Next friday evening, I'm taking the Eurostar to London to join a bunch of sewing and quilting enthusiasts at the Fat Quarterly Retreat.
I'm Anne, I live in Belgium, I speak Dutch, French, English and some German too. Blogging in English feels a bit weird, because I always have to settle for what I'm able to say, instead of what I want to say. As you can tell from my picture, I'm a bit shy :-)
I started quilting many years ago, in the previous century actually. But as long as the children were small, it was near impossible to find the time to have a hobby. Now that they are grown (21 and almost 19 years old) I actually have some much-appreciated free time available after work.
The biggest difference with 20 years ago is the internet, where you find all these amazing examples of modern quilts. And the blogs! And the tutorials! And the shops, the online shops to buy wonderful fabric! I spend way too much time behind my computer and I buy way too much fabric.
Sewing and crafting is very popular with young people in Belgium at the moment, but sadly, quilting isn't. I'm a member of a local sewing group, "Het Leuvens Stiksel", but there's just one other quilter. That's one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone at the retreat. Everyone will be talking patchwork and quilting, how fun will that be? I'm staying at the Radisson Edwardian, where I think quite a few of us will be staying.
I' ll be following the portholes (sun PM), English paper piecing (sat PM), design challenge (sun AM) and freezer paper piecing (sat AM) classes at the retreat. I still have to make all the preparations for the Retreat, but I'm planning on this long weekend (monday is a public holiday here) to do everything.
One important remark: my husband and children always tell me that when I'm concentrated, I have a angry expression on my face. So please don't be scared by my angry expression, I'm not really angry, just very focused on the paper piecing and portholes!
See you all next weekend! Now go and check out all the other bloggers in this linky party!
Woohoo! See you next weekend. X
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI have been quilting since 1995 and am looking forward to meeting you. Are you bringing a flower too so we will recognise you?
BeantwoordenVerwijderenSit beside me. I'll be swearing when I much things up and you'll look angry - everyone will think you are angry with me for swearing. ;-)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenheheh lol about the angry face, see you next week :)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenLooking forward to seeing the real person behind the flower next week xxxx
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI'm doing freezer paper piecing on Saturday morning too, looking forward to meeting you!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenlol! My hubby gets that angry expression too so I'm used to it! See you soon!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenDon't be shy! See you next week x
BeantwoordenVerwijderenhaha@ I hold my breath when I am concentrating! Can't wait to meet you :-D
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI get told that I look angry a lot of the time too... I'm not.... honest!! See you next weekend :-)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenOh I like an angry face - I probably stick my tongue out!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenSee you there x
Oooh, spooky, we're in every class together! You obviously have wonderful taste ;o)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI love the name of your blog. Look forward to meeting you!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenLook forward to meeting you on Saturday :)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI bite my lip when I'm concentrating. :) I'm from the Netherlands so we can talk in Dutch if you'd like! See you there!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHi Anne, looks like we'll be in the same class Saturday morning! You can speak Dutch with me if you like :) Looking forward to meeting you!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenMy husband says I look grumpy when I'm concentrating too! Looking forward to meeting you!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI am in the portholes class with you, and look forward to meeting you.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHi Anne - see you in design challenge - will definitely be wearing my concentrating face too! Love the name of your blog - have something in common there! I can do French and German chit chat but probably useless for patchwork chatter!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI think we all look angry when concentrating! We will be a sea of angry looking people! See you there!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI'm another one you can speak Dutch with!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenCan't wait to see what we'll all make!!
I am in two of your classes, looking forward to meeting you :-)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI look bored or angry too when concentrated, but we'll laugh it off!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI think we will all be too busy chatting to get angry faces on. See you soon.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHi Anne, we share the same classes on Saturday, so I'm going to see your "angry face". I'm really looking forward to it and I agree with you, the "quilting talk" will surely be soooooo much fun (I only know one other woman who quilts :o)))
BeantwoordenVerwijderenSee you Friday (at Tikki's?!)
Christine