Parks and Paths: "Old friends, Old friends, Sat on their park bench, Like bookends...Can you imagine us, Years from today, Sharing a park bench quietly?...

...Long ago...it must be...I have a photograph, Preserve your memories, They're all that's left you." ...."Old Friends," Simon and Garfunkle

A fun day Saturday at Missouri Star Quilt Company in Hamilton, MO. The best part? Friends getting together! Debbie lives on the East side of MO and I lived on the West. We have met at Missouri Star for several years. We both share an interest in quilting, although I think of myself more as a quilter "wannabe." I enjoy a little quilting but like looking and collecting even more.

Several murals can be found around Hamilton.

Eggo's was an eatery located next to the "Main Shop."

If you haven't been to Missouri Star it's worth a visit whether you are a quilter or not. You can check out their web page for the story of how Jenny Doan and her family transformed a little Missouri town into "Quilt Town USA." It is truly an inspiring story. See: Story of Missouri Star Quilt Company

They have many themed shops including the Batik Boutique, Modern, Kids & baby's, One Big Happy Yarn Co. (not completed), and many others, each in their own buildings. There is even a "Man's Land" complete with recliners and TVs, not limited to men! You want to learn to Quilt? Take a class in the Education Center or maybe try a retreat at the Retreat Center with lodging and meals.

Block and ModBlock magazine are two MSQC publications. Block is published Bi-month. They contain articles and several Quilt projects in each issue. On the walls of the Quilt stores you will find quilts with directions on where to find them in the publications.

"Kids and Baby"

"Sew Seasonal"

"Penney's Quilt Shop"
Hamilton is the hometown of J. C. Penney. This building housed Penney's 500th store. His boyhood home/museum is also in Hamilton.

MSQC has taken advantage of the past year and updated current shops and added a few. I have been wanting to dabble in watercolors so one of the new shops, "Let's Make Art, was perfect for me.

You can find nearly anything you might want, as well as lots of ideas and inspiration at Missouri Star Quilt Company!

The Missouri Quilt Museum, located in the old Hamilton school, is a work in progress and just opened 2 weeks ago. It will contain quilts from local artists, top designers, a changing gallery showing quilts from The National Quilt Museum, as well as lots of history. For $12 we were given a tour by one of the founders, Dakota Redford. Dakota was very passionate and shared her immense knowledge of the new museum, quilts and LOTS of history. Although the museum supports Missouri Star they are not affiliated with it and rely on donations. See: Missouri Quilt Museum.

Located on the grounds of the Missouri Quilt Museum is the largest spool of thread sponsored by Aurifil. It began with 1 million yards of thread in 2018. Visitor's are encouraged to add thread.

Debbie and myself at MSQC in 2019 for a two day "Star Academy."

A group visit in 2018

From the butterfly room.

An Underground Railroad quilt. Family history indicated this was made in 1840 by African Americans using coffee grounds left over from their slave owners to dye it .

This Quilt was completed in 2021 and depics the different Quilt blocks used to give directions to those using the Underground Railroad. See below.

"Dakota Sunrise" by Dakota Redford

Dakota Redford showed us this 1891 "Crazy Quilt" by Mary J. Thomas, made for her granddaughters' 10th birthday.

Crazy Quilts would contain a spider to create a web of good luck. Do you see it?

They would also add pictures to tell a story or represent a special date.

Room filled with toy sewing machines.

Quilt blocks found at a garage sale. Years later they went to make them into a quilt and found they were foundation pieced onto an old 1940's Sears catalog. She carefully removed the catalog pages before finishing the quilt (pages below).