If you run a small crafty biz, do you need to renew your business license by midnight tonight? Check. Reminder: the deadline is also tonight for any purchases you plan to write off in 2024.
If you participate in free monthly QALs, have you downloaded all the blocks and finishing instructions before they go *poof* at midnight and convert to a paid pattern in January? Check.
If you are joining a virtual quilting event on New Year’s Day (like the one offered by Stitchin’ Heaven), have you pulled your fabrics, tidied up your sewing space and assembled your favorite snacks? If you are sewing in person at your LQS or with friends, have you packed everything you’ll need for tomorrow’s shenanigans?
Now’s also a good time to check your sewing supplies and/or see if there are any fabrics you need to purchase for upcoming projects as the big box craft stores run big EOY and New Year’s Day sales. You may also want to check any sales at your local LQS, too. Need needles, thread and interfacing?Joann has them (and fabric) on sale.* Need fabric or Fiskars products?Hobby Lobby has them 40% off.
*Tip: be sure to print off the Joann web-based coupons before heading to the store. You can often use them along with any coupons in the Joann app.
Today, I received an email about a 2026 quilt tour of America’s Heartland to include stops at Missouri Star, the International Quilt Study Center, Iowa Quilt Museum and the Dignity statue in South Dakota. A quilt shop hop plus museums and other stuff along the way is included. There’s also an optional 3 day retreat at Missouri Star hosted by the tour guide along with the quilting instructor. Cost: $3,495.00 per person double occupancy. The fine print shows that airfare, many meals, all beverages, and gratuities are not included in the fee. You’ll also want money for shop hopping along the route, as well! The retreat at the end is $700.00. If you decide to do everything, you’re probably looking at a $5,000.00 + for the entire trip.
All of the attractions listed on this tour are definitely worth a visit. That said, I’d rather spend $5000.00 on international travel rather than domestic. Why? Simply because I can DIY my own version of a published domestic tour for a lot less money. My sister-in-law and I did Missouri Star, Missouri Quilt Museum, an Amish community, Winterset Iowa (Iowa Quilt Museum and explore local town for a couple of hours), quilt show in Omaha, International Quilt Museum and fair amount of shop hopping over 5 days and 4 nights. Airfare for both of us, hotel and car rental totaled about $1750.00. I probably spent another $500.00 on food, gas and quilty goodness. My sister-in-law spent that much on quilty souvenirs alone! Notice that total expenses for both of us for a similar trip were less than the land only portion for one person in the America’s Heartland trip.
For the amount of money saved by going DIY versus the tour price, I could easily take 1-2 additional trips. If money’s tight and you really like the itinerary, there are ways to reduce costs even more. Get creative. Drive instead of fly. Take a cooler with snacks & drinks. Stay outside major areas where accommodations tend to be less expensive. Utilize every coupon and discount code you can find. Cash in those reward points and airline miles you’ve been hoarding.
Collect tour brochures for all the destinations that interest you. Make a list of the museums, attractions and quilt shops that look interesting. Spend a little time visiting websites to do some research. It’s free and entertaining. If the destination is less than four hours away by car, can you drive and see the same sights over a long weekend rather than taking a 7 day tour by bus? There are currently quilting tours available for Gee’s Bend, Charleston SC and coastal GA, plus the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and NC. Prices listed for each tour are just under $2900.00 per person double occupancy for the land portion only. Depending on traffic, all of these places are less than a 5 hour drive from Atlanta. I could easily DIY all 3 tours for less than the cost of a single trip with the tour company.
My point is – use tour brochures to fuel your quilty travel dreams. Remember, there are DIY options available to help make those quilty travel dreams a possibility – even in today’s inflationary, tight times.
It’s been a quiet December. A number of local holiday gatherings have conflicted with family plans and therapy dog activities this year. The one event I could attend was lunch with my Friday Sew Squad. Unfortunately, I had to pass on this one because I had the upper respiratory ick that’s currently making the rounds. Ditto for the neighborhood holiday gathering that was rescheduled due to weather.
When not sleeping, I read and made HSTs for the Bonnie Hunter Winter Mystery Quilt. My chosen color way is blue (Bonnie used red), aqua/teal and green (Bonnie used coral) with an assortment of white and cream fabrics. As with the FG for Week 1, I had to rework the instructions to incorporate my green charm squares. The HSTs are done and I’m happy to say all the miscellaneous green charm squares in my stash were used up in the HSTs.
Half square triangles for Bonnie Hunter Old Town mystery quilt.
After four days, I felt human again. My final Monday enrichment class was yesterday. Sadie and I made our last therapy dog visit for 2024 today. One of my private sewing students completed her craft apron. The finished project is absolutely adorable; however, the project’s poorly written directions made it a true pain the posterior to make. I’ll modify the instructions with our methods for her to follow as she wants to make aprons for her crafty homeschool friends.
Student modeling her craft apron.
All the family gatherings happen between now and next Monday. This means I’m really looking look forward to a quiet Christmas at home! I plan to make good use of the three week break before 2025 therapy dog visits resume and classes at the SQTM begin.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. See you in 2025!
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