Cotton Harvest

I went out of town on business yesterday.  I drove about 200 miles for a meeting.  Along the way, I noticed the cotton farmers beginning to harvest this year's cotton crop.  The farmers have placed huge semi-trailers in their fields to collect the harvested cotton and haul it to the mills or storage or wherever. (Hey - Maybe THAT's what I need for my fabric stash??!!)

It was interesting to drive along and see such industry.  I was glad for a couple of days of much cooler weather, so I can only imagine how these folks who work outside all day felt about it.  Anyway, I am thankful for the farmers who grow and harvest the cotton.  Otherwise, how would we get all these beautiful fabrics.

Before I left work yesterday, everyone was telling me the good places to stop along the route.  They clued me in to all the good stops for food and which exits to take.  I had another idea however.  Thank goodness for the internet.  I googled fabric shops in Montgomery Alabama, and I came up with one that looked interesting -Kudzu Blossom Quilts.  Funny name, huh?  (Does anybody like kudzu?  Does it bloom?)  But the ladies there were so nice, and it was such fun to look at all the pretty fabric, and peruse the book rack.  I spent about an hour roaming around in this cute little shop.

I was invited to dinner by my good friends the McCoys, and when I told Jenifer about my fabric store adventure, she told me about another shop in Columbus, not far from where my meeting was held.  Naturally, I just had to stop here before I left town.  Sew Much Fun!  Very cute.  Cute name too.  And sew much fun to peruse a different selection of beautiful fabrics that we don't have in our stores at home.

Since I had to drive back the way I had come, I stopped at Kudzu Blossom again on the way back.  This time, I paid particular attention to the quilts on the walls.  There were bunches.  Here were some of the ones I liked - a shame they were hidden way in the back of the store.  I saw the patterns for these on fabric.com today.  I may have to make them.

I found something new that I thought was cool on the internet this week when I was looking for quilt stores in Montgomery - a fabric shop hop.  It is fun to go from store to store and see what all these different quilt shops have to sell.  Some of them have such cute ideas.  I was inspired.  Unfortunately, with 100 stores, you really can't visit them all.  And nothing really takes the place of that sensory thrill you get from being surrounded by all the beautiful fabric and being able to touch it.  Still the fabric shop hop is fun.  Here is the link:  Fabric Shop Hop Fun

So, thank you farmers, for your hard work.  And thank you designers and textile industry workers and other quilters for all you do to make it possible to put all these beautiful fabrics together in such an endless variety of ways.  I appreciate you.

And now to go use all those beautiful fabrics I brought home!