Festival of Quilts 2011

A few months ago, when I stayed with Hanne and Eva in Norway, I told them how wonderful the Festival of Quilts is. It is held at the NEC in Birmingham, and usually I just go for the day. Then I hatched a great plan - I would book a family room in a Travelodge in Birmingham, and maybe Hanne and Eva could come to England for a few days holiday so we could all go to the quilt show together.....

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.....there were hundreds of stalls selling so many lovely fabrics and threads - it was really hard to know where to start!
It was great to meet Kim, from The Fat Quarters in Northumberland, where I get my subscription of a great quilting magazine - Australian Homespun. 
Together with Debbie Johnson she has just written another book,"Shopping Days" and is available on The Fat Quarters website..... 

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.....and then I met Mandy Shaw, of Dandelion Designs, who had a beautiful stand filled with her designs and projects. She lives near my neice in Hailsham, so maybe I can plan a little shopping trip next time I go to visit her.....

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.....and here's Holly, who was helping out on the Quilters Haven stand - I haven't seen Holly for several months, as she used to work at my local quilt shop, but then moved to Cheshire, and lucky girl - she now has a job in another quilt shop!!
Tomorrow I'll show you pictures of the Norwegian friends that I met in Birmingham.

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