Portland August 2014
Quilts Inc. decided to hold a new show in Portland, called Quilt, Knit, Stitch, so we decided to take a group to see the show. This was a shorter Quilting Adventure, only four days, but we managed to fit a lot in during that time!
After flying into Portland, our first stop was Hollyhill Quilt Shoppe & Mercantile in West Linn. This shop was recommended by one of our travelers and we really enjoyed this store. It was beautifully decorated showcasing the latest fabrics. It was a big hit with our travelers. Next was the Pine Needles Quilt Shop in Lake Oswego. The Pine Needle is a past Better Homes & Gardens' Quilt Sampler Top Ten Shop. This shop has fabrics that appealed to both traditional quilters and modern quilters! Our last stop of the day was the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store. After admiring the gorgeous wool fabrics, we headed to our hotel, the Doubletree Hotel at the Convention Center where everyone was free to enjoy the local restaurants in the area.
We spent Friday in Salem, the capital of Oregon. Our first stop was the Oregon State Capital where we had a docent guided tour of the capital building and legislative chambers. Then we visited the Willamette Heritage Center. The five-acre campus is home to fourteen historic structures that present the stories and richness of Oregon's past. We had a docent guided tour of the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. Our next stop was Greenbaum’s Quilted Forest in downtown Salem. After lunch we toured the Bush House Museum in the style of Victorian Italianate. The barn was turned into the Salem Art Association’s Galleries with some spectacular pieces of art. Our last stop was Ponzi Winery where we tasted some of the wonderful wines grown and produced in the Willamette Valley while enjoying the gorgeous views.
On Saturday everyone was on their own to enjoy the art show which was just a couple of blocks from the museum. For dinner, everyone jumped on the light rail and traveled to Jake’s Grillin downtown Portland for dinner. After dinner, some of the ladies visited the famous and wonderful Powell’s City of Books that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books.
On Sunday morning we visited the stunning and unexpected Lan Su Chinese Garden in downtown Portland. Although it is contained in only one city block, once you enter the walled garden, you are transported to a faraway place. Lan Su is a window into Chinese culture, history and way of thinking. Filled with garden rooms, it is the most authentic Chinese garden outside of China. After reluctantly leaving the garden, we had time for one last stop at Pioneer Quilts in Happy Valleybefore heading to the airport.
A short four days, but they were filled with beauty and friendship. Another great TQ adventure.