storefront. What a nostalgic slice of days gone by.  Then I looked next door, and saw the equally vintage signage on the bank front. I had to remind myself that it was 2024 and not 1965!

I made one shopping stop in the next town up the road - Munising, MI. Situated on the banks of Lake Superior, it's very much a town capitalizing on its lake proximity - fishing, boating, hiking and biking. However, the one shop that I found most appealing was the quilt shop - Miss Good Stitch.

I needed just one thing - a special piece of fabric for a special person (who shall remain nameless for the time being). I was greeted by the shop owner, Ginger, who was all smiles and very curious to know if I were there for the shop hop. Well, no, actually, I told her, I'm just a quilter who is traveling and happened upon the shop. The store had quite a few customers who were shop hoppers, and all told, it was a wonderful shop to visit. I am happy to say that I did find the perfect fabric, and I snapped these pics for your enjoyment.

Of course, I felt right at home here and only wish I could have spent more time checking things out.

That's all for today, peeps. Sharon is coming in a bit, and I need to figure out what I will be working on today, as I have several options.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

A Virginia Quilt Shop

Our goal as we kicked off summer was to take a mini-vacation every month. Pick an area of interest, go for a scenic drive, tic some items off our bucket lists, and be back home in 4-6 days. 

In May we took a southerly route - Columbia, Charleston, Savannah, Beaufort, Hilton Head, Augusta, Gibbs Gardens of Ballground, GA, and home. Fun trip. Great weather. Gone 6 days.

June's trip has just been completed. We still headed south, but not quite as far south - Shenandoah Valley, Skyline Drive, Harper's Ferry, Gettysburg, Lancaster County, PA. Another fun trip. Some stormy weather this time. Gone 5 days.

While I love seeing all this great big gorgeous country, I don't know if I am up for more trips. I like staying home, too! Maybe July will mean just a 2-day trip somewhere. We have not decided anything, so before we make more plans we will recover from this trip while we mull over some options.

I will do a more complete vacation wrap-up later when I can have my gazillion photos sorted and ID'd. Today, I want to tell you about some vacation shopping.

On May's trip we did not stop at any quilt shops. *GASP* I know! A travesty! You can be sure I made it a priority on this trip, and based on a neighbor's recommendation, I went to a good one! 

We chose a visit to the Shenandoah valley because here in Ohio we live amongst a growing community of Mennonites who mostly came from there. Having never visited the area, DH and I wanted to see it. I asked one of the neighbor girls with whom I've gotten acquainted for recommendations - not just quilt shops, but definite must-see locations in their homeland. Kathaleen recommended a good quilt shop! Patchwork Plus, located in Dayton, VA, was exceptional.

While I have no real need for more fabric, I do have a baby quilt to make, and my supply of suitably whimsical baby-type options had become limited. That situation has now been rectified. *grin*

Fat quarters to the rescue! I just couldn't resist all these playfully fun prints of dots, numerals and old-timey toys. It will be fun coming up with a sweet quilt for this grand-nephew due in September.

Patchwork Plus looks rather small from the outside; a deception, to be sure. It seemed that the rooms went on and on! Here are some various areas to satisfy your curiosity.

I really like the way fat quarters are stored directly above the matching yardage; this was quite convenient. The displays are really scrumptious, too! I think they had a wonderful variety of fabrics to satisfy every preference a quilter might have. I did not take any pics of the Kaffe Fassett section, but it was there! And I did peruse it! I also checked out their notions, templates, and book sections. A very complete quilt shop, for sure.

It's good to explore, but it's also good to be home. Today involves laundry and household stuff. Yippee!

Happy Quilting, Friends!