Paducah Postcard

The fabric postcard, above, arrived in my stack of mail this weekend! I always find it totally amazing that a little "quilt" can go through the mail system, get a postmark, arrive at my home all in one piece. Love these, and hope to try making one myself one of these days.

This one is from Ruth Ohol, who was in my "The Adventure Continues" class in Paducah a week ago, at the National Quilt Museum. I admit I probably whined a bit about the seemingly endless drive to get there from Wisconsin. What used to be 7 hours was 10.

Illinois was one long highway headed south with road construction most of the way. My new Buick wanted to go fast and be nimble and fabulous out on the road, but no, we had to obey the rules and drive a modest 45 mph most of the way. I had a permanent bend in my body when I finally pried myself out of the car when I arrived in Paducah.

Ruth guessed at the mileage but it is an exact 500 miles for me from house to museum. A long drive, but one I usually enjoy, floating along at 80 and listening to music. Going home wasn't bad, some construction delays, but much faster. And going to Paducah is worth it, a terrific town, any time of the year.

By the way, if you haven't been to Sandra Leichner's blog to read about her "take" on the puff situation, machine quilting and applique, it is worth your time. Her work is beautiful, and she enhances her meticulous handwork with beautiful machine quilting to get a miracle marriage between hand and machine. www.sandraleichner.com/wordpress

Oh, the road in the postcard is very accurate - the real highway is a straight line, due south. In southern IL it gets so beautiful, hills and forests and lovely vignettes of rural farms, horses, rolling hills.

Hope all of you have some highway adventures in August and enjoy the last of summer. The smell of autumn was in the air today, insects humming, ground fog in the hollows. Soon it will be back to school, and for me I hope some back to quilting.

Keep quilting!
Diane