Linda, Sandra, and Bev's Big American Adventure of 2009. Sleeping in America Part 2

Hi Everyone,
Well, what an eventful and wonderful few days we have had since Monday.
Our visit to Zooks and Sauders did indeed add more than a few kilos of weight to our luggage.We were like kids in a lolly shop with a month's pocket money. Some great repro's added to our stashes.

29th September 2009.

We arrived in Lewisburg to find that our B&B host's had connections to the Packwood museum, 

 were in fact executors to the estate that saw 200 quits added to their collection. A quick phone call saw us being taken on a personally guided tour the next morning by the leading authority on the exhibit, Sherry Walter,

and permission to take non flash photographs for our personal use, because we had travelled so far to see the exhibit. Our 3 1/2hours there were spent in absolute rapture at the magnificent quilts we saw. According to Bev, the most outstanding quilts she has seen so far!!!!! (till TODAY that is)

A quick drive back to Lancaster saw us booked in to our B&B for the night,( yet another set of stairs to drag our overloaded suitcases up)

and then off to have dinner with an Amish family. Rebecca Ann and John and their 4 delightful children. ( No photos allowed) ( FYI my 2 eldest children are called Rebecca and John)

30th September 2009.
Wednesday saw us taking the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park, through Virginia,

to visit the Virginia Quilt Museum. A much longer and slower drive than we had anticipated, due to the beauty we saw . Imagine the looks on our face when we pulled up outside the museum to see a CLOSED sign on the door.

Well, this was not good enough, according to Bev, and off she went to knock on the door. Through some fast talking, we gained entrance and spent a happy 45 minutes enjoying their quilts, including The Standiford Star. Then off to Charlottesville for the night.

1st October 2009.
The next morning, we drove into Williamsburg, 

spending the afternoon wandering the streets, snapping many photos, and enjoying the ambiance of the late 1700's, with many colonial dressed employee's walking around. 

Late afternoon saw us visit the museum at Colonial Williamsburg, 

which has some wonderful exhibits, including a special exhibit of Star themed quilts. ( Of course Bev was dribbling AGAIN!!!) 

 This is us relaxing at the end of a long day on our feet!!!

2nd October 2009.
This morning saw us on the road at 6am, ( with my trusty new Best Friend called GPS ) for our drive to Washington D.C. to keep a 10am appointment with Doris Bowman, the Docent of the Smithsonian Textile Collection. For those who have driven in Washington, you can imagine the enjoyment of the drive, and while trying to FIND the museum, we tried to enter by the rear entrance, THE CAPITOL BUILDING,, and were helped by a wonderful policeman to go the right way up the road. Then through sheer luck, fluke, good grace, or balls,( we are still trying to figure it out) we managed to park at the rear of the Smithsonian, (usually reserved for STAFF) and entered through the Staff door. Doris came and collected us and took us to the Textile storage facility. Our 3 hours there was just magical, as drawer after drawer after drawer was opened for our VIEWING PLEASURE!!!! 

Again, non flash photography was encouraged, and let me tell you, the battery was flat by the time we left. Some quilts of note we saw were a John Hewson Broderie Perse, The Little Sister Quilt,The Martha Washington Quilt,The Rising Sun, The Copp Quilt, some stunning examples of Baltimore, The Soldiers Quilt,The Bible Quilt, many wonderful Eagle Quilts, and countless other treasures. All equally magnificent.

If you are ever in Washinton, make a booking for a behind the scenes tour. It will be SO worth it!!!



Our arms are covered in bruises as we pinch ourselves constantly to make sure we are not dreaming, and yet still wonder at the delights ahead of us. This trip has become more than we could have ever imagined. And this is only our first week!!!

Wishing you were all here!!!!

Linda and Bev, somewhere in Washington D.C.