Malvern Spring Quilt Show

I had such a lovely time on Sunday last at the Malvern Spring Quilt Show (Malvern Showground). It was a beautiful sunny day and I got there just before the doors opened, so managed to spend at least the first few minutes without being pushed and shoved – it’s amazing how older respectable looking ladies can dig with their elbows and stand firm, refusing to allow you to just squeeze in next to them!!! Grrr

It was fine though, I had a great day browsing around many well known fabric shops, including my favourite, ‘White Cottage Country Crafts’ – it’s relatively local to me and I feel very lucky, because I really love Jackie’s colour palette, it’s so meee!! Whenever I go there, I just want to go around stroking fabric LOL. 

Anyway, you don’t want to listen to me waxing lyrical, you want to see what I bought don’t you!!

This is everything together, including cotton fabric, wools and gorgeous dupion silk

'Primitive Gatherings' Wool Flannel …… yum! 

This luverrrley bundle of fabrics from the White Cottage Country Crafts, with a Country bag pattern

And some other bits & pieces!

Some several hours later, I strolled back out into the sunshine, bought myself a spot of lunch (including cake – well why not!) and sat and enjoyed the beautiful view of the Malvern Hills - sorry, I should have taken a piccie or two, but was well chilled out by then. And so with legs dropping off and a nearly empty purse, I made my way home.

A lovely day!

Festival of Quilts ... and a lovely day out!

Get your comfy slippers on girls, cuz this is a bit of a loooonnnggg one!!!!!!!!

I went to the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingham yesterday and came home thoroughly exhausted!! But what a great day. I met my hero (well, heroine I should say), Veronique from ‘Born to Quilt’ in France. Veronique is such a lovely warm, friendly person – I almost felt like a teeny bopper again meeting my favourite pop star .... how old!!! LOL. Anyway the first picture is of moi (impressed by my french eh!!) and Veronique – she looks great – but please forgive how awful I look. I said to Wendy last night in an email, that I re-joined Slimming World a couple of weeks ago, but crickey, there’s nothing like seeing a photograph of yourself to see how others see you:0( ........ Still, if I will insist on standing next to a very slim, attractive, french blonde lady, then I only have myself to blame don't I? Ha!!I must be getting older though, because years ago, there’s no way I would have displayed myself in this public way – love me or leave me though!!!!

By the way, Veronique's mystery quilt, which was hanging at the back of her stall, is much, much lovelier close up than seeing it in a book - fantastique ....... see french again!!!!!

I made several purchases from the ‘Born to Quilt’ stall, as it was simply the best one there! And these are they .......


... Veronique’s ‘Mystery Quilt’ book, which she signed, some beautiful wool fabric, and a really cute little snowman kit. I wish now that I had bought some of her lovely fat quarters, but I'd run out of money by then - I love her palette of blues, browns and red/pinks - lots of florals and checks - but maybe next time!!


.... and here’s the inside of the book signed!!!

Now whilst I’m name dropping – which I am!! I also met Lynette Anderson. I bought one of her patterns having bravely confessed to her that I have never actually got around to stitching any of her patterns, but she was still nice to me nonetheless and agreed to have a piccie taken with me – please ignore me again – sorry!!!


I bought lots of other lovely goodies too – naughty I hear you say, but nice .... and much better than a cream cake!!! LOL.


..... the latest issue of ‘Inspirations’ magazine, some Valdani threads, one of Lynette's patterns, a ball of wool (I’m thinking maybe rag doll hair here!), a gorgeous pineapple quilt pattern, a few fat quarters and one or three other things!!

Now if you look at Wendy’s blog (Wendy went on Thursday), she spoke to a lady on the journey home who had also been to the festival and hadn’t bought a thing ....... WELL, I had the same experience while waiting for the free shuttle bus to carry my weary legs back to the train station!! I chatted to a couple of ladies sitting on a bench, and they hadn’t bought anything!!! I had to compose myself before they saw the total look of, jaw dropping, surprise on my face (“what you’ve been there all day and not bought a sausage – is there something wrong with you????!!!!!”) I didn’t actually say this, but it’s what I was thinking – I think they must have been aliens from another planet!!!

Now, on to the exhibition itself, not too many though, as it’s never the same as actually being there is it? I have to show you this ‘Dear Jane’ replica though:-


.. it was perfect in every way - all stitched and quilted by hand over a 3-year period. I only know this because I happened to bump into the lady herself at Lynette Anderson’s stall – very precious indeed.


.... and I just loved the colours in this ‘Pineapple Plus’ Quilt – so much so, I bought the pattern – see above!!


... and this was the winner of the exhibition – flipping amazing it was!! If you look closely at the detailed pictures, you can see the fabulous 3-D effect of the flowers .... beautiful and a worthy winner.






Well ladies, if you’ve managed to get this far, thank you!

Tell me I'm daft, but I went to bed last night dreaming of exactly what it would be like to live in a little French village just down the road from ‘Born to Quilt’ !!!!!!!!!!!!!! .............. a poor existance probably, as I'd never have any money te he!!

Gosh, I think must be my longest post EVER!! LOL

Malvern Autumn Quilt Festival

I planned to blog yesterday, but I was having technical problems (sounds as though I know what I’m doing!!! LOL). Either AOL or Blogger was playing up – dunno which, but it seems to be behaving again now!!.

I was like an excited child on Saturday morning as I headed off with my friend Pam to the Malvern Autumn Quilt Festival; filled with anticipation of what goodies and inspiration awaited us! And it didn’t fail us. Wendy had pre-warned me to be ready to be shoved around, which I was a bit, but I did as Wendy advised ... and shoved back!! So, we had a lovely day and came home rather tired, but I was pleased with my purchases. I’m not going to bore you with heaps of photos – just a few of my favourites of the exhibition quilts. Note the first one – it’s a copy of the ‘Dear Jane’ quilt in reds’ blues & whites – isn’t it exquisite?!!

And finally one of my stash!! Fabric (5 metres in total), buttons, a hanger and Kim Diehl’s latest book, which I’ve been hankering after for a while!!