Last thursday I was grinning like a cheshire cat (and haven’t stopped grinning really)…I’ll explain but it’s a bit of a long story and that’s why I haven’t got round to sharing it ’til now.

Long Story number one…earlier this year I had planned to go to the V and A’s Quilt Exhibition but, well with one thing and another, it just didn’t happen at the last moment.  However I had been optimistic enough to pre purchase my entry ticket to the exhibition for the 5th May.  Then I saw my friend Virginia Enright of Threadbear Quilters fame about a week before she was due to go to London so said to her to use my ticket if she wanted but it was for the day after she arrived (but it’s 24hrs minimum from Melbourne to London so I completely understood if she was too tired, it was only 10 pound, don’t feel obligated, yadda yadda).  I didn’t think any more about it but Corliss mentioned a few weeks ago that Virginia had used the ticket so I was really chuffed about that.

Then last thursday the post arrives and there are two parcels for me…both wrapped really prettily… one was from Virginia (Long story number two following so just wait)

Virginia sent me these.

I will cut a fine dash around town with my new bag which came in its own matching ‘mini me’ bag and the book has interesting details about 18th and 19th century life.  The back has a quote from George Eliot’s ‘The Mill on the Floss’… Oh dear Oh dear Maggie what are you thinkin’ of, to throw your bonnet down there? Take it upstairs, there’s a good girl, an’ let your hair be brushed, an’ put your other pinafore on, an’ change your shoes-do, for shame; an’ come an’ go on with your patchwork like a little lady. I love it, my Aunt always called me Maggie and she made sure I had a ‘pinny’.

Long story number two… the same trip (the one that didn’t happen) was also supposed to coincide with me taking my Mid 19th Century Star quilt to Petra Prins of Den Haan & Wagenmakers in Amsterdam.  So instead I posted it to her and we have emailed back and forth ever since.  At some point I probably mentioned that I would buy the book from the V and A as a substitute for not making it.  So yes, you’ve guessed, the other parcel was from Petra.

Petra sent me these.

The parcel contained the book I had not got round to getting yet (now I don’t have to) a beautiful postcard signed by Petra & Nell and 5 fabulous Fat 1/4ers.  Exactly the fabric I would have chosen for myself.

I have had the books by my bed for bedtime reading and inspiration…filled with full colour photo’s of sooooo many gorgeous/intricate quilts, I can’t even describe a lot of them…if you haven’t bought the book yet and you love old quilts, you must buy it.

Both these parcels were so completely unexpected and I felt all warm and fuzzy inside.  Thank you, thank you to Virginia, Petra and Nell.

And today I caught up with my dear friend Judy for coffee… how did two weeks get away from us Jude, we usually make it weekly.  We trotted down to her studio so I could see what she’s been up to and she pulled this out.

Jude said "hey Margaret, can you use this...

… it’s a remnant from my slip-covers?”

I said (tongue in cheek) “oh yeah, might come in handy for something”.

I can feel another Broderie Perse ‘Tree of Life” quilt coming on.

Thanks for visiting…