Thanks for the link My3Dogs! Looks like a great site and I will have to figure out what chairs I want to re-upholster so I can check their fabrics. I was looking for a specific Waverly fabric for my kitchen valances but they did not carry it there. I did find it though at FabricGuru.com for $6.95/yd plus they only charge $4.99 for shipping no matter how much you order. Its nice to know there are places to buy fabrics at a reasonable cost. I'm thinking about pulling out my 37 year old sewing machine and trying my hand at the valances. I bought enough fabric though that I can always turn it over to a professional if I really mess up! The fabric I ordered is Waverly's Rutherford Hill Merlot. I think it will pull together my colors in my kitchen and keep with the "Tuscan" look I am going for. Here is a link to my kitchen. I have saffron gold walls with Currant Jam (Burgundy) accents around the windows, butler pantry and in the powder room, plus my kitchen chairs have sage green seats and my adjoining sunroom is painted in light greens. Here is a link that might be useful: My Kitchen

I'm pretty sure this is Hancocks of Paducah, not the Hancocks fabric chain store. I'm refusing to be tempted by this post, I will not even look...I hope. Sue

Kelly, I have been having so much fun with all the charms that I haven't figured out what to do with them yet! Right now they look great on my charm necklace! As far as strategy tips: 1. Take a notebook and write a little bit about each shop - they start to blur after a while. Some will specialize in one fabric over another, have nice staff, smell nice (yes, there was one that smelled so wonderful and I remember it from before that I made sure my friend and I went there yesterday!) Ask questions: "What do you specialize in"? Get a class schedule - they may have a weekend class worth driving out for. 2. Take a list of what you need for upcoming projects, swaps etc. Cross it off as you buy stuff. 3. Also, if you see something at a shop that you haven't seen before (and you want) BUY IT!! It may not ever be at any other store again (or at that store when you go back). This is true for the 1st shop on your "hop." I bought less in the beginning and the first store I went to had a lot of great stuff that I probably would spend more time and buy more -- and it's the one that's 2+ hours away from me in the desert. 4. Bring healthy snacks, carrot sticks, apple slices (you can buy the pre-cut packaged ones). Most shops on the run had CANDY or popcorn or other tasty but unhealthy treats. Most also have bottled water, but bring a beverage in the car. 5. Along this line of thinking, if you are trying to go to all the shops in a day, bring along a sandwich or bagged lunch. Restaurants can take too long and you're going to want to spend your time in a shop not waiting for service. 6. Don't drive and eat - you do have enough time to take 5-10 minutes to eat in the car, on a bench outside a quilt shop, etc. I had a few stupid moments (trying to eat jello in the car with a fork!) that could have been avoided. 7. Use the bathroom at the quilt shop. Or if you're between quilt shops, McDonalds is always a clean bathrrom option. One of my friends Mapquests McDonalds along her route in case she needs to go to the bathroom. 8. Figure out your map ahead of time and which stores are closest together. Our Quilt Run has a good map with directions but I also did Yahoo maps. Sometimes one was better than the other. 9. Have fun! I went alone in the beginning and that was fun, and I went with a friend one day and that was fun too. --Amy

Wecome back, Rosa! I have missed your posts - and you need to plan on coming to Camp again! That is a lovely kit - but I agree with Linda - lots of little pieces. It will be beautiful when you finish. Check out the Block Lotto for 2015 - we would love to have you back there too! Sue