The Scarlet Letter Weekend

     The Scarlet Letter held an Open House this past Saturday. I was thrilled to be able to go this year, my first visit to SL and Smoke Ham Farm. Since it's a couple of hundred miles from my home, I decided to take a road trip to Wisconsin, visiting some quilt shops and needlework shops along the way.
     Bright and early Friday morning I took Emma and Owen to the kennel, their home away from home, and off to Spring Green and Country Sampler I went.
After fueling up at my favorite eatery in Spring Green:

 I was right on time for the shop opening...

 That's the front end of Chuck, my truck, blocking part of the view of the wonderful Country Sampler. If you live within driving distance of Spring Green, WI, it is well worth the trip. The staff has to be one of the best I've ever encountered. These ladies can't help you enough. The shop has the most wonderful quilt and stitching 'eye candy'. Stitched models adorn the walls and quilts cover every available surface.  They don't skimp on the seasonal decorations for sale either. Check out the website if you're not able to get there in person.
     When this chart was released I wasn't that impressed.... until I saw the stitched model in the shop. It's stitched on 32 ct. Vintage Autumn Gold with Simply Wool fibers by The Gentle Art. I was able to purchase the linen, chart and fiber bundle... it doesn't get much better than that.

 Chessie & Me - Not Forgotten Sampler

I'm looking forward to sitting on the sun porch and stitching this sampler.

     My next stop was Lynn's, in Madison, a framing, needlework and art supplies shop. I was in needlework heaven. Lynn's carries NPI, AVAS, GAST, Weeks, and several other fibers. But, best of all, were the boxes and bins of hand dyed linens that you were able to sort through, just looking for that special piece of linen. I came out of the shop with the AVAS and a lovely cut of 36 ct Silkweaver's Sandcastle linen for Jane Atkinson and a piece of the new Weeks 40 ct. Confederate Gray linen for a future project.

It was time to climb back into Chuck and get on the road to Waunakee, WI and the Mill House Quilt.

 Fabric, books, so many lovely quilt models hanging from the high beamed ceilings in this lovely restored mill. The entire upper floor is devoted to classroom space. There so much going on in this shop that you don't know where to look first. They have an enormous variety of fabric types to suit everyone's tastes and needs. A large room, in the back, is devoted to discounted fabrics and other discounted merchandise.

     I'm now suffering from quilt fabric overload... but there is one more stop for today. I'm off the Sun Prairie, WI and the small, but oh so wonderful quilt shop... JJ Stitches.

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If reproduction fabrics are your thing... this is the shop for you. What's that you say... you'd like a closer look at those fabulous quilts in the window....

 This snap is for all my hexie loving friends. The old pink sewing machine is sweet too.

      I was ready to put my feet up and rest a spell. All that stitching and fabric looking had worn me out. I spent the night in Sun Prairie.

     Bright and early Saturday morning I was on my way to The Scarlet Letter and Smoke Ham Farm. I only took one wrong turn and drove about 20 miles in the wrong direction, before I was able to make my way to here:

 They say a picture is worth a thousand words...I have several to share.

Marsha's Home, the Shop is located in the basement.

The door the the basement shop.

The garage... the models are displayed in the upper level.

Mary WI and Pat

I finally got to meet Pat, from WI, in person. We've gotten to know one another through needlework BBs and e-mails.  I also was pleased to have met Mary, SusanIL's mom, from the BBs too.

     Pat surprised me with a beautiful stitched gift:

Thank you so much Pat! I will treasure my gift always and it will be a reminder of the wonderful hours we spent at The Scarlet Letter and Smoke Ham Farm.