Jim's Gem

Thanks Rhonda, I got mine today. I will look for the bookmark I made last year and send you a picture. I'm just not sure where it is at the moment....

Rhonda

Yeah it is. Are you in the area or within driving distance? My aunt lives in Colona Illinois so I try to remember to say Iowa but I still forget sometimes.

Granny B

I'm born and raised in Davenport and transplanted to the east coast to VA. My husband and I made our annual visits to see family and never missed the little Mennonite quilt shop outside Kalona. I still have many pieces of fabric purchased there. It was always a thrill to see what color was on sale when we hit the shop. She told me that she did a different color every month 30% off. My husband would sit in the car and laugh that he couldn't stand to see all of us "girls" in there spending our retirement away. Sure wish more of our quilt shops had the savvy that that little lady had. They probably would have a lot more volume.

k3n

Rhonda,

I just wanted to say how much I love your tips and techniques - it's so great how you think 'outside the box' and not only that, you want to share your ideas too! You're an asset to this board, so there!!! :D

K x

Rhonda

I have two favorite shops in Kalona but I quess I've never seen the Mennonite shop. I think I have seen a sign for it but never checked it out.
Small world- we are from mt. Pleasant..My daughter is in New London they lived in Davenport for 3 years while her husband went to Palmer he now has a clinic in New London. My middle child Nathan is half owner of Woodsmall Electric and is in Winfield My youngest son is an electrician also and is in Swedesburg. We're in Salem. We spent one week out of every month in Davenport while they were there and we stayed for a couple of weeks when her first son was born premature.
I was intimidated by the road system of going up Brady and then having to come back a differant way!! My kids lived off of Rockingham road. But I eventually got used to it.

When my daughter had her second son in Genesis East I had been up for 48 hours by the time it was all over. WE took off to find the hotel we had reserved rooms in. I was so tired I could hardly see. I drove out on -what is the road you turn onto at the top of Brady? Iforget- anyway I ended up in Illinoid becaus noone told me that the street took a turn to the right and I never saw any signs! by the time I found the hotel it was 10 am and the lady told me the room wouldn't be ready until 1pm I told her if I had to wait that long I would melt on the carpet where I stood! She found us a room that was already cleaned!!

Rhonda

Thank you thank you thank you! I am blushing can you tell??? :oops: :oops:

Deara

Rhonda,
Dear sweet lady, I received your template yesterday.
It was waiting for me when I arrived home late last night.
Thank you so much.
You are such a blessing to me.
Have a wonderfully blessed day.
Deara

Granny B

The last time we were in Iowa (2000) the Mennonite Shop had changed hands and (if I remember correctly) it was a furniture shop. When she had the fabrics the name was painted on the roof and you couldn't miss it. There was so much fabric in there that two people had to walk sideways to get past each other in the aisles. And there was usually someone in the front room sitting at the quilt frame quilting. I think the store was in what was originally the "milk house." We went to a couple of other shops right in Kalona (one was mostly Debbie Mumm), but weren't as impressed and spent all my money at the little Mennonite lady's shop. Doesn't Kalona have more fabric stores per capita than any other city in the US? At least that's what they used to claim. It was a lot of fun to go there. I was born in Keota and still have favorite relations in Brighton and Washington. I believe the road you spoke of is Kimberly Rd.

Rhonda

When I started selling in Kalona they had 5 quilt shops but now they have 3. I only freguent two of them. But they are two of my favorites shops.

Yeah you're right it is Kimberly.

When I met my husband his parents lived on the farm about 9 miles north of Sigourney and 5 miles or so south of Keswick. So I know that area pretty well. My husband worked for his dad and they worked for Connor Brothers Consruction pouring concrete. They worked on the school in Keota. The Keota sign was always a landmark for me when driving up to the farm. Seeing it I would know I was getting close to Sigourney. We're about 1 hr and 20 min from the farm. My fil is gone now and mom lives in Burlington with her youngest son.

It's so funny that you know the areas so well!

Granny B

We'll see how well my memory is next year when I come back to Iowa for my 60th HS Reunion. I plan to visit all of the relatives in your area. If I don't do it then it might be too late. They're all older than I. But there will be some great memories revisited both at the reunion and with my relatives.