Getting Ready...

Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha arrive home from Daytona in the late at night. Cousin Martha thought they would sleep in the next day, but Aunt Gertie had other idea's. The phone rang at 7:00. "Martha, Be ready to go to the quilt shop today. I need a few things to round out our purchases from Daytona. We have work to do.

On their way to Matilda's Quilt Shop, Aunt Gertie explained her hurry. She had spoken with Uncle Hap and they had decided to get a German Shepherd mix puppy from the Animal Shelter. Aunt Gertie wanted to buy some puppy themed fabric to go into a puppy blanket and made a little dog bed for The Boys.

Aunt Gertie currently had three little puppies, Sweetie Petey was an 8 year old Shih Tzu.

BooBoo was a 7 year old Pek-e-poo.

Smarty Pants Bailey Boy was Uncle Hap's traveling 3 year old Shih Tzu.



They had lost Charlie (Charlemagne, as in King of the Franks) last year (11 yr old Great Pyrenees) and Aunt Gertie was missing having a large dog around.






They had been discussing the possibility for some time and Uncle Hap had finally agreed a larger dog would be good protection.

Aunt Gertie had thought long and hard about what she wanted in a puppy. She wanted a female. With three little boys, she felt she already had too much testosterone in the house. The Boys would play Who is King of the Mountain a little too often. Aunt Gertie did not need another king. She wanted a puppy so that she could make sure it learned proper manners and so that it would learn to play well with the little boys.

Home Again..Home Again..

By the end of the week in Daytona, Florida, Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha were getting tired of the sun. They had been to the beach, up and down the craziness of Main Street during Bike Week, and to all the local quilt shops they could find. They were both sun burnt and had sunglass lines around their eyes. It was time to go home. They loaded everything into the car, all the new fabric they had purchased, the new summer riding jacket for Aunt Gertie, a new helmet for Cousin Martha, motorcycle brochures to show Uncle Hap and all the miscellaneous trinkets that you would buy on vacation. Cousin Martha checked the weather as Aunt Gertie pulled out of the parking lot. "It looks like the weather will be clear all the way home, Auntie. At least we're not going home to a blizzard."

"Martha, You keep an eye out for the electric indians." instructed Aunt Gertie. Uncle Hap had warned them about those signs that shoot electric arrows. "Make sure you change lanes when you see one." He had said. 

The trip home was uneventful as they had hoped. The roads were clear. The weather grew colder, although Aunt Gertie could still feel that spring was in the air. "After Daytona, you know it is almost Spring regardless the weather you see looking out of your window." She said.

Long Arm Hunting

After a full day of walking around looking at bikes, Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha were ready for another quilt shop. Today they were headed for Bunnell and the Gammill dealership. Aunt Gertie had been lusting after a long arm machine for about 6 months.

It was all Aunt Myrtle’s fault. Aunt Myrtle was a Psychology professor at the local university. She had been quilting for a year or two when she decided Aunt Gertie needed to buy a long arm machine. Aunt Myrtle had made a several quilts for auction at the day care center and a t-shirt quilt or two. She understood the challenges of quilting a larger quilt on her home sewing machine and the expense of having someone else quilt it. One of the reasons Aunt Myrtle enjoyed quilting so much was that it didn’t have to be expensive. You could walk out of a quilt shop having only spent $5.00 or $10.00. Of course, she rarely did that, but it was possible. Aunt Myrtle had planned her strategy very carefully. She had casually mentioned to Aunt Gertie how great it would be to have a long arm machine. Of course, Aunt Myrtle did not make very many quilts so it made more sense for Gertie to buy the machine and then Aunt Myrtle could use it. Wouldn’t that be much better than paying to have the quilting done? “The long arm machine would also help save your shoulders Aunt Gertie!” added Cousin Martha. Aunt Gertie was not committing to anything yet. Buying long arm sewing machine was as much money as buying a new motorcycle. Yesterday they had spent the day looking at bikes, today they would investigate the world of the long arm sewing machine.

Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha were much more careful this day. They made sure they had the shop address and the GPS with them as they left the hotel. They drove right to the shop without a hitch. Aunt Gertie even had her tape measure and a list of questions.

Aunt Gertie and Uncle Hap did not have a large house. They did not have a room large enough to hold the long arm. There was no chance of an addition for a long arm machine. It was logistically impossible to add a room of that size on their lot. Aunt Gertie’s only hope was that they could put it in the basement. She needed dimensions for the machine and how it came apart for shipping to  determine if they could even get the machine into the house. Aunt Gertie had heard stories of machines going in through the basement window and the not being able to get the machine out again. 

So...with tape measure in hand and a notebook with questions, Aunt Gertie and Martha started investigating long arm sewing machines.

Is There a Perfect Bike?

“This trip is a personal Shop Hop isn’t it Auntie?” asked Cousin Martha over breakfast the next morning. “Every trip is a personal Shop Hop Dear.” Aunt Gertie replied. Today they were having Stuffed French Toast. The girls felt no need to diet when they were on vacation. Surely they would walk it off with the day’s activities. They were headed to the track today to see all the new motorcycle models.

The girls could see the demo trucks as they pulled into Daytona Speedway. All of the tents and trucks looked like the circus had come to town. Aunt Gertie commented, “I’m sure that’s how the resident’s feel about this week. There certainly are sights to see and people to watch. You can see things this week that you may not see anywhere else.” The girls were not focused on the people today, however. They had new motorcycles to check out.

Uncle Happy had been talking about a new bike and Aunt Gertie was going to scope them out for him and report back. She was hoping to find a bike they could share, one that Uncle Hap could ride around town but that she could ride when they were traveling. Uncle Hap rode a couch, an older model Goldwing that was comfort all day long. Aunt Gertie had a sport-touring bike that was more sport and less touring. Her bike looked fast and she looked fast riding it, but it was starting to be a little tiring on their longer trips. Spotting Aunt Gertie when she stretches her legs out sideways as she rode down the highway is a very strange site. She was not looking fast then! The other drawback to her bike was that it did not have saddlebags. Uncle Hap had to carry some of her luggage and would always tease her about it. “It’s a good thing I pack lightly so there is more room for your stuff!” he would say.  “How can a girl travel without the appropriate shoes and fabric?” Aunt Gertie would ask and Uncle Hap would just smile and shake his head. All of that aside, what was the major dilemma with sharing a bike? Uncle Hap wanted a radio and Aunt Gertie was not very fond of the fairing/windshield on those bikes that had radios. They would have to compromise.

Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha strolled from tent to tent, manufacturer to manufacturer in search of the perfect compromise. They sat on all the bikes as they discussed the pros and cons of each: the seat was too low or not comfortable, the foot pegs were too far forward, the fairing was too overwhelming. They admired the shape of the lights and the sexy curves of the tailpipes. They took pictures of the custom paint to use as design motivation for their quilts. Would they ever find the perfect bike? Probably not, as the fun is looking for one. It’s like finding the perfect sewing machine. There is always a newer model that has more stitches or more features. At some point you have to make the commitment and buy. Today was not the day for committments for Aunt Gertie. Today was about the dream of the perfect ride.

Quilt Shop!

A great quilt shop has a mix of fabrics and patterns that appeal to a wide group of quilter's. It must have some basic fabrics that will intermingle with a quilter's existing stash or coordinate with the new fabric they are picking out. Aunt Gertie spent quite a while picking out fat quarters for a table runner. She was feeling like spring so the fabric was pink and green stripes, flowers, and geometric prints. She'd have to work on the pattern when she got home.

Cousin Martha also had a touch of spring fever. She opted for flowers and a new pattern book. She was going to put together a garden quilt when they got back (after she finished one or two of the other projects she had going).

They looked through all the fabrics. Laughed and joked with all the other customers. They discussed how much fabric they had and ow they didn't really need any more as they piled the bolts up on the cutting table. They all agreed they were buying dreams... dreams of the next stunning project.

As they left the shop, Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha decided it was time to get something to eat. It had been a very busy day. Aunt Gertie knew exactly what she wanted. That alligator in the pet shop had Aunt Gertie thinking. They were in Florida and they could get one of her favorite specialties here, Fried Gator Tail. "It tastes like chicken!" Gertie told Martha. Martha was not so sure. She had heard quite a few things taste like chicken. "They say that about frogs legs and stewed rabbit." Martha replied, "If I want something that tastes like chicken, I'll just get chicken!" Aunt Gertie found a little place on the way back to Daytona that served gator tail and Cousin Martha had chicken.

Daytona Day 1

After a wonderful breakfast of waffles and eggs, Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha were ready to start their day. They were headed to the quilt shop in Deland. It was a little bit of  a drive but the girls were ready to enjoy some Florida weather. The sky was blue and the temperature was quite a bit warmer than they were used to.

This shop was a new shop for them. As they drove out of town Cousin Martha reached for the GPS to plug in the address. Unfortunately, they had been so excited about their day, they had left the hotel without the GPS. “Not a problem!” exclaimed Aunt Gertie. “Deland can’t be that large a town.” With that, they were off to explore.

As they approached town, it became clear that they were not going to be able to drive through town. It seems there was a Bike Week event going on in Deland. The roads downtown were all barricaded and bust with pedestrian traffic. Up for an adventure and some motorcycle excitement, they parked the car and walked towards the festivities. The streets were lined with vendor tents; motorcycle insurance, skimpy clothing, jewelry, riding jackets, helmets, t-shirts, all things motorcycle were available. There was a band playing loudly somewhere close by. The girls walked the streets talking, laughing shopping and watching the people walk by.

After a while they were ready to find the quilt shop. They had walked up and down the cross street but had not seen anything looking like a quilt shop. When Cousin Martha reached into her packet for the address, she came up empty. It seems the address was sitting on the dresser in the hotel room right next to the GPS. Nothing to do at this point but ask. All of the vendors in the tents were from out of town. They had no idea what a quilt shop even looked like. Finally they stopped in a pet shop to ask.

As they walked through the pet shop door, Gertie and Martha were greeted by a giant alligator. It was in a tank thankfully, but even a baby alligator can be a little startling when you get close. “That is a certain reminder that we are not in Kansas anymore Dorothy!” Aunt Gertie whispered. Alligators were not a common pet shop attraction at home. Gertie had spent a fair amount of time in the pet shops at home buying treats and toys to spoil her three little babies. She had expected dogs, cats, fish and maybe a ferret, not a reptile of this size. The gator was not for sale, thank goodness. Aunt Gertie stepped closer to take a look. As she gazed on the creature she thought, “The texture of his skin would sure make a nice fabric print. I can understand the lure of belts, bags and boots from the hides.”

Cousin Martha ignored the reptile and walked right up to the counter to ask for directions. “Quilt shop? What is a quilt shop?” they were asked. “There is a store that sells knick knacks and stuff on the other side of town…across Main Street. Maybe that’s the one you mean.”

“We have to walk that way anyway to get back to the car Auntie.” Martha commented. Out the door they went and down the street through the crowds of bikers. They walked past all the tents, down past the taverns and across Main Street. Just as it looked like they were running out of town…just as they were about to turn around…Aunt Gertie spotted a bright quilt is a small picture window. “That must be it! Over there Martha!” Gertie commented.

There are few things to match the thrill of a finding a new quilt shop. The promise of new fabrics, patterns and embellishments is sure to give every quilter goose bumps. Every quilt shop takes on some of the personality of the owner and employees. They choose the fabrics and patterns to make up a very individual offering. While quilter’s buy fabric and patterns, thread and embellishments to create marvelous quilts, table runners and throws, they also buy dreams. Most quilters have a closet full of fabric that holds dreams of quilts. Regardless of what the fabric closet at home contains, new fabric beckons with the promise of something even more beautiful than anything imagined before.

Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha hurried across the street. They heard the angels singing as they opened the door.

Road Trip!

Aunt Gertie was feeling like Spring would never come. The winter had been colder than usual with more snow than even she ever remembered. She gazed at the calendar, wishing February would turn to March, when it occurred to her. Daytona Bike Week was right around the corner! That was the perfect excuse for a road trip! “Cousin Martha!” Aunt Gertie called across the way. “Pack your bags. We’re going for a drive!”

Now as you can imagine, this was no ordinary road trip. Normally Aunt Gertie and Uncle Happy would load up their motorcycles, hop on and head south, but it was still snowing! And Uncle Happy was on the road working. This would be a girl’s only trip in the car. Cousin Martha hurried next door to help pour over the maps and discuss all the stops they would make along the way. The route to Daytona had been traveled many times. There were many favorite quilt shops along the way. In the end they decided to get to the warmer weather as quickly as they could. Maybe all the snow would melt before they returned.

With the car packed and the Dytona hotel address loaded into the GPS, Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha were off on another adventure. Cousin Martha had loaded their MP3 player with Jimmy Buffet and other summer songs. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds as they pulled out of the driveway early the next morning. It was going to be a great trip!

They had decided to drive straight through. The weather definitely showed signs of improvement as they motored south. It was in the 60’s by the time they reached Georgia. Aunt Gertie put away her boots and put on sandals at the rest stop. She had had enough of the cold. Shorts and a sweatshirt was the perfect attire.

Cousin Martha had been contemplating a new quilt design to reflect the theme of their trip. She had made an applique quilt with flames in the past. The quilting had also been flames. Cousin Martha was looking for a design with more impact this time. She playing with the idea of piecing the flames as the weather grew warmer and the number of motorcycles on the highway grew. This quilt was much more complicated that most of the quilts Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha worked on. Cousin Martha drew out the flames on paper to use as a pattern. She carefully numbered the pieces and placed hash marks that would allow the pieces to be to properly aligned as they were sewn together. They would transfer the drawings to freezer paper and cut out each piece. These freezer paper patterns could then be ironed onto the back of the red, orange and yellow flame fabrics.

It was late when they arrived in Daytona, but they had arranged for that. Off to bed they went. It would be a busy week They had a long list of quilt shops to visit and of course all the excitement of Bike Week: new motorcycle models to see, new vendors to shop, and of course old friends to visit. Aunt Gertie and Cousin Martha had visions of new quilts as they drifted off to sleep.