Welcome to Bobbin Hood Quilting Cruises!

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As a traveler, I have been in your shoes.  I enjoy helping you plan your perfect vacation.  From beginning to end, I'm here to help.  As an Alaska Destination Specialist, I can offer you my personal insight and recommendations to visit My Happy Place - Alaska.  From the pristine waters of the Inside Passage to quaint towns and seeing wildlife in its own habitat, there's something extraordinary about The Great Land.  

My husband, Jim, took me on my first cruise to Alaska in 2001.  Since then, we have been on almost 40 cruises!  Our favorite destination - ALASKA! 

 
Between us we have four beautiful daughters, two handsome sons-in-law and eight grandchildren.   We moved to the Seattle area from San Diego a few years ago and thoroughly love the Pacific Northwest.  We "Wander About Washington" on Sunday drives with our little dog "Miss Sitka". 

 
I am also a passionate quilter.  I have been sewing since I was a teenager and sewing classes were "required" as part of the curriculum in Jr. and Sr. High School.   I love the creative process.  Creating 

It was a beautiful afternoon in Juneau, Alaska as our cruise ship slowly navigated along the Gastineau Channel and gracefully came to rest in the heart of the city. The skies above were brilliant blue with a few dotted clouds adding to the view from our balcony.  The sun was warm on our faces as we passed by log cabins and homes with smoke rising from their chimneys along the waters’ edge. From sailboats to yachts and large fishing vessels, the tiny harbors were full of boats with fishermen eager to get out in the rich waters to cast their lines hoping to bring in a large salmon or halibut. Anxious cruisers and visitors to Juneau began filling the streets along the waterfront searching for that perfect souvenir and taking in the splendor of a stunning day in Juneau.

Juneau lies in the Tongass National Forest and is only accessible by air or water. It is the capital of Alaska. To the east lies the massive Juneau Ice Field and is home to over 125 glaciers – some small – some large – the largest being the Taku Glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier, which lies inside the city limits of Juneau, is the terminus of the ice field and is a popular destination for many visitors to Juneau. The ancient ice of the glacier is a deep turquoise; and the river of ice flows down the glacial valley from the ice field above it. Mendenhall Lake lies between the Visitor Center and the base of the tidewater glacier. Off to the right side of the lake is Thunder Falls – an impressive waterfall that you can hike out to if you are so inclined. Bright magenta fireweed graces the shore around the lake offering a colorful scene to all who visit.

This particular day, our morning excursion took us to Glacier Gardens and Mendenhall Glacier, after which we would have our afternoon free to wander around downtown and enjoy this glorious day. Glacier Gardens began in 1985 when a landslide devastated the face of Thunder Mountain. Steve and Cindy Bowhay purchased the property in hopes of revitalizing it. According to one article, there is a story that while working the land to rebuild it, Steve accidentally damaged the moving equipment and, in a fit of frustration, used the machine to pick up a large fallen tree stump and slam it upside-down into the soft mud. The image of roots hanging down like petunia vines apparently gave him the inspiration to repeat his action, inverting over 20 other dead spruce and hemlock trees in order to plant more than 75 flowers in their root bowls each year. 

Through this vision, Glacier Gardens began and came back to life. This incredible area on the side of Thunder Mountain is now home to over 20 spectacular “Flower Towers”. The uprooted and dead trees gained a new life in Steve’s vision. Each tree now thrives in the rain forest and is home to stunning cascades of flowers in every color. The beds of moss and ferns are home to fuchsias, begonias, petunias and dozens more with their roots full of flowers, delicately hanging down from high above like massive hanging baskets. On the grounds below, lush ferns, rhododendrons, azaleas and many native plants like Devil’s Club, thrive on the forest floor. 

Should you ever get the chance to visit Glacier Gardens and take in all of this beauty, the highlight will be your ride to the top of Thunder Mountain and the spectacular view of the Gastineau Channel and the magnificent canvas your eyes will behold. From snow-capped mountains to glacial valleys, with majestic bald eagles soaring above you combined with the pallet of colors from all of the flowers, I believe you will enjoy every minute of your visit here. 

On this particular day, our afternoon was about to become the introduction to a different artistic beauty and a friendship that holds a very special place in my heart. A friendship that I cherish.

After we enjoyed a sweet, succulent and delicious crab leg and a bowl of clam chowder at Tracy’s Crab Shack at their tiny kiosk on the wharf (they now have an actual restaurant), Jim and I began to take in the ambiance of downtown Juneau. The lamp posts were all adorned with hanging flower baskets full of blue Forget-me-Nots, yellow begonias and purple and blue Lobelia. Flower beds along the street and in flower boxes in front of the businesses along Franklin Street were full of every flower imaginable from Black-eyed Susans to Daisies to Poppies, Snapdragons and many wildflowers. 

We walked across the street from The Red Dog Saloon where we could hear the honky-tonk piano entertaining those inside. Located in the Senate Building on Franklin Street is a wonderful quilt shop – Changing Tides. I was awestruck almost immediately upon waking upstairs and opening the tiny gate to be greeted warmly by the owner, Jan Nardone. On a table before me was a display of batik fabric with husky dog faces along with a dog musher and his team. The colors of the batiks were incredible and nothing like I had seen in any shop in the lower 48. 

I was so enamored with this fabric that I think I purchased yards of it in every color that was there. Along with these gorgeous batiks were also a few panels depicting life in Alaska and dog mushing. Jan told us about the artist – a man named Jon Van Zyle - the official artist of the Iditarod (the 1,000-mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome). AND – she said – it just so happened he and his wife Jona were over at The Anne Kaill Gallery doing a book signing! She was almost certain he would sign my fabric if we went over there!  

Well! We made our purchases at Changing Tides and did not hesitate to walk quickly over to the gallery which was right around the corner from the quilt shop. This was the beginning of a friendship that holds a very special place in our hearts.

Since I was introduced to Jon's fabrics on that fateful day, the four of us have formed a special bond and friendship.  We talk on the phone weekly; we visit throughout the year - and - Jon and Jona have been a part of some very incredible quilting cruises including our own charity cruise - IDIDACRUISE where we raised money for the Jr. Iditarod and Iditarod along with some other worthwhile charities.  

We cherish this friendship.  One of Jon's fabric lines was named "Jona's Garden".  It is full of brilliant floral designs and a part of our journey together.   

Stay tuned for info on our upcoming back-to-back cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver, BC and back in August, 2026 aboard Holland America's ms Westerdam where we will be featuring Jon's latest fabric lines from Hoffman Fabrics that will also include a pre-cruise tour option to meet Jon & Jona at their home studio in Eagle River, Alaska.