The odds of a quilt being found if it is sold other than online? Not so high, sadly. They show up in lots of venues. Farmer's markets, antique shops, decorator showrooms. Private homes with a quilts for sale sign outside. Who buys quilts retail? Not usually other quilters who might read about and recognise a design. Tourists. Gift shoppers looking for an heirloom at a good price. My husband does fine embroideries. I'm talking six month projects working hours a day. He does not sell them, but sometimes donates them. I have asked him several times to enter one at our county fair. I suspect he has not because of the lack of security at places like that. Even our insurance agent was stumped on how to evaluate an object like that and suggested good photographic documentation. I've also looked into the cotton price situation because I don't like clothing made from anything but natural fibres. Thankfully I don't buy many clothes. LOL. One other reason for the price and shortage is that garment makers, seeing the cotton futures prices (and futures speculation has also contributed to the shortage) have gobbled up inventory so that they'd have stock on hand to stay in production without having to pay exhorbitant prices. If what they are saying is true, then the price should be cyclical and come back down in a year or two. But we all know how easy it is to raise pricing and how reluctant the establishment gets about lowering them until there is a glut on the market.

So true! My family loves vacationing at the Alabama Gulf Coast. Besides beautiful beaches, there are lots of other family activities, so it's easy to find something that we can all enjoy.

My family and my sister's family loved the outdoors so we camped. We started out tent camping then as we could afford it moved up to a tent trailer. I had a trailer type camper in California but my favorite was a tent trailer. You may not care for camping but if you do it's much cheaper in the long run. We belonged to a camper's club and had winter meetings in the winter. We camped for 15 years.

Wow, JTerri, that does look nice. Looks like hotel developers noticed the same thing I did ... the hotel stock in most of the Keys is a little long i n the tooth and they need some new investment. OTOH I am reluctant to choose an unopened hotel and the last time I did so it was not finished in time! Anyway, the Eau Palm is booked already for the dates I want!? And my family thinks I am crazy for planning so far in advance.Hrmmph. Now I have my heart set on something with a fun, hip PB vibe like that. Which I find more on Air BnB. I don't care so much that they won't be oceanfront (we see plenty of that already) but worry they will flake on me in high season! Funny, Bonnie Ann, I remember being in KW and being told ... its only 90 miles to Cuba and it seeming soooo exotic. ETA ... OMG, look at this listing! I thought there was a person in the family room. I would never rent this unless it was dipped in Lysol first. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/12782884?guests=8&s=EQGRvyCN