What's great about vacation

Vacations are wonderful. Time to get away and relax. The other day I actually sat and read all day long! I cannot remember that last time I did that. Maybe never. It was wonderful. But the other great thing about vacations when you travel is that you get to stop by quilt shops. I've done just that on this trip. First I stopped at Calico House in Lincoln, Nebraska. Lincoln has several fine quilt shops, but this is the only one I was able to visit before closing time. Don't let the name fool you. This shop is hot with the latest fabrics and patterns. And being in Big Red country (a.k.a., University of Nebraska football) I was able to add some terrific fabrics to my red stash. Their selection of modern fabrics will make you drool! On down the road I stopped at The Quilt Rack in North Platte, Nebraska. Things were happening at this shop too, although in somewhat a different direction. You want cowboy fabric? Or any fabric with a western theme? This shop has them all. I feel in love with a simple western style quilt behind the cutting table. You have to stop by the see it! Added more to my red and cream stash and picked up a Dalmatian dog print for my friend Janette. Wool applique is also popular at The Quilt Rack. The owner dyes some of her own fabrics and they are yummy! After spending 3 glorious days in the mountains with no phone, no TV, no Internet, no iPad, just time to enjoy the scenery, we headed back down to civilization. Cabin Quilts and Stitches in Grand Lake, Colorado, was my stop this morning. Happy to say I left with a shopping full of fabric and patterns. This is the one store I can depend on for mountain theme fabrics and flannel. Not just cute baby flannel, but rows of all sorts of patterns in flannel. One disappointment was my stop in Estes Park, Colorado. After many, many years in business, Maggie Mae's Quilt Shop has closed and Maggie has retired. Sad to loose her lovely shop. Maggie taught me English paper piecing several years ago, and now I teach it to others. Back on the road tomorrow with more quilt shops on my list.