Malvern, Quilts UK, cake etc

I was very lucky to get some more of this Nicholas Herbert print on ebay. It is so superb.

And also some of this French hand printed fabric. I get so excited when I can buy these lovely fabrics and know when they eventually go in my quilts, I shall have the only quilts with them.

I was supposed to go to Quilts UK in Malvern on the first day of the show. The weather was raining cats and dogs and I got a call from someone there saying it was packed even more than normal. I suspect that was because the weather meant no one was sitting outside as they normally do for a breather. So I put it off a day.

On the Friday we picked up my new little car and drove up there. I didn't want to arrive too early to avoid the crowds so we stopped for lunch in Upton upon Severn. I noticed this delightful Laundrette. I love how they did their retro windows.

I didn't take many photos at the show but will show you just one of the quilts. It is made by Andrea Strake of Germany. Her hand quilting is exquisite.

To give you scale I put my finger against it (forgive me Andrea, it was clean though under the nail still had stubborn bits of gardening despite scrubbing and pointing my fingers up against the stream in the power shower).

This is how I love quilting by hand or machine, more is more. And it is no surprise to see she received three ribbons for this work.

Because my quilt wasn't finished (still) I had nothing to enter this year...... sigh

I did buy some fabric..... shoot me. But who could resist this Dutch Heritage border print?

I spent Saturday in bed until mid afternoon recovering. I had company.

It is my birthday on Saturday, so I made a cake. It is a bit wonky but it smelt heavenly.

I put tons of really good vanilla in it.
The smell was too much and instead of waiting, I was very naughty and cut it early.

It tastes even better than it looks.

And the last of the tulips have saved themselves for my birthday. I haven't tweaked the colours, this is how they are.