Today would be a busy day visiting many shops. With the help of the Route 4 Me App, Tu-Na Helper had determined our route the night before but I wasn’t so sure I agreed with it or him. We would be leaving the state in a few days driving to Michigan to attend our granddaughter’s baptism and I wasn’t so sure we’d be finished with the state hop by then.
Tu-Na Helper had planned to visit the Metro area today and then swing back up and pick up the couple of shops we had skipped over in the central and north central regions of the state. It sounded like a lot of backtracking to me. I suggested that we leave those northern shops and the metro area until last to complete and do so on our return from Michigan. Since we have to go through Minneapolis/St. Paul on I94 on our return anyway it would be much easier to reach those shops on our way back home. I could just see us getting somewhere in southwest MN and have to leave for Michigan and then return all the way to the southwest to finish that area. Tu-Na Helper said he would think about it.
Minneapolis/St. Paul is in the Metro region.
Making our way towards the metro area, we arrived at the Noble Quilter in Elk River right at opening time. We had rested well the night before so it was nice being on schedule once again.
The next shop would be Quilted Treasures in Rogers and we would check out of the East Central Region. It had been a couple of days since we checked out of a region and we needed an incentive prize to keep us going.
We each received a Nest Organizer from the East Central Region.
As we approached Millie P’s Quilt Shop in Anoka, the sun began to disappear behind some very gray looking clouds. We had heard on the radio that rain would be in our forecast today…again. I featured Millie P’s on the 2017 Quilt MN Shop Hop here.
We are ever so grateful for being able to use the restrooms at the shops. This one was at Millie P’s.
This delightful postage stamp quilt can be found upstairs at Millie P’s. We both enjoy looking at the quilts and samples on display at each of the shops.
After visiting the next shop, Eagle Creek Quilt Shop in Shakopee (I featured it here in 2016) we sat in the car in the parking lot so Tu-Na Helper could reroute the shop list for the day. He had eventually agreed it made more sense to get the further ones out of the way leaving the ones along our homeward route for later after the baptism. Besides he had a video conference coming up in a couple of days that he had to attend virtually and needed to make sure we were in a good hotel with good internet connections. At this point, he was hoping to end up in Rochester for it. Visions of grandeur hotels danced in my head.
With a new route plan set in motion, we headed to Norwood Young America. The skies were getting darker and darker as we drove through heavy rains. I featured the Quilting Grounds last year here. We were hoping they still offered coffee in their shop. We were not disappointed.
Tu-Na Helper put in our coffee order as soon as we entered the door and I scoured the racks and racks of fabrics for some flowers, floral fabrics that is.
With fabric under my arm and coffee in our hands, we climbed into the Prius and set the wheels in motion for Hutchinson.
I had the cup of Cafe Mocha on the left (with the cow sticker) and Tu-Na Helper had the cup of White Chocolate Mocha on the right (with the rainbow sticker). He had the same thing last year. It was a difficult decision for me-a coffee or a smoothie.
Suddenly…
Me: “Stop,” I excitedly screamed as I looked up from my sewing.
Tu-Na Helper: “Don’t do that!” He continued to drive.
Me: “We’ve got to go back!” I insisted.
Tu-Na Helper: “Why?”
Me: “We just passed a perfect photo opp. It’s one we can’t miss. Trust me.”
Maybe it was because he’d missed the photographic worthy moose two days earlier or because he was curious about what had me so excited and insistent but he turned that car around, right then and there.
This very interesting tree growing out of an old car can be seen close to the intersection of Highway 22 and 120th St. between Norwood Young America and Hutchinson.
It was very intriguing and I regret not finding out more information about it. It’s a question of which came first – the tree or the car?
Tu-Na Helper thought it was interesting, too. He even got out of the car to photograph it closer and confirmed it is a whole car (at least from his viewpoint).
We arrived in Hutchinson and made our way to Quilt Haven on Main. Tu-Na Helper headed for the back of the store; he remembered where they kept their snacks. Many of the shops offered us weary hoppers treats or water. Those things were so appreciated.
There’s a lot of truth to those words on the napkin.
While there, I overheard one of the customers talk about driving through hail as she left the cities this morning. I wish I had taken pictures of those impending clouds.
Me: “That was a close one. We dodged that storm and getting the car damaged by hail by not doing the metro region.”
Tu-Na Helper: “I was hoping for a new paint job.” In other words, he wouldn’t have been unhappy if we had encountered some hail.
Next stop would be DeAnn’s in Litchfield. I was sure I’d find a good black and white backing fabric for the auction quilt here. I checked out her Demolition Room (clearance room with extra discounts) and the tractor pull (finish the bolt)—in celebration of the county fair—but found nothing that would work. I’ve found some great backings in year’s past in that Demolition room. I guess I’d have to keep looking at the other shops ahead.
My problem was that I wasn’t sure what I wanted. The front of that quilt will be black on white or white on black prints with a pop of color in each block. Any extra blocks I get will go on the back.
I chuckled at this sign found on the cutting counter at DeAnn’s knowing that I would fit right in if I worked there. I’d probably never have any take-home pay because I’d spend it all on her delightful fabrics.
I followed the yellow brick road to find the….
… restroom all decked out with the Wizard of Oz.
Continuing on the journey, we reached Gone to Pieces in Kimball (where Tu-Na Helper knew just where to find the snacks again) and then Sweetwater Cotton Shoppe in Paynesville. After leaving that shop, Tu-Na Helper checked the time. We’d be arriving at the last shop of the day at 5:07 and they closed at 5 so I called to see if someone would still be around when we arrived. They would stay open for us if we could make it by then or soon thereafter.
I am glad they did. We arrived at Gathering Friends Quilt & Gift Shop in Bird Island (I featured this shop last year here and was informed it was in the process of being sold). When I entered through those delightful bank doors, I was thinking I’d be meeting the new owner (or one of her staff). Instead, I met Kathy, who informed me that the sale didn’t go through last year and they (co-owners Deb and Kathy) decided not to sell after all. So they set their retirement plans aside and have happily settled into a routine that includes keeping the shop open and continuing to write books and patterns.
Kathy, it was great meeting you. I am so glad you and Deb didn’t sell after all. We are color coordinated!
I was looking at some lovely black and white fabrics displayed on the shelves and floor. I’ve been thinking of making a quilt using positive/negative fabrics and have the perfect pattern in mind but it’s so far down on the list that I hadn’t thought about starting to look for fabric.
Tu-Na Helper: “You should collect those next year.” he suggested.
Me: “Why wait?” So I grabbed a couple of the bolts and had a yard of each cut.
After paying for my purchases and saying our goodbyes, we drove to our motel, The Sheep Shedde in Olivia (The Corn Capitol). We’d been driving past many corn fields today.
I had to ask the gal behind the front desk why it was called The Sheep Shedde. “I have no idea,” she said.
Sorry, no picture of the enormous corn cob on the edge of town. Tu-Na Helper refused to turn around.
Supper for the night would be at the restaurant, Max’s Grill, which was attached to the motel.
I almost forgot to take a picture. The Wild Rice and Ham soup was delicious!
I had stuffed prime rib (“thinly sliced prime rib wrapped around homemade stuffing”), garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. It was delicious. I shared one prime rib roll with Tu-Na Helper.
Tu-Na Helper had a Smothered Burger. But now as we look at the picture, we are both wondering where is the bread? He thought it was…interesting.
A Look at the Loot for the Day
Here’s 10 free patterns from today’s shops and 10 free 5″ squares of this years collection of Quilt MN Shop Hop fabrics.
The seven shops in the South Central Region each offered a dollar ditty with a purchase. I was able to get this wool box for only $1.00 with a $10.00 purchase from Gone to Pieces in Kimball. A yard of grunge from Sweetwater Cotton Shoppe in Paynesville was enough to purchase the Beetle Needle Threader by Sew Tasty for $1.00 so Tu-Na Helper bought a yard, too, so I could get another one for my other house. I hope they offer this one next year as I need one for my travel sewing project case. These dollar bonus buys or dollar dittys are a fun way to encourage me to purchase something.
I purchased the Greenhouse pattern from Quilted Treasures so the Olfa blade was only $1.00. I love using the Iron Clean so I bought a yard of black and white ombre dots from The Quilting Grounds and the Iron Clean only cost me $1.00. Tu-Na Helper bought me some flowers (two half-yard cuts) so I could get more of the Iron Clean. I’ve been wanting to get a 3.5″ square Quilter’s Select ruler to use for cutting my 1.5″ postage stamp pieces. This ruler is nice because it really grips the fabric helping to keep it in place so my cutting is more accurate especially with small pieces.
I ended the day with this haul from Gathering Friends at Bird Island. There are those lovely positive/negative black and whites and a half yard of two butterfly prints. They will make a great addition to the flower applique wall hanging. The Thread Snips by Sew Tasty cost only $1.00. I was tired and didn’t think of splitting the order so that Tu-Na Helper could have bought one, too.
Don’t miss out on my other 2019 Shop Hop posts:
Or the Shop Hop posts from prior years:
What I Learned Today:
- Securing a hotel/motel room in the morning makes for a much less stressful day.
- Keep my phone handier. I am missing photo opportunities.
- I like having an I-Phone because it has a really good camera. I use it all the time. I accidentally left my real camera at my Arizona house.
- Seek more information. I wish I had gone into that farmyard and seen if anyone was home to get more information about that tree in the car. It’s worth a drive to see it. Let me know what you find out.
- Fifteen minutes at each shop is not enough time. I shall have to negotiate for more.
- We really were fortunate missing that hail storm. In the motel room, we turned on the TV (for the first time on this trip) and heard and saw the extent of it. Reports of golf ball sized hail, tennis ball sized hail, and even hail as large as grapefruits (4″ in diameter) were reported in the metro area. We saw pictures of trees down and cars with the windshields punched out from the hail. If we had stayed on our original route, we would have driven right in that storm.
- I have now successfully completed negotiating with Tu-Na Helper about increasing my budget. This picture I found today helped!
I told him I got the message.
Especially when I showed him this picture of a sign I found on Day 2 at Mother Originals in Pequot Lakes.
8. There is hope—there is always hope. I am starting to be more selective in my purchases and finding those things that I need versus want. I visited the most shops of the hop so far today and spent the least; it is still well over a hundred dollars. It’s not that I couldn’t have found more to buy but really how much fabric can one person use in a lifetime?
9. I need to live to be two hundred with the energy of a 21 year old.
Question: Tell me about a storm that you’ve been in. We were lucky today!! But we’ve driven in severe storms before seeking shelter beneath underpasses on the interstate or gas station canopies. I always question the logic in that one since a lightening strike nearby while sitting on top of a huge tank of gas doesn’t make much sense to me.
At this time I am not affiliated with any of the items, products, services, or shops that I picture or talk about here on Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats. I just happen to like and use them.
Thanks for stopping by and do come again.
Karen, Tu-Na Quilts
Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats 
A Blizzard or two…one on a bus going over the Sierras where the bus driver asked for volunteers to help put the chains on. Always an adventure! Love your travels and your finds.
Love the sign about shop hooping with the husband….
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Back in 2006, we had one of those hailstorms come through. The first wave passed through, and we thought it was done. My mom had recently passed away and we had her brand new car, a 2005 Buick LaCrosse. John hopped into that car and went into town for a haircut. While he was gone, I was watching the sky grow really really dark. Suddenly it started to hail, and as I stood by the patio window watching very large (yes, grapefruit size) hail balls bounce off the deck, I realized the car was in town, sitting out in the open. John came home with a car that was pretty much demolished. The back window was gone, as were the speakers in the back. The roof was all dented, as was the hood. The windshield had large divots. I bawled like a baby, and John felt horrible. Our son is still driving that car. We had extensive repair done on it (obviously). We got a new roof on our house, our siding survived and so did our windows and deck, but I’ll never forget the size of that hail!
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some years ago I was out shopping and it was a light rain that turned into a massive southern storm with tornado warnings I didn’t know was there – I stopped to get the dry cleaning and went through the drive through the guy handed me the stuff and I barely got it in the car without it blowing away – got the window back up and then it started the pounded rain that you can not see to drive in so I pulled into the parking lot – I park and the car is shaking and shuddering and then of course I hear the sirens indicating a tornado warning – so what do I do stay in the car or run to the dry cleaners to go into a tiny store with plate glass windows all over the place and possibly will barely be able to walk across the lot as the wind was so bad – I opted to stay where I was in the car – sensibly? I don’t know – it stopped almost as fast as it had started and then I learned a tornado had been seen but didn’t touch down a very very short distance away
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Another fun day for the tour of MN! I love the car with the tree growing out of it – we have a few like that on the island, but not as impressive as that one. I, too, need to take (and organize) photos more often!
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Hmm, hail in 1974, hiding under a bridge in Tulsa to stay safe. Hail in Pecos Texas, somewhere around 1950 when I can still remember hiding under the metal kitchen table and a baseball sized hailstone came through the roof and bounced off the table. I was about 3. Wind storm/close tornado in about spring, 2006, in the 5th wheel, that came up in minutes and scared me worse than anything ever! Ice storm in TN about 4 years ago that left me stuck in my house on the mountain about 12 days – no power outage, just no street clearing and no melting! Yep, there are more stormy life stories, too. LOL I enjoyed reading this adventure, and all the beautiful fabrics you bought. I’d love to do that shop hop!
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You’ve made a great haul, fabrics and gadgets. I think I may look for one of those 3½” Quilter’s Select rulers. Smaller rulers are so hard to keep steady, so this would be a big help. Congratulations on getting to adjust your budget upward. Now can you increase your time allotted at each shop? It’s hard to see everything in only 15 minutes.
One storm I remember involved the shop hop. I was on the bus for the Central Section ( I think) when a storm came up, with hail and winds gusting and torrential rain. Our bus driver pulled into a parking lot behind a little business. He was afraid of windows getting broken, so he had everyone get on one side of the bus to wait out the storm. I had visions of the bus tipping over from the weight of 50, mostly overweight (including me) women packed on one side. Luckily, we made it out all right. But it was an adventure.
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DH and I are enjoying traveling along with you and TN Helper on the shop hop! My DH drives by that tree growing out of the car all the time. He’s been told it was created as a visual joke. The guy who mows the lawn there said it wasn’t there one week, and when he came back the next week, there it was. Not clear on the time frame, maybe less than 10 years ago.
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Wow, this was an interesting story and all the comments of the storm experiences. They \were certainly very scary and so glad that everyone was safe to tell the story.
The tree growing out of the car, really, what some don’t think of. Waiting for your next days adventures.
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I love reading about your hop adventures and really like seeing each day’s haul. You’ve got some lovely florals! So glad you missed the hail storm!
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