August Was a Busy Month

August was a busy month for me and my family. 

My husband and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary in the first week. It is amazing to think that we have been married so long and yet the time seems to have gone by quite quickly and enjoyably. 

He and I took a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for the 3rd week of the month. It was a laid-back trip. We spent one night on Drummond Island, where he and his dad built a little cabin in 1985. The next morning we headed for Escanaba, Michigan to visit with his cousin and his wife. We took a leisurely drive via the Row by Row Experience! It is so wonderful that he was willing to detour a bit to help me obtain the patterns.

We went to Gloria's Quilts in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan (a.k.a. Soo, Michigan) so I could pick up the free pattern there. Gloria was so nice. And  her husband, Paul, is also.  She has a spacious, well lit shop and I had to purchase the kit for the Row by Row because of the Northern Lights fabric. Take a look at her website, she has photos. She said I could take a photo of the Row by Row to post on my blog. 

We went down the road to The Quilted Moose Quilt Shop. They were not participating in the Row by Row, but being so close I had to stop. I am glad I did. I found just the fabric I wanted for the block I am making for my guest spot on the 52 Weeks Twisted Traditional Blocks on September 10! You will have to come visit to see what the fabric was and how I used it in the block. 

Quilting friends from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada (across the the St. Mary's River via the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, often known just at the International Bridge between these twin cities) told about the wonderful coffee they get in Michigan from Superior Coffee Roasting Company. I don't drink much coffee, but I knew our younger daughter would enjoy some. I chose Sailor Sunrise for her and brought it to her recently. She said it was very good. 

Our next stop was about 30 miles away in Paradise, Michigan, the Wild Blueberry Capitol of Michigan and the gateway to Tahquamenon Falls. We had our lunch packed so we stopped at the mouth of the Tahquamenon River to eat and enjoy a view of Lake Superior. We were off to Village Fabrics & Crafts. 

The shop has many woodsy and nature fabric selections as well as flannels and fun children's prints. There is pine paneling inside and so many quilts on display. They have a nice room for sewing and lots of embellishments for the artistic quilter. I could not pass up the Row by Row kit of a bear and moose in the blueberries. I also bought fabric for a blueberry muffin table runner and some Angelina sheets.

It was here that my husband found a fabric panel a few years ago when we stopped that he asked me to make into a cover for his pool table.Hhe really likes and appreciates it.  This is how it turned out. (Hard to get a full photo of a large cover like this.)

 Well, we were not finished yet. There was another quilt shop in Curtis, Michigan. The Lavender Cottage is a gem in the rough. And I mean rough because it is out in what I would say is the middle of God's country. After leaving the tar road, it is 5 miles down a gravel road. I am glad there are humorous signs along to way because the first time I went there I was sure I must have missed it. I wish I had taken photos of the signs. They say things like "4 Miles Ahead," "Only 1/2 mile to go," "You are almost there."

The shop may be small, but it is filled with fabrics. Beautiful batiks, loads of woodsy-themed prints, food prints galore, and many novelty prints. The staff is friendly. Many quilters from the local campgrounds come here. In fact, one of  my friends from the Lower Peninsula camps here and goes quite often for her sewing needs. I bought quite a few cuts of woodsy fabrics for the potholders I am making. Of course I got the Row by Row pattern: 

We headed off to Escanaba at this point. I was happy and content to crochet a dishcloth as my husband drove. 

I will show you what I found in Escanaba in the next post. Thank you for stopping. If you are ever in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, stop at these quilt stores for a dose of inspiration and maybe a yard or two of fabric. 

Comments are welcome. If you cannot comment via Blogger, email me at 

patchworkbreeze (at) gmail (dot) com and I will respond.