Quilt market is THE trade show for the quilting fabric industry (and by quilting fabric, I mean high quality cottons, etc. used for many many awesome things), and we always get a little giddy when it’s market time.  Market is held twice a year, each fall in Houston and in a different location each spring.  This time we are in PIttsburgh, and just 1 1/2 hours from Falling Water which I really wanted to visit (I am a huge Frank Lloyd Wright fan) but it was closed on our only free day. Argh.  But Amish country is only 2 hours away, which turned out to be a satisfying second choice.

First we visited Pittsburgh shop The Quilt Company, home of Karen Montgomery, a designer for Timeless Treasures, where as usual, husbands wait outside.

Then we headed west into Ohio towards Amish country. Google Maps on my iPhone told me to turn onto some tiny little road, winding past lovely large Amish farm homes, and some less large but also lovely old structures.

I worried that we were getting lost, but alas we came upon Charm, Ohio, home of Miller’s Dry Goods.

Several young Amish (or Mennanite?) girls ran the shop.  I tried to decipher their Pennsylvania Dutch but I don’t think it’s actually anything like German. Actually, it’s not like my German is that good anyway.  Miller’s Dry Goods possibly had more bolts than I’ve ever seen in one store. This photo is just one little corner.

Ohio was beautiful and picturesque, so much so that I almost thought this little bridge should have been a miniature at the storybook boats at Disneyland.

We took many shots from inside the car window that didn’t turn out fabulous, but here’s proof of the Amish. I thought they were just charming.

We stopped at the Guggisberg gift shop for some delish cheeses and the Disneyland allusions continued with a miniature Matterhorn! I would recognize it as a Swiss allusion if I’d been to Switzerland but–oh wait, I have. Disneyland is just my point of reference in this world, I guess.

Maybe I’m just easily thrilled, but I loved this brick factory we passed, near (ish) New Philadelphia. The rain made it even better–driving in the rain is so peaceful, but it made for sloppier photos thru the windows.

With brick kilns (right?) even!

And finally, from Ohio to West Virginia, to Pennsylvania, just in time to rest up for the big day ahead.

Stay tuned for more Market adventures!

Tags: amish, ohio, pittsburgh, road trip, timeless treasures

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 11:39 pm and is filed under international quilt market, travels. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.