A Review from the Quilters’ Kitchen – by Russ
The quilters' kitchen was a bustle of activity. I was not only treated to pile after pile of washing-up but I was also promoted to tea and coffee making duties too!
The ladies were full of cheer and banter - I even picked up a few quilting tips should I ever feel the desire to start sewing!
The wife, (Debbie) occasionally popped into the kitchen on the pretence to make sure I was ok, but in reality just wanted to make sure I was up to my elbows in suds.
She did let me take a short break in order to pay for her purchases from Cottage Patchwork.
My thanks to the lady who made the millionaires shortbread - definitely the highlight of my day!
I’m back home enjoying a glass of wine compliments of all you ladies - cheers!!
PS. Finale of the day - I was allowed to wash up after dinner!
An Outsider's view of the Quilting Exhibition – by Trevor
It was three o’clock on Friday and the volunteer force and conscripted men started to arrive.
After four hours the whole area was converted into a thing of beauty with quilts being displayed in three halls on hangers, clips, posts and the like.
It was all ready for the main event on Saturday.
On Saturday, numerous members and the conscripted men arrived early, in preparation for the doors opening at 10:00.
Folk started to flow in and meander throughout the building being amazed at the skill of the quilters and their efforts.
I was only an observer wandering aimlessly through the halls and corridors, standing for minutes in front of various quits admiring their beauty. Occasionally I was stopped by ladies, who knew what they were doing, and asked to perform some task.
I was amazed to pass the ‘Raffle Table’ at various times. I wondered how it was possible to see the personnel changing regularly but the conversation remaining constant!
At one stage the canteen area had more folk in it than in the quilting areas, or that is what it looked like to me.
Those ladies in the kitchen, and the conscripted man, did a fantastic job in keeping us all fed and watered.
It was good to put names to faces that I had only spoken to on the telephone or who were mentioned in despatches by Eileen, back home. These ladies were kind enough to speak to me in English for a couple of minutes before reverting back to ‘Quilter’s Speak’ when again talking to other members and in a language unintelligible to the uninitiated. I did try to use a few words but the ladies soon realised that I didn’t know what I was talking about.
The well-presented ‘official programme’ made it easy to negotiate the whereabouts of the various quilts by both SQers of long standing and the uninitiated.
Then the raffle prizes were presented by Claire - well done.
At a little after 16:00 the volunteer force and conscripted men congregated and transformed the halls and corridors back into their original usage in less than an hour.
It was a brilliant time and well done to all the SQers (Skewers) that worked so hard to put this event on.
My only regret was that I was not able to meet that quilter with the long arms!