Tuesday, March 2, 2010

To Barnett and Versailles Missouri and back today

BT and I left the house before 9:00. It would be an early start to a long day.
Our first stop was to pick up his mother, at his sister's house.
The next two stops were in town for some banking for Mom.


We then headed about 20 miles west of Jefferson City to Zimmerman's harness and shoe shop.

Mom and I stayed in the car, while BT went in and purchase a piece of leather.

Just a mile further we stopped at Top Stitch to pick up my sewing machine. My how I would have loved to take you all inside for a view. They sell Berninas embroidery machines there. As we opened the door there were at least 3 young Mennonite girls sitting at the machines embroidering away. They were all wearing white caps, calico dresses and tennis shoes with colored anklets. A CD of religious music was playing away on a laptop computer near the door.
Oh how I would have loved to have played with one of those machines, but I knew the hubby would hog tie me and drag me out immediately.
I picked up my machine, a new see through sewing foot, and a package of #90 ball point needles and headed out.

Back on the road, we traveled only about a mile or two before turning onto a gravel road. We were looking for Pleasant Valley Quilt shop. It had moved from the last time my MIL was there.
We found it behind a big farm house, marked with small signs at the entrance.
As I opened the door, I saw bolt after bolt after bolt of fabric. A Mennonite mother and her two little ones were sitting behind the counter. It was almost over whelming all the fabric. Most of it was about $4.00 a yard. Over in the corner we spied quilts for sale. They were hung from the ceiling, folded to about 18 inches wide. Quilt after quilt, after quilt lined the wall. As we turned around there was a bed, stacked full of more quilts. These were all queen bed size.
We then walked into another room. There the MIL found king sizes quilts. She loved a green one in this first picture. I felt sure she was going to take it back to Texas with her. In the end she left it. The queens were priced about $495, king size ones were $595.00.
In this room I did take two pictures.
I found some Watkins products for my friend Diane and these two handkerchiefs for my someday handkerchief quilt.
Back into the car, we proceeded on down the gravel road only to find the next shop had also moved. It was then that we came upon these buggies. They were parked in front of County Road surplus. We stopped in there and looked at their bargains. BT found some work gloves.
Back in the car and up the muddy road where I met a road grader. It was then necessary to shift to 4 wheel drive. Now the car really gets muddy.
We stopped at Weaver's Market. MIL bought some sorghum and spices. We found smoked cheddar cheese and a big package of salted sun flower seeds. The Mennonite girl checking us out told me where the other fabric store had moved to. I say oh shoot, I'll have to go past that road grader again. She told me I could go the opposite way and go around the block to get there.
Around the block . . . in their terms, it was a 1 mile square block. 1 mile for every right hand turn. On a road the road grader had just completed.

This is Excelsior Fabric shop we had been looking for. Now I thought the last store had lots of fabric. I was wrong. Did I tell you I was wrong?!! Oh My Gosh, her fabric was cheaper and there were many more varieties. She had the old fashioned double knits, bolt after bolt of gingham checks in any size, calico, flannels, cheater quilts fabric, Mennonite clothing, including baby bonnets, straw hats, felt hats, suspenders, buttons, books, patterns, thread. And so much more. If only I could have taken a picture for you.
And what did I leave with? Quilt batting. (Picture at the end of this post) The price is unbelievable!!!! It is enough to make 9 full size queen quilts. The price? $45.20 tax included.
Do you know what a bargain that is? I mean, I pay $14 to $18 for one bed size at Hobby Lobby.
As the Mennonite lady goes to get the batting out of a trailer outside the shop, MIL and I find a new thimble for me. When she came back in, I paid for the thimble and asked if she got it in the car. She said he's working on it.
When I got to the car, I had to laugh. This huge pink bag took up the entire cargo space of my Jeep Cherokee. It blocked my rear view mirror. All I could see was the blacksmith's face outlined in pink plastic.
By this time it was 1:00 and we were famished. We headed into Versailles where we found Lehman's Mennonite Restaurant.
As we walked to our table, we had to pass a counter of baked goods for sale. There were pies; apple, peach, pumpkin, shoofly, coconut cream, and chocolate. Then I saw cinnamon bread, angel food cakes, and cookies. BT and his mother had tenderloin sandwiches with onion rings, I had open faced roast beef on homemade bread with real mashed potatoes.

When we finished our meal, MIL asked if we wanted dessert. BT said he'd pass. She asked me. I told her if she would, then I would too. Okay she said, but I want one of those donuts I have been looking at the entire time I've been eating. So she ordered us each a donut and another cup of coffee. If only I could have taken a picture. It was the biggest and the best donut I have ever eaten. 65 cents of heaven! If they would have been calorie free I would have bought the entire case out. Thanks for buying our lunch Mom, it was so good!
We then headed back towards Jefferson City to the bank. MIL had to pick up some completed papers.
MIL leaving the bank.


Here is my bag of batting. Now you get the picture of just how big this bag is. That's a yard stick stick next to it!
Now I have to find a closet to stuff it in!
Just another fun day in Mennonite country.

17 comments:

Unknown said...

That is a GIANT bag of batting! What a fun day; I've barely finished breakfast and I'm ready for lunch with a big donut for dessert! : )

Those quilts were beautiful. I would have found it hard to leave without one.

Be well, hope B gets some sunshine soon.

~Andrea~

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Oh my goodness girl, that one big bale of battin'. The quilts were just beautiful!

You have yourself one fantastically blessed day!!!

Missouri Gal said...

OMG! That is HUGE! You have to show me how to get there. And you weren't far from me either.

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of a handkerchief quilt!!!

I'm BACK...let's get lunch on the books! ;)

Diana LaMarre said...

Whoa.........that is one BIG roll of batting. What a great price. I love to get bargains like that.

We shall now be looking for 9 new queen size quilts............LOL.

StitchinByTheLake said...

Doggone it - I want to go with you next time I'm there! blessings, marlene

Unknown said...

What a fun day. How nice to have your MIL with you.
See you soon

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

Missouri Gal and Stitch by the lake. We will have to take a road trip there soon!
Katie you could come too, you're close.
Maybe I could sneak the embroidery machine then?

Diana Ferguson said...

I think I need you to come to my house.

Beautiful quilts!

Anonymous said...

Holy Cow!! All that batting for $45!!?!!...quilting fabric for $4 a yard??!! Hang on, I'll be down to visit you in Misouri asap!
I've been meaning to ask you: where does the Osage come from in Osage Bluff? Are there osage orange trees growing in your area?
Karen (Rural Revival's Mom)

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

Osage comes from the name of the River, which got it's name from the Osage Indians. There are Osage orange tres in the area.
thanks Karen for stopping by. Come and go shopping with me anytime.

Deanna said...

Hubby grew up on Tanner Bridge road, close to the Moreau River. You should have heard me howl when you mentioned Summit Villa. Yes, that is his mom who plays the piano. She couldn't read a note if her life depended on it, but has played by ear all her life. She has been there since December 2008. We'll have to look your mom up next time we are there. Talk about small world!

My brother's name is Tom Hood. His son is Patrick.

And then to top everything off, you post a picture of Top Stitch. It is my home away from home. Timothy (the owner) and his family has even come to our home to check out our sheep. It was our first visit to Top Stitch that got me started in the embroidery business.

That bag of batting is huge!!!! We are going to take a road trip to Versailles and the surrounding areas with some friends once the weather gets a bit nicer.

Enjoy this sunshine!!!

Sara said...

That is comically huge!

I don't usually sew unless it's an emergency or a fluke, but I still can get lost in a fabric store. Love it.

And I can imagine how delicious that donut was. We stopped at the best Mennonite restaurant out in Lancaster. To die for.

Unknown said...

fun and productive! i would love to go to the shops you went to. but a bit to far from utah to make a saturday run. maybe someday though...

Tipper said...

I bet the grands would like to ride that batting : ) Glad you guys had a good day-still makes me wish I lived close enough to tag along on one of your day trips. You 2 do the funnest things.

Dana - Old Red Barn Co. said...

Wow!! That is alot of batting!

And it sounds like a wonderful day!

Lara said...

I love the idea of a handkerchief quilt!