Our second stop in Iowa was the Iowa Quilt Museum. My sister is a quilter, so I happened to see their brown “point of interest” on the highway as we approached the exit and I said, “Hey, there’s an Iowa quilt museum.”
And she said, “We should stop.”
“Really?” says I.
“No…yes. Let’s go.”
So I took the exit and we wandered down to Winterset, Iowa, about twenty minutes off the interstate. The quilt museum is in an old J.C. Penney store (as you can see from the tile mosaic in their entrance), right on the town square of the Madison County seat.
As in the Bridges of Madison County Madison County.
We didn’t go see any of the bridges though. (To be fair, my sister offered, but I have seen covered bridges in Pennsylvania and as cool as they are, I didn’t need to see more.)
The quilt museum was really very lovely, but even more amazing was the quilt shop a few stores down from it. The woman who runs it was lovely and she and my sister bonded for close to an hour over fabric and sewing machines.
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Our Back-to-School Prize winners were:
Bundle #1 – Yvonne
Bundle #2 – Renate
Bundle #3 – Trixi
Bundle #4 – Abigail
Bundle #5 – Paula Marie
Bundle #6 – Lilly
Bundle #7 – Tiffany
Bundle #8 – Danielle O
Bundle #9 – Jessica B
Bundle #10 – Priscilla
Bundle #11 – Jaye
Grand Prize – Jessica G
You can find the prize bundles in detail here.
Milla Holt’s winners are JCP, Lori R, and Dianne!
Shannon Taylor Vannatter’s winner is Susanne!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? will be our host this week, so please join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
StoryChats @ InspyRomance
Story Chats launches an all-new episode every Friday! Elizabeth, Valerie, and Narelle talked about in our last episode. You won’t want to miss it!
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This is clearly an important building right in the center of the square in Winterset. I just loved the cupola – and I think when they finish restoring it, it’s going to be lovely.
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Deb Kastner revealed her new cover.
On Tuesday, Tabitha Bouldin asked what inspires you.
On Wednesday, Laurie Larsen talked besties in fiction and real life.
On Thursday, Janine Rosche shared her public displays of humiliation.
On Friday, Narelle Atkins recommended the Restoring Heritage series.
On Saturday, Jan Thompson talked international travel romance.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Melanie D. Snitker
Tuesday: Tara Grace Ericson
Wednesday: Merrillee Whren
Thursday: Teresa Tysinger
Friday: Shannon Taylor Vannatter
Saturday: Valerie Bodden
New Releases
September 2021
Let Me Off Easy, Cowboy (Cavanagh Cowboys Romance 3) by Valerie Comer
Save the Date box set by Jan Thompson, Liwen Y. Ho, Jaycee Weaver, and nine others
Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams box set by Amy R Anguish, Shannon Taylor Vannatter, and three others
Ruby Radiance (Pot of Gold Geocaching Romance 2) by Valerie Comer
So You Need a Fake Relationship (So You Want to be a Billionaire 5) by Elizabeth Maddrey
October 2021
So You Forgot You Love Me (So You Want to be a Billionaire 6) by Elizabeth Maddrey
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks, our permanently free e-books, and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.
I didn’t think I would actually win one of those book packs! I feel very happy!! I have two months of classes left and my school year is over (then I have exams … but that’s another story hehehe) I’ll be entertained this summer!
I have new books plus free offers that I downloaded from google play :D
Congrats to all winners.
The quilt museum would be interesting. While I don’t really quilt I do love the work that goes into them. (I could handle it much better than the Ice hockey hall of fame in Toronto when I don’t even like Ice hockey)
Hi Elizabeth! Thanks to all the generous and talented authors. Thanks for the book bundle win. Congrats to all the winners and for all the readers of this blog. While I do not quilt, I have friends who do. Living just north of Middlebury and Shipshewana, Indiana or Amish Country, I enjoy seeing Amish made quilts on display at the Dutchman Essenhaus. In the summer the community make Amish quilt designs with flowers and plants. Our town has shop Accomplished Quilting, which has many quilting sewing machines. Didn’t realize they have shops throughout the Midwest (Michigan, Indiana, and Tennessee). Best wishes. Enjoy your Sunday.
Congratulations! Yay for books to read!
Ha. I don’t know what I’d do at a hockey museum either. I enjoy looking at quilts but not making them.
Amish quilts are lovely! We have one in our bed currently from Lancaster, PA.
Congratulations to all of the prize bundle winners! I personally think we’re all winners to be interacting with the Inspy authors! I don’t quilt, though I have quite a few friends who do! I think the quilt museum would be interesting! I’ve been to the Aviation Museum in Georgia, and the Ships of the Sea Museum in Savannah, both of which I found interesting.
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad I found this site! I love to catch up with familiar authors and also meet new ones!
Aw. I think our authors all feel like we’re the winners for having all y’all hang out with us! Group hug! ;)
I’ve definitely found new favorites from reading here :)
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am so thrilled to be a winner, and congratulations to everyone! I appreciate all of the author’s making it possible!
I am not a quilter, but I’d love to have one!
We’re happy to do it! Congratulations!
Hi, Elizabeth! And a hearty congratulations to all our winners!! The big giveaways are certainly a fun part of the InspyRomance community.
Museums can be a drag unless you are there with someone who loves what is being presented. My sister-in-law took us to an exhibition of Pre-Raphealite art at the National Gallery in DC. While some of the pieces were truly beautiful, it was even more interesting to hear her tell the stories behind them. (She was an art history teacher.)
So now we need to get your sister to make a Star Trek quilt to commemorate the trip!
Have a great week, everybody.
Congratulations winners 🥳
Have a blessed Sunday everyone ❤️
Congratulations winners.
Yes! Having a fan of the content makes all the difference at museums.
You too!
:)
My husband and I like to go to history museums, especially for out local area or Oregon in general. It’s fascinating to learn how our part of the country came to be or learn about the people who founded it. I think I learn something new every time we visit one.
Congrats to all our winners of the Back-to-school bash! And thanks to all the generous authors who offered the wonderful books & goodies.
Happy Sunday IR community!
History can be fascinating for sure!
A quilt museum would be beautiful to see.
Congratulations to all.
Congratulations to all of the winners!
I love quilts and quilt museums!
It had some very lovely pieces.
♥️
Congratulations to all the winners!
I know next to nothing about quilting, but I’ve never yet met a museum I didn’t like. Sounds like a great place!
Museums are hard to pass up for sure!
That’s so nice that one of the stops was for you and the other for your sister :)
Thank you kindly to all the authors, and congrats to the fellow winners!
Yes! It worked out well that way.
Congratulations to all the winners. I hope you all enjoy your prizes. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
Congratulations to all the winners! I’ve been to a quilt museum when I was down in Kentucky once. Some of those quilts are truly works of art. Sounds like you had a lot fun.
A huge thank you to all of the authors for offering some great prizes!
Congratulations to all the winners.