Sleek buildings greet visitors as they approach the 9/11 Memorial Museum in NYC.

We don’t know many New York City visitors who don’t have the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center on their must-do list.  In fact, it’s at the top of many lists of places most people want to see — not because it’s a tourist attraction but because it fulfills this one desire we all have: to honor the nearly 3,000 victims of the attacks on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993.  And honor them it does.

Tall monoliths reflected in a steel and glass wall outside the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

The visitor brochure calls the 9/11 Memorial Museum a “a triumph of human dignity.”  And even when you leave the subway to approach the plaza surrounding the museum, you get the sense that this is big.  Really big.  At first, you see construction at ground level — a new transit station, buildings being completed, cranes and yellow tape marking off places you can’t and should walk.  But when you look up — and you will — you are rewarded with a spectacular view of steel and glass marvels of modern architecture.

Squarely inside the plaza, we moved toward where people were gathered around massive pools of water to read names of victims etched in the peripheral walls.  And we weren’t the only ones talking in whispers.

Awesome view from plaza beside 9/11 Memorial Museum

Names of victims frame pools outside the 9/11 Memorial Museum

A cityscape forms the backdrop for the dramatic pools of water at 9/11 Memorial Museum.

We wondered how so many people in line could fit inside the museum.  But we soon found out.  Four floors provide vast, open exhibit space for artifacts, salvaged materials, and memorial photos.  And we were amazed at how that space impacts visitors as they look upward and all around.  You move at your own pace while taking long looks at the remains of a disaster that touched us all.

View from above of salvaged artifacts and tributes to victims.

Survivors’ Stairs near the Tribute Walk

Mosaic wall with quote from Virgil: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.”

Salvaged wall from World Trade Center

We stopped and stayed for a while in the space known as In Memoriam where visitors can stand or sit to view videos and listen to recordings by family members as they remember their loved ones.

Wall of photos — part of In Memoriam

Artists — from schoolchildren to the world-renowned Red Grooms — provided interpretations of the tragedies with tapestries, collages, canvases, quilts and more.

At the end of our tour, we stood silently as we viewed wreckage — raw, open, mangled metal forms — that once were serviceable vehicles and supportive beams turned by fire and the weight of collapsed buildings into twisted, almost unrecognizable forms.

You might think that we would leave depressed.  And we were saddened by what we had seen. But this whole endeavor – the collecting, designing, displaying, and memorializing — contributed wholly to the mission stated in the visitor information: to “bear solemn witness” and to “honor the victims.”  It does all that and so much more.

A tribute to the strength and resiliency of America: 9/11 Memorial Museum

For more information:

The National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center, 180 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007; 911memorial.org

Recommended:  Download the apps and guides: http://www.911memorial.org/apps prior to your visit.

Boomer Travel:  Most of the Memorial Museum is easily accessible for all, but lines can be long.  Also, be prepared to stand inside for entry into some of the popular areas. The Museum is wheelchair accessible with manual wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  The Audio Guide is VoiceOver compatible.  Large print materials are available at the desk.  Service dogs are welcome.

We’ve compiled our remembrances from a December 2015 trip to New York City under the Travel Series heading:  Christmas Holiday 2015.  Hope you’ll join us in reliving good times in the Big Apple!  — Bert and Rusha

Spend what you can or pay the recommended price of admission — it’s just one way to save a bit when seeing the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.

You know it.  You just do.  Going to NYC will cost ya! (Well, to tell the truth, traveling anywhere has its unavoidable expenses and serendipitous must-have purchases.)  But there are things you can do to ease the financial pain.

Enjoying the sights of Chinatown costs little — unless you’re shopping for folks back home!

When we decided (on a lark, I might add) to trip off to the Big Apple in December to get into the Christmas spirit, we knew we had to be budget travelers.  Oh, sure, you say.  Stay on a budget during one of the busiest seasons in one of the most traveled places in the U. S.?  But cut corners we did.  And here are some tips that worked for us.

1. Do your homework on transportation.

First, take a look at airline flights if that’s how you’ll get to NYC.  Once you click onto an airline, enter the Flexible Days arena.  There you’ll find flights that can be half the cost of flying on a busy weekend in and out of the city.  If you have the luxury of flexible flying, you can save a bundle, and that’s good news for retirees, casual travelers, and last-minute tourists like us.  (Our weekday Delta departure and return from Knoxville to New York’s LaGuardia was $173.00 compared to the over $300 and $400 flights on the weekends.)

And do a bit of research, too, on ground transportation from the airport to your destination.  We were directed to Carmel Limousine Service by the owners of the apartment we rented, and, despite some not-so-favorable reviews on the web, the limo and driver couldn’t have been more accommodating or affordable.  Other sites to check are Uber, Lyft, and the Super Shuttle (which could add numerous stops depending on who’s in the van at the time).  Just enter your destination, time of day, etc., and do a bit of comparing.

2.  Think about lodging and location.

Of course, if you’re only visiting NYC for New Year’s Eve, you may want to stay near Times Square.  But if you want to blend in with the locals, experience some of the neighborhoods, and stay in quieter locales, look for alternative lodging.  We found an apartment on the Upper West Side near Central Park with positive ratings on TripAdvisor, but other sites may also have just what you’re looking for:  AirBnB, HomeAway, or any of the B&B sites like bnbfinder.com, bedandbreakfast.com or bbonline.com.

The advantage?  You can save money and see another side of the city by staying in the ‘burbs, so to speak, where you can avail yourself of what the area affords permanent residents.  Our apartment with one bedroom with queen bed, kitchen and newly remodeled bath cost $170.00 per night, a far cry from what we’ve paid before to be near the theater district and Times Square.  Plus, our owner/manager knew the city well and shared invaluable tips on transportation, eating, sightseeing, etc.

3.  Get a MetroCard.

Because we needed transportation to all the museums, parks, and department stores (We wanted to see the windows, after all!), our apartment owner gave us the best piece of advice for saving money:  Buy a one-week MetroCard for $31.00.  With the price of one subway or local bus ride costing $2.75, we knew we had a bargain with unlimited rides for seven days for only $31.00.  (Be sure to check the MTA site for more info on how and where to buy, use, and reload.) The side benefits can’t be stressed enough:  on-time subways offer expediency, and buses let you see the city from the comfort of your seat — without the hassle of driving yourself!!!

Subways were our friend! Punctual, safe, nearby. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)

4.  Watch what you eat!

Now if you’re a foodie hoping to traipse through the city in search of highest rated restaurants and chefs, skip this section.  You’ll have to map out your locales, hire drivers or use your MetroCard, and pony up for foie gras! But if you’re more interested in sightseeing than eating, pace yourself.  First, eat only two meals a day.  If you’re staying where breakfast is free (like the national chain hotels usually), then dig in and enjoy the savings.  Eat a big dinner in early evening.  But even if breakfast isn’t free, consider cooking if you have a kitchen or eating a continental breakfast in your room.

A meal at Jason’s Pickles on the Upper West Side will fill you up for the day!

Second, head to the local convenient store/neighborhood market for fresh produce, baked goods, quick snacks, or precooked items.  It’s fun to see what’s served locally (and how much food costs in a different part of the country), and you’ll save money over those restaurant prices, too.  If you’re lucky, you may stumble onto a sidewalk market — usually on the weekends — where you can do the farm-to-table thing right in the big city!

5.  Strike a bargain at the museums.

Our apartment manager gave us another tip that even some of our friends who live in NYC didn’t know:  you don’t have to pay the recommended prices for tickets at museums subsidized by the city of New York.  If you see Recommended Price at the admission booth, you can offer less to tour the museum.  Museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, The Cloisters and many others will take what you feel you can afford to pay.  Other museums (like Guggenheim Museum Soho, Museum of American Folk Art, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center) are free every day.  (Click here for the complete list.) You can also weigh the option of passes such as CityPass, the New York Pass, or New York City Explorer Pass that bundle multiple sites for one lower price.

Inside the stately Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Don’t forget:  Some of the best things in NYC really are free — visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral, talking to vendors in Bryant Park, watching food handlers in Chinatown, creating an avatar at Macy’s, and strolling through neighborhoods.

What you spend on a trip to NYC is up to you!  Hope you can use one or more of our ideas, but please feel free to add your tips below for how to see NYC on a budget.

And check out other posts in the Christmas Holiday NYC series.  Thanks for traveling with us!!!

— Bert and Rusha

Credit:  Image of subway from Wikimedia Commons

This post has been linked to Monday Escapes #27.  Check out the other great posts on My Travel Monkey and Packing My Suitcase.

Catching a selfie at Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta 2014

My mom used to say she could be content just sitting in a parked car at the downtown square, watching the people go by.  And so I guess I’ve come by this pastime honestly.  If you, too, enjoy watching people, especially happy ones, you need to get yourself to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta — any session, any day.  ‘Cause happy people are everywhere you look.

Watching patiently as balloons lift off at daybreak.

Camera enthusiasts are some of the most focused people around — adjusting lenses, positioning their bodies up or down, and then wrinkling their faces to capture just the right angle for the best shot. (Sometimes I watch to see what they’re watching and then position myself in the same place for that same great shot.  Is that cheating?)

We saw some mighty big cameras at Balloon Fiesta 2014. No wonder it’s called the “most photographed event in the world.”

Others just enjoy sitting on the sidelines — taking pics and sending ’em on via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.

Havin’ a ball tweeting pics of balloons (and people, too) to the folks back home.

Balloon crews are also watchable.  Like this threesome taking on the responsibility of letting the air out.  That’s right.  Not all balloons go up.  This team went through the motions of ballooning, right down to the moment of lift-off, and then took it all down.  It’s something they do, they said, to educate the crowd.  (And we learned a lot!)

Letting the air out at Balloon Fiesta

Even the official Balloon Fiesta Launch Directors — ZEBRAS, as they’re known — have fun at Fiesta.  Who knew you’d see grown men with tails acting official but hamming it up with the crowd all the while!

No one, however, commanded any more attention than this guy — Steve Stucker, C0-host and Weatherman for KOB Eyewitness News 4 Today.  Even at 4:30 AM, Stucker smiled, pinched babies’ cheeks, greeted the crowd standing around him, and then delivered the news onsite just as he does all nine days of Balloon Fiesta.  When we weren’t watching this always smiling man, we were staring at the buttons he’s collected over the years of attending balloon events.  An article on KOB 4’s site says, “Steve jokes that he is the Most Photographed Human at Balloon Fiesta.”

KOB New 4 Anchor and Weatherman — Steve Stucker, the Most Photographed Human at Balloon Fiesta

So, if you like people watching along with balloon watching, you need to book a trip to Albuquerque during Balloon Fiesta.  You’ll be smiling right along with ’em!

For more information:

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta: balloonfiesta.com 

Balloon Fiesta Photo Contest: http://www.balloonfiesta.com/event-info/photo-contest

We’re up!

Far be it from us to pretend to be experts on what makes a successful balloon launch.  But as we said in our first post in this series, Best advice for Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta, with just a plain ol’ general admission ticket (prices here) you can stand on the launch field and watch crews fire up the big ones right before your very own eyes.

Crew power!!!

We never observed the process from start to finish.  Since it was our first experience at Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, we had a hard time focusing: “Look here.  No, here.  Wait, there goes another one.  OMG!  They’ve almost got that orange one up.”  And so, we flitted — running even — to watch another and then another and another.

A crowded launch field as spectators move in to watch balloons lift off at the Special Shapes Rodeo.

Basically, though, launches go a little like this.  You spread out the balloon on top of a tarp on top of the field. Then you (and your best friends, family, and whoever else you can conscript) tilt the basket on its side while holding the strings attached to the balloon.

Initially, you get the balloon straightened out and hold the strings attached to the balloon.

You send up flames to heat the air and inflate the balloon — holding on, tugging, straightening.

Then you (well, some folks at least) check for tears, infirmities, places of stress, etc.

Checking the interior — one more time!

Add air. Hold on tight.

And then you get ready for the big upturn as the hot air balloon rises, positioning the basket upright, while the crew hangs on.

When the riders climb in, they give a signal that it’s time to launch.

Waving to the crowd and crew at Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta.

And the crowd yells.  You, however, just stand there in awe of the magic of lift-off in the early morning air!

The crowd cheers on the Wells Fargo balloon as it nears lift-off!

Because basically that’s what we love to see — the up, up, and away part — as balloons float through the New Mexico skies to who knows where.  And you can’t take pictures fast enough!

Into the sky — at Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta

For more information:

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta: balloonfiesta.com

Guest Guide 2015

Lining up for the Big Show — in miniature — at Tibbals Learning Center at The Ringling, Sarasota, Florida

It’s not often you get to see a lifetime project laid out as meticulously as this, but when you go to the Tibbals Learning Center at The Ringling to stare at the tiny circus — figures, tents, animals, wagons, and more — you become enthralled with the lifetime labor of love of Howard Tibbals.  Housed on The Ringling campus in Sarasota, Florida, the million-piece miniature Howard Bros. Circus Model that Tibbals began crafting in his teens is ready to take you back to simpler times, the years from 1919 to 1938 when the biggest thing to hit small town America was the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Extraordinarily, Tibbals (now in his seventies) created almost all the miniatures himself, fashioned after the old-timey circuses he watched as a kid.  Today, it’s on exhibit daily for “children of all ages.”

Using the scale of 3/4 inch to one foot, Howard Tibbals fashioned animal cages, train cars, people and tents for his miniature circus. Looking at the back side, you can see the behind-the-scenes action in miniature.

The former owner of Tibbals Flooring Center in Oneida, Tennessee, Howard Tibbals financed the development and set-up of this remarkable miniature circus, including a $6.5 million donation for the current installation on the grounds of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.  But when he asked if he could use the Ringling name for his miniature version, he was turned down.  No problem, though.  He just named it Howard Bros. Circus.  

An elephant peeks out the door of a yellow train car belonging to Howard Bros. Circus.

And what a circus it is! The stats alone tell a story of determination and stick-to-itiveness:  over 500 circus animals, 1500 performers, 152 wagons, and enough chairs and dishes to seat and serve over 900 people.  (Source: Florida State University website.)

Just sittin’ a spell before the show starts — Howard Bros. Circus at The Ringling

A sign at the exhibit offered an insight into what a production it was just keeping the workers fed:  “Typical day’s order: 30 gallons of milk, 226 dozen eggs, 285 pounds of butter, 2,220 loaves of bread, 2,470 pounds of meat, 200 pounds of tea and coffee, and 50 bushels of potatoes.”

Feeding the workers: Howard Bros. Circus.

Since we’re from Knoxville, we were surprised to see so many familiar buildings from our city used as backdrops in the first part of the exhibit.  But we shouldn’t have been — after all, Howard Bros. Circus debuted at the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville.  The new, more permanent, even larger, glassed-in exhibit at The Ringling measures 1.5 times the size of a football field!

Knoxville warehouse district forms the backdrop for the entrance exhibit to the Howard Bros. Circus at The Ringling.

As you walk the perimeter of the circus (and it’s a long perimeter), you get a feel for every aspect — and Tibbals’ keen eye for what humans do.

1.  Behind-the-scenes work — transporting the animals, setting up tents, hiring workers, and feeding the people who make it all happen.

Workers in action moving crates of produce to feed those who make Howard Bros. Circus come to life.

2.  Here comes the parade! — animals and performers prepping townspeople for what’s to come under The Big Top.

The parade is where you get to know the performers before you see them under The Big Top. And oh, what a show it is!!!

3.  Selling the circus — ticket sales, concessions, programs, and seats.

Popcorn anyone?

Get yer Frozen Delight before the show starts, ladies and gentlemen!

Tall Man? Tiny Man?Bearded Lady? Well, step right up!

4.  Performers — trapeze artists flying through the air with the greatest of ease, lion tamers,  horseback riders, and stars taking center stage in spangly suits.

And, now, ladies and gentlemen, may I direct your attention to the flying trapeze?

5.  Animals — always charming the crowd.

The king of beasts!

6.  Clowns — making us laugh even when in miniature!

In Tibbals’ own words, it’s a “magical world over 50 years in the making.”  And even now at our age, we’re fascinated beyond belief.  Save time to look closely and longingly.  You, too, will feel like a kid again.

Under The Big Top at Howard Bros. Circus at The Ringling

Tiny is big, if you’re looking closely at the wondrous Howard Bros. Circus.

Working hard for Howard Bros.

For more information:

Tibbals Learning Center at The Ringling; 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, FL 34243; www.ringling.org/circus

References:

Cox, Billy. “Howard Tibbals and the huge miniature circus.” Herald Tribune (January 19, 2012). Retrieved from http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120119/ARTICLE/120119467

“Miniature circus finds home at FSU’s Ringling Museum.” Retrieved from https://fsu.edu/news/2005/07/21/miniature.circus/

Boomer Travel note: The Tibbals Learning Center is easily accessible for all with ramps leading around the circus.  There is ample parking at The Ringling and golf cart transportation is available for those who need assistance getting around the complex.

Sharing this post with Monday Escapes on February 29, 2016.  Join us!

Entrance to Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

If you’ve ever wanted to tap into your inner astronaut, strap on a jet pack and head to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex near Orlando in Central Florida.  There’s nothing second-rate about this hands-on (and sometimes full-body) experience with big-time, big- size exhibits and right-there-with-you 3D movies.  Float with an astronaut, experience weightlessness, or stand in awe as you count down to lift-off. To say the least, it’s a blast!

Start with a Tour!

Good advice from the ticket-taker-upper:  Do the tour first.  Ride in air-conditioned comfort, look out your window at launch pads and construction sites, and listen as a down-to-earth expert tells you what happened where.  No need to be a rocket scientist to understand — it’s all in plain English, and right-on for history buffs (like us) who remember names like John Glenn, Gus Grissom, and Walter Schirra as well as the nail-biting Apollo experiences.

Get the experience!

No matter what you choose, you’ll wish you had more time.  Go early so you can stand close, really close, to Space Shuttle Atlantis.  Or get in line for a Shuttle Launch Experience — you can feel weightlessness and hear sounds of lift-off (and/or the person next to you screaming in real time!)

It’s all part of the Atlantis experience that begins with a jaw-dropping reveal of the full-size shuttle suspended from the rafters and spanning two floors.

Bert takes control at the Atlantis exhibit

Other experiences available at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex:

• IMAX Theatre with images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope
• Lunch with an astronaut and photo session, too
• Journey to Mars: Explorers Wanted with multimedia experiences, giant simulators, and talk of our next space frontier: Mars.  Really.

On exhibit at Space Shuttle Atlantis

With all that touring, you’ll want to take time for lunch at Apollo/Saturn V Center where you can stand and gaze upward at the mechanics of space travel by looking at the featured 363-foot moon rocket.

Food court and exhibit space: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Or wander around to check out artifacts like space suits that have evolved over time for better protection and greater ease for travel. Or parts of rockets left open for inspection — and awesome gazing.

Look up!

Whether you’re wandering through the Rocket Garden or passing by the entrance to Space Shuttle Atlantis, you may need to stand clear and stretch your neck back to get a picture. Historic rockets on display will leave you gaping and snapping pictures — even if it’s only a nose cone shot you can fit into your iPhone!

Rocket Garden: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Our only mistake in visiting Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex was not arriving early.  We had no idea there was so much to see and do — from 3D movies to bus tours to well-documented exhibits.  So come early.  Stay late.  You’ll want to do it all.

Get ready to explore at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Website — General Information: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/information.aspx

Hours of operation:  Open year-round, seven days a week beginning at 9:00 AM; closing time varies by season.  https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/information/hours-of-operation.aspx

Boomer Travel*

We found Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to be very accommodating regardless of your age or physical abilities.  (Click here for ADA Services.)

• Excellent balance of outdoor and indoor exhibits
• Air-conditioned buses, exhibit halls, and 3D movie viewing rooms
• Sidewalk accessibility throughout the complex
• Shuttle from parking lot
• Several rest areas, benches, and cafes available for breaks

Note:  With numerous, informative exhibits, allow plenty of time for the day or schedule two days.  Times of heavy visitation will, of course, increase wait time and processing time for crowds. Also, be prepared to walk — the complex is huge — and stand, especially in the 3D theatres where seating is limited.

*Boomer Travel is a feature of Oh, the Places We See that adds additional information to enhance your visit to a travel site.  We’re mindful of your needs, since we’re Boomers, too!

Bert and Rusha Sams

Were the 60s ever this colorful? Great little VW bus quilt at Gina’s Bernina, Knoxville.

A quilting Shop Hop, I’ve come to discover, not only acquaints you with the latest fabrics, cutting tools, and ways to form blocks, it just by golly grabs you.  After visiting six shops from Jonesborough to Crossville, I couldn’t wait to take on the last six in Sevierville/Gatlinburg area in this well-organized, eye-opening East Tennessee Shop Hop.

Pieced flag quilt — Machine Quiltin’ by Iva, Sevierville

And it’s a good thing we shoppers had from June 4th to 13, 2015, to see all 12 shops.  It takes a while when you’re careening around bends and curves on the back hollow roads just to get to ’em.  It’s amazing what you’ll do to earn a free fat quarter and a stamp on a Passport card!  Here’s a snapshot of what the last six shops had in store.

Holloway’s Country Home Custom Handmade Quilts

(3892 Cosby Hwy., Cosby; hollowaysquilts.com; Facebook: hollowaysquilts)

In what may have been the prettiest setting of all, Holloway’s sets up shop in a log cabin in rural Cosby — and who wouldn’t want to sit and stitch on this porch?  Filled with bolts of country colors, finished quilts hanging from the rafters, and even socks for quilters, the ladies at Holloway’s demonstrated how to make a tiny, wearable pieced pin and directed me to the printed sayings you can purchase to make any quilt special.

Porch at Holloway’s Country Home with covered bridge quilt hanging on the wall.

Mountain Stitches by Susan

(601 Glades Road, #13, Gatlinburg, TN 37738; moutainstitchesbysusan.com)

It was Susan’s husband who greeted me, and that’s when I realized this shop is a family affair.  When I looked up after receiving my free pattern, a fascinating off-set variation of the traditional log cabin pattern using the Shop Hop barn caught my eye. Susan directed me to two rooms filled with tasteful, heritage fabrics that she identified as patterns developed during the Civil War.  Mountain Stitches, tucked away in a spot you’d hardly know is part of busy Gatlinburg, is one shop I’d come back to just for Susan’s eye for combining fabrics.

Off-set Log Cabin pattern with barn quilt picture: Mountain Stitches by Susan, Gatlinburg, TN

Red Barn Custom Quilts

(628 Dolly Parton Parkway, Sevierville; redbarncustomquilts.com)

If you like the convenience of kits, head to Red Barn where finished models (and available kits to make your own) await.  Filled with fabrics for all sorts of projects (holiday, traditional, modern, etc.), Red Barn offers a variety patterns and honest-to-goodness advice.  Along with my free fat quarter, for example, I was handed a Scrap Sack Pattern using just what I had in hand.

One of the prettiest models along the East Tennessee Shop Hop — Red Barn Custom Quilts

The Cherry Pit

(115 Bruce Street, Sevierville; quiltingatthecherrypit.com)

On a quiet side street in busy Sevierville, the staff of this artfully arranged and filled-to-the-brim shop welcomed me in immediately with a demonstration for a pieced table topper.  It wasn’t long, though, that I spotted completed models throughout the store arranged in vignettes where coordinated materials were available for shoppers to make their own. One highlight:  each visitor received a variation of the Cherry Pit’s Shop Hop barn quilt pattern with several appliques (silo, Christmas tree, pumpkin, etc.) that could be applied on top. What a great idea!

This applique variation using a silo and wagon was one of the free patterns distributed by The Cherry Pit, Sevierville, TN

Machine Quiltin’ by Iva

(1020 Old Knoxville Hwy., Sevierville; ivasquilts@bellsouth.net)

With a drawing contest jar and prize baskets filled to the brim right on the front porch, Machine Quiltin’ by Iva drew guests in immediately.  Known for an extensive collection of quilted wearables and totes, this shop has perhaps the largest supply of batik fabrics of the Shop Hop bunch.  Rooms filled with collections from such suppliers as Thimbleberries invited quilters to see (and buy) the latest fabrics for their projects. And, as their name implies, you can have your quilt tops machine quilted by Iva!

Cute, wearable quilted jacket at Machine Quiltin’ by Iva

Gina’s Bernina Sewing Center

(10816 Kingston Pike, Knoxville; ginasbernina.com)

Just as the name implies, Gina’s is THE source for fine Bernina sewing machines. But much more awaits — full displays of children’s patterns and fabrics, little projects like pillowcases, quilting books and supplies, and, my favorite, colorful new fabrics from the Kaffe Fassett collection.  Just days before the Shop Hop, Gina’s staff put the finishing touches on an artsy quilt with wool embellishments.  Classes, helpful staff, and ideas for new projects — this is a one-stop shopping experience for the novice or experienced quilter.

Quilt with wool embellishments: Gina’s Bernina Sewing Center, Knoxville

After turning in my card complete with all 12 stamps, I took my freebies and purchases home.  Of course, I wonder what I’ll start next.

Quilter socks at Holloway’s Country Home, Cosby, TN

Just one more thing:  I was overwhelmed from the start at the work of the shop owners and staff to prepare for an event of this magnitude.  From the decision to use pictures of East Tennessee barns adorned with quilt patterns as a theme came a coordinated effort to place a finished quilt in each shop, to offer quilt blocks to customers, and to spiff up displays and models throughout each store.  And some shop owners took the theme further, creating additional quilts and wall hangings unique to their store.  As Julia Ranney at Little Blessings in Crossville told me, “I stayed up ’til 3 AM several nights to get it all done.”  And I suspect most shop owners did the same.  But it all adds up to an event worth seeing — and appreciating.

Jane demonstrates how to make a pieced table topper at The Cherry Pit, Sevierville, TN

If you want to go next year . . .

• Put these dates on your calendar: June 2 – 11, 2016.
• Mark off about three days to see it all, drive it all.
• Plan a stay in beautiful East Tennessee using tnvacation.com or TripAdvisor.

Hope you’ve enjoyed your virtual tour.  And if you’re a quilter, let me know.  Better yet, show me something you’ve made!  Love looking — whether I ever get around to quilting something myself or not!

Rusha Sams

To read Eye candy for quilters: East Tennessee Shop Hop 2013, Part I, click here.

Great take-off on Grant Wood’s American Gothic in this quilt at Little Blessings Quilt Shop in Crossville, TN. No pitch fork here. Just a rotary cutter!

A simple love of fabrics would have been enough to entice you join the East Tennessee Shop Hop for quilting enthusiasts.  But even if you were a novice as I am, you’d find much more to love — and learn.

You begin by picking up a bright orange card with names and locations of 12 quilt shops in the East Tennessee area.  If your card gets stamped at each shop, you’re eligible for prizes — like gift certificates or baskets filled with quilting gear.  But even if you didn’t get to all 12, the bonuses are great.  Shops spiffed up their displays with the latest, greatest patterns and fabrics and demo’ed new techniques while we watched. Not only that, you could walk away with a free fat quarter, block pattern, or both!

Bionic Bag made in class on Sunday at MidSouth Sewing & Fabrics, Knoxville, TN.

This year’s theme — East Tennessee Barn Quilts — featured 12 different barns in the East Tennessee area each with mammoth quilt patterns painted on the sides.  By transferring pictures of the barns into signature blue-themed fabric, each shop could then make a quilt using the 12 squares in various ways.  Kits containing the shop’s designated barn photo and enough fabric for a square sold for $5.00.

As a novice quilter (This is what happens when your Mom dies, and you inherit sewing machine, fabric, cutting boards, etc.), I was looking for inspiration — and here it was right here in East Tennessee.  The first six shops got me started in style.

Tennessee Quilts

(114 Boone St., Jonesborough; tennesseequilts.com)

Located in historic Jonesborough, Tennessee Quilts stocks over 8,000 bolts of fabric.  Especially appealing: the newest colorful fabrics by designer Kaffe Fassett and shop-made samples using patterns by Judy Niemeyer.  Classes on how to make a poof looked quite interesting, especially after seeing how helpful the staff was during the Shop Hop demo.

Demonstrating new techniques at Tennessee Quilts. Poof is in lower left-hand corner.

Sewing Bee

(107 E. Jackson Blvd., Jonesborough)

How can a small town like Jonesborough support two quilting shops?  They each have specialties.  Sewing Bee has the largest supply of flannel in the area as well as some of the latest gadgets for quilting and sewing. Not to mention some of the friendliest staff anywhere. The colorful, happy quilts on display looked perfect for children’s rooms or anywhere you need a perk-me-up.

Colorful “under the sea” quilt at Sewing Bee

MidSouth Sewing & Fabric

(7240 Kingston Pike, Suite 108, Knoxville; mbsew.com)

Folks in Middle Tennessee may know the MidSouth shop in Murfreesboro, but the Knoxville one is stocked, too — several lines of sewing and embroidery machines, accessories, and fabric. Ever need to take a quilt class on Sunday?  Well, sometimes at MidSouth you can! Just check the listings online.  And while you’re there, look under Tips & Tricks for lots of how-to’s. The owner, Karen, demonstrated how to make wings using a Quilter’s Magic Wand.  (Of course, I had to have one!)

This large room dedicated to classes was filled — even on a Sunday!

Little Blessings Quilt Shop

(4351 Hwy. 127 N., Crossville; littleblessings.net)

Owner Julia Ranney, whose farming background inspired the basis of the American Gothic take-off featured on their version of the Shop Hop quilt, demonstrated how to assemble the flying geese variation border.  Little Blessings, housed in a spacious building with areas dedicated to different types of fabrics, offers long-arm quilting and plenty of classes, fabrics, and notions to make quilting fun and ever-interesting. Plus, you’ll just love Julia’s enthusiasm!

Julia Ranney shows her shop’s version of the East TN barn quilt with the flying geese variation border. Little Blessings, Crossville, TN

Loose Threads

(1211 S. Roane St., Harriman; loosethreadsquiltshop.com)

Loose Threads offered something many budding quilters need — 5-yard bundles of fabrics ready for those of us who want to quilt but can’t put colors together!  For the Shop Hop, Keith (owner Elaine Lindsay’s husband) demonstrated a Curvy Log Cabin pattern and then offered patrons a game to determine which prize they’d take home.  A full-service shop open since 2003, Loose Threads has plenty of fabric, notions, and accessories for quilting fun.

Five-yard bundles line the shelves at Loose Threads in Harriman, TN

Pappy’s Quilting Place

(3426 Sevierville Rd., Maryville; pappysquilting.com)

Shelby Edwards, owner of Pappy’s Quilting Place, takes pride in the variety of fabrics offered (love the new Woolly Charms), designer books by Cindy Blackberg and others, and her “like-family” employees you can read about on this best-of-the-bunch website.  We lined up to get the barn quilt pattern tucked into a most useful zippered plastic tote!

Demonstrating a stamping technique guaranteed to measure 1/4″ seams correctly! Pappy’s Quilting Place, Maryville, TN

What took us two days to see might only take dedicated hard-driving quilt enthusiasts one day, but it was worth it.  Lots of ideas from talented, helpful employees selling the finest in fabrics, books, machines, and notions.  Watch for our next post on six other great shops mostly in the Gatlinburg and Sevierville area.

And be forewarned:  if you go to one of these Shop Hops, you just might get bitten by the quilting bug!

Disclaimer:  This post was written mostly by Rusha Sams.  (Bert made it to historic Jonesborough ’cause he loves to look at old homes and historic markers and eat at Main Street Cafe! But hey — I’m good with that.  He doesn’t know how much I spent at the other shops!!!)