Quilt Shop Hop

Last week Mom the kids and I did the local quilt shop hop. 57 shops participated this year and we hit 40 of them. Each shop designs a block, gives you a pattern for the block, one piece of fabric and in the beginning fabrics and clothworks each donate a piece. You usually need to add one of your own fabrics to complete the block, some shops have this piece to purchase and the really great ones give you all the fabric to complete the block. Wednesday Mom and I did a northern bus tour to 10 shops, Warren stayed home with the kids. Thursday we loaded up the kids and we hit 11 shops along the corridor as far south as we could go. Friday we headed home on the rural roads and got 12 shops in. Saturday Mom and I did 7 local shops. I think those numbers are right. So 40 blocks will make a nice size quilt. Over the past 7 years I have done 5 quilt shop hops, I skipped 2 years when Graham was a baby. I have yet to complete one of the quilts, but I am close with that first one, from 2003. You can see it on my design wall. Some pictures from the trip....at McDonald's, Mom wanted a picture of the kids with Ronald, seriously, she will climb anything..... This picture will embarrass her later..... We went to red lobster for dinner....

After going to the hotel pool, so we are all a bit wet and no makeup for me....

Checking out of the hotel. Claire was interested in all the free things in the room, like the shower cap. She wore that cap all morning. When Mom pushed her into the room on the suitcase cart with that shower cap on I cracked up.