Descending into the Depths of Hell: Our Trip to Missouri and Kansas: Missouri Star Quilt Co.

Admittedly a bit of an over-statement but our first day in Missouri kinda felt that way.  We experienced our first "Severe Heat Warming Advisory" signal from our weather services:  WeatherUnderground (Bill) and Weather Bug (Marilyn).  We didn't recognize the signal sound and thought the car was trying to tell us something.  We eventually understood that apparently the weather outside was not safe.  Yikes!  The bank sign in Hamilton showed 103 and the Heat Index was at least 113.

Of course, you might be wondering what we were doing in Hamilton MO in the first place.  A fair question.  It just happens to be a famous destination for members of the quilt nation.  It is the home of the Missouri Star Quilt Co.  This a world famous--I am not kidding--purveyor of quilting kits, supplies and implements.  The company was founded in 2008 by Jenny Doan, a resident of Hamilton MO who turned her hobby into a multi million dollar business.   "Doan has been called "The most famous quilter in the world" due to her over 350 YouTube tutorials that have been viewed more than 110 million times.  In 2015, two of her children who handled the business end of Missouri Star Quilt Co. received the National Small Business Persons of the Year award."  (Wikipedia)

While Marilyn cruised through the several Missouri Star shops, I explored Hamilton.  It didn't take long.  Apart from the main street dominated by Missouri Star shops, there isn't much.  There are three very nice eateries and a newly established craft brewery none of which, one suspects, would exist were it not for this unique business enterprise.  They process 30,000 orders each month.  They do provide a nice pace called Man's Land where non quilters--mostly men bring their wives here--can seek comfort and refuge from the heat.

We rewarded ourselves with some gelato before we got back on the road.  We stopped again in Jamesport MO for what we hoped would be another interesting small town experience but both we and the town were pretty tired and we disappointed each other.  With that we made our final leg of the journey into Clyde MO and the Monastery of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration where we would stay for the next two days visiting Sr. Paula.

You can click here to view more photos of our trip to Hamilton and the Missouri Star Quilt Co.