Chattanooga Bound!

Morning came WAY too early yesterday. I was up at 6am because some things STILL needed to be packed for this 10 day adventure. There were clothes in the dryer that weren’t quite dry when I went to bed, you know how that goes?

But I was on the road a little bit before 9am, praying the rain would mostly stay at bay – It’s just NOT as fun to take a road trip through the mountains in the hosing rain as it is to have it moderate. I really wanted some beautiful sunshine, but truth be told – a bit of cloud cover is easier on the eyes and keeps the glare down. At least I was consoling myself with that thought as I made my way down I-40 westward toward the Tennessee State line!

I get SO excited when I see the mountains appear in the distance! This is where I was, getting closer to Asheville NC…and I could see them…just peeking ahead of me toward the horizon:

See them there? Dang straight ahead….yep. Mostly covered in clouds, but they are there!

This route is greatly populated by trucks, but luckily they are not allowed in the left hand lane so you can pass them as it gets steeper and more windy:

Hello Tennessee! It’s great to see you again! The last time I was through this way was in March for Mountain Quilt Fest at Pigeon forge. Was that only MARCH? It seems farther away than that, so much has taken place since then!

Can you see the clouds just sitting on top of the mountain there? I guess they don’t call them the “Smokies” for nothing!

I drove and drove and drove and stopped for gas when the light came on telling me…stop now, or run out on the side of the road!

When I pulled off, there was a little sign that said “Visit Historic Sweetwater 2 miles”. Do you know what the word “HISTORIC” means to me?? ANTIQUE MALLS! So I pulled out my phone and googled Sweetwater TN Antiques and BINGO!!

Can you feel my excitement and anticipation building already?

How about the view up this quaint little street? Can you see the “MAIN STREET ANTIQUES” sign??

Or how about this one:

Doesn’t that quilt bock on the side of the building just stop you dead in your tracks?!? This shop was WONDERFUL..in fact, there was a whole collection of wooden quilt blocks that you could buy to hang on your barn, your garage, the side of your house….where there are not fabric quilts, there are painted wooden ones! LOOK!

Aren’t these great?! And there were more!

I loved all the old farm tools too. Something in this shop for everyone! I loved the wild goose chase block with the pink setting triangles! Definitely a bold color combo..LOVE it! ((Pink and red and yellow and black and blue? Oh YES!))

Here was a bear paw tucked up on top of the cabinets. Seeing it next to the chair there should give you an idea of the size of these quilt blocks.

This shop just had the coolest stuff. Look at this old nail/screw hardware bin just filled with OLD bottle caps! I’m not sure what I would do with them, but they were all colors and varieties and interesting to read the labels. Kind of like pawing through my baskets of scraps and crumbs! A lifetime collection of bottle caps.

I desperately wanted this spool cabinet. But honestly? Where would I put it? But I LOVED it! I didn’t love it over a $1,000 dollars worth though!

I was amazed at this 1920’s electric stove! Can you imagine trying to cook your Thanksgiving Dinner on this little thing?! Maybe it was apartment sized. And I’m sure it beat cooking on a wood stove…but boy, am I glad to be a MODERN girl!

Quilts were scattered everywhere, but not as many interesting ones as I’ve caught other places. Quilt-seeking is a treasure hunt, and sometimes you find cool ones, sometimes you don’t….

Antique Quilts, Sweetwater TN 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

This is the last shop I visited:

And it was HERE that I met my downfall!

Solid red, solid cheddar!! With cutwork applique! My heart nearly stopped! You know, cheddar has ALWAYS been a solid for me. Not really ever a print. The prints are more butterscotch color in history….and when someone says “CHEDDAR” in my mind it is a solid. And here it is in all its splendor…..but do you see what is sitting on TOP of it?! DO you need a closer view?

I saw this case first – do you see the beautiful design on the side, and the inlaid wood detail on the top around the handle?

I spun around looking for the machine it went with…and there on the table behind me was this beauty:

Serata hand crank machine, circa 1910. Vibrating shuttle bobbin….gorgeous decal work, though worn from hard use. I was drawn to this machine like moth to flame…I love seeing machines that have had a HISTORY of constant use. A “pristine” like new machine doesn’t hold as much interest to me as one that was used by someone who loved to sew and sewed often.

Did I dare look at the price tag?! It was hanging by that string there, attached the screw at the top.

****GASP****

$165.00!!

Guess what is now riding shotgun on the floorboard of the passenger front side of my car?! Look at that detail where the handle is!! **SQUEAL!!!**

And of course, this is all justified by the fact that I sat in the car for what seemed like for hours on Mother’s Day while DH went in to the golf shop for “Just a minute” and came out wielding a new golf club that I KNOW cost more than this machine did….Equal opportunity purchasing, right?

Thank you Sweetwater, for your welcome beckoning! It was a great couple hours of browsing! I’ll definitely keep you on my map and perhaps hit you up again the next time I’m through this way!