Deep in the heart of San Antonio
El Mercado, San Antonio
Any vacation, for a fiber-holic, must include a sojourn to a local craft, hobby, fabric, or yarn shop. We went to Salado, called “The Best Art Town in Texas,” which has over 60 artsy-craftsy shops filled with antiques, home decor, savory adornments, glittering jewelry, food!
Recurring themes and motifs: glitzy crosses of all sizes. Camouflage on clothing, recliners, purses, hats, cars. For women, pink camo. Duck Dynasty. Stars: most buildings have a lone star somewhere.
We sauntered through the shops with wonder and appreciation, taking in their marvelous textures and colors. When we got hot and thirsty, we simmered down with some Texas pizza and calzones, then bought a cute little cake at the Ambrosia Tea Room, to go with the pulled pork sliders D wanted to make for dinner.
raspberry lemonade layer cake
We found http://www.thesewingbasket.com/home.aspx, and I knew right away that place was going to be the new home for my Florida tourist spending money. This little quilt shop was busy! They specialize in cowboy fabrics, and also serve the sewing population around Ft. Hood, one of the world’s largest military bases. The shop was teeming with fabric eye candy; sadly their website doesn’t begin to convey the excitement and thrill that you get when immersed in the atmosphere of this awe-inspiring place. Even my DIL began to believe, with some encouragement from the staff, that she might want to come in and take a sewing class! I love it when someone feels inspired to try sewing!
Being me, I raided the remnant bin of any small bits and pieces of cowboy fabrics, anticipating DH’s delight. He loves to watch Westerns…so much that after looking at the “recents” page on Netflix, I was afraid I might have to schedule an intervention on him. I fear he’s spent more time with 1960’s images of John Wayne than with me :(.
cowboy fabrics from the remnant bin
I also snagged some fabs with military and patriotic themes. (And when I say military, I mean primarily ARMY.)
military fabs
I could kick myself with a spurred boot for not taking a picture of some of the paper-doll quilts hanging up in the back of the shop. I have never seen a photo on the internet that remotely compares with the adorable quilts and blocks I saw there. Quilt block kits were on display, and sign-ups for the classes to make them were all around. I thought vaguely that such things would be available in other places, too, but after doing a search I sadly realized that Texas must have a corner on those darling, over-the-top girly paper doll blocks: little cowgirl outfits and frilly, frothy dresses the likes of which must only be found in these parts. Sad enough that quilt shops in every locale seem to get swallowed up by the big box venues. Oh please, let the creativity go on!
A Sewing Basket had on display several bolts of Texas fabric that will be available for purchase in September. Until then, I’ll have to get busy with all this cloth festooned with boots, saddles, horses and hats and see what comes of it!
Project Remnant Redo 