Trip to Lancaster

W and I spent part of yesterday and today in Lancaster, PA. We drove first to Burkholders in Denver, PA. It was definitely worth the stop; it was by far the largest shop we were in. We spent so much time there (and bought so much neat fabric), we skipped Sauders completely and went directly to lunch at Union Barrel Works in Reamstown. Then on to the AQS quilt show in the Lancaster convention center. It was a nice show but not sure I would go again. It is much less convenient than when it was outside of town on Route 30. After the show we stopped in at the Spring Blossom Festival, the collection of vendors in the Continental Inn across the street from where the show used to be. The prices at both the show and the vendors were comparable to NJ prices - not the cheaper Lancaster area prices. So we were happy we started at Burkholders. At this point we were beat and happy to head to Creekside Inn, the B&B in Paradise where I had stayed before.

This morning we drove to Intercourse for more fabric shopping. At the suggestion of the B&B hostess we stopped at the new shop Bitty Kinna's, run by a previous owner of Burkholders. It was a nice but smallish shop and I didn't find anything to buy. Then on to the Old Country Store, which was very nice and where I again bought lots. They had some great sales on batiks. Lastly we went to Zooks, even though by then I had exhausted my extensive list of things to buy. I was disappointed that it was not nearly as large as I had remembered and just didn't seem that interesting, possibly partly because I was about shopped out at that point, which I didn't think was possible. For one thing, they didn't have many batiks, whereas the Old Country Store had lots.

I decided at some point in the trip that the next time I went to the Lancaster area for quilt fabric, I would go some time other than the quilt show, so the stores would not be as crowded. That started a discussion of whether it really was cost-effective, given the price of gas. I figure I bought about 35 yards of fabric! (that includes backing for 3 large quilts). The savings of about $3 a yard easily paid for the gas. So I guess that means I'm allowed to go again - after I use up all the fabric I got this time. That could take a while.

So it was a great outing. And of course a trip to that part of the world is not complete without a view of an Amish horse and buggy.