The haul from the FOQ, Birmingham

In the background, loads of Heide Stoll Weber fabrics (yummy), then left to right, Ferreting Around, Ferret's new book, the instructions are just so clear and it's so good to see how different the quilt can look in other colourways. Then six separate yards of repro Turkey red from the American Quilt Store
(they really need to update their site as they have many more fabrics than they are showing). A metre of pink with roses to go with my 40's collection. Loads of cotton lawn (and more upstairs of an even finer one, two different fine shirtings under the 505 spray, more of that wild black and white stripe, (I have a plan), all from the very nice guy at Fabrics Galore, and a fab little stencil for marking spinning curves for background work (they call it spirals but they aren't really) and the blue Caryl Bryer Fallert fabric. I nearly forgot, I have some very nice YLI silk threads and some Mettler embroidery threads as well.
Did I tell you I managed to top up the diesel car with petrol as I left home? Somehow the car managed not to break down until I reached the hotel. Someone, other than I was not best pleased.... But it was all fixed by Friday night.

Sinclair went downhill whilst I was away, I came home early, Fliss came back from France so we were all there when the end came. Much faster than expected.

Please don't leave nice sympathetic comments about this, I can't hold myself together when people are nice at the moment.


My beautiful boy, rest in peace.

Festival of Quilts, NEC, Birmingham

Because they're changed the sizes here, I couldn't enter Exquisite Feathers as it is a couple of inches smaller than required. Spunart the Evolon and Lutradur people, however had no problem having it on their stand (Mr Spunart, who's name escapes me, Mervin?) is in the foreground.

Remember last year when Heide Stoll Weber asked me to make her this quilt? It's a funny thing when you are up close and personal for a period of time with a work, you 2nd guess yourself over and over. Seeing it hanging after a year was great!It looks lovely against the navy background of her stand and judging by the comments of people seeing it, they think so too. Heide was over generous giving me far more fabric than we had agreed.


For me though the best part of the show was Ferret's Gallery and my huge surprise. Last year we had agreed a small quilt swap. We were each going to make the other a quilt in our own style but in the others colours. They were to be finished in January. January turned to February.... Mine for her was finished in time for the National Quilting Show at Sandown in the summer but hers for me would have to wait. Then on Thursday, there she was! My own daughter Fliss in my colours blue and white! I bubbled up. It's stunning!!! Thank you Ferret!!!! Thank you. Fliss and DH had known about it for months.

Sinclair's behaviour yesterday was a little odd, no obvious distress but DH is ringing the vet today to hear what she thinks. I might have to leave and go home.