The London Quilters Seemed To Like Me

I did my fledgling stand-up routine (aka a talk about my art) to the London Quilters last Monday. What a lovely group. Kind, welcoming, immediately put me at ease.

Same applies to Jason and the guys who run the Abbey Community Centre (shoutout to the Camden New Journal putter-outerer) an inspirational place with loads going on. People from all walks of life. Proper London. Proper community centre. I arrived four hours early, on account of pre-empting any possible transport cock-ups. So I know.

Before I dominated the conversation with my bollocks, there was a showing of some unfinished quilts. All wonderful. But you can’t see the ‘top secret’ ones.

Rachel Tyndall and Dorothy Hill holding the group quilt (tumbling blocks) which will be displayed at the Festival of Quilts at the NEC, 30th July to 2nd August in the ‘Joy of Sharing’ category.

I owe a huge debt to Sue Aron for putting my name forward (and loaning her laptop and tech help) and to Meg Turner for trusting Sue’s judgement and doing all the behind-the-scenes-admin with grace and honesty. I could tell she was a goodun from the emails, but my suspicions were confirmed with the offer of a cuppa upon arrival and the option of one of those biscuits which are 99% chocolate. You know the ones.

Thank you to those who showed up - Jady Kozak, Sue Aron, Rachel Tyndall, Sarah Hibbert, Jane Fowler, Maxine Murdock, Dorothy Hill, Annie Folkard, Viv Philpot and Lovely-Lou, the only non-member, whose familiar smiling face I was so pleased to see.

If you’d like to join the London Quilters, or attend any other talks, the hospitality is exemplary. They are a group of quilt and textile art enthusiasts who meet once a month at Abbey Community Centre (172 Belsize Road, London NW6 4BJ) near Swiss Cottage. The group was founded over thirty years ago and currently has over 40 members, ranging from keen beginners to professionals, with work encompassing traditional and modern quilts as well as art wall hangings and three dimensional pieces. Visitors are welcome to attend meetings for a fee of £5.

A page from The Camden New Journal (which I read cover-to-cover) published the day before Keir Starmer left his role as Prime Minister.

If the only thing stopping you joining is the thought of walking to the tube in the dark, then rest assured, because there’s a group of South Londoners heading in your direction and they are excellent company.

Also, I’m available for bookings of this ilk.

Talking to the London Quilters

I don’t know how this happened, what with me not being a quilter, but I am ‘doing a talk’ to a group of quilters (collective noun, anyone?) for the second time.

The first time was last year, when I did ‘Alison Aye Is Talking About Herself Again’ to the Bristol Quilters via Zoom. They asked for it.

This time I’m turning up in person, along with whatever art I can carry on the tube, and doing it to the London Quilters. They asked for it, too.

It says on the website that non-visitors are welcome to attend for a fee of £5. So if you are in the area, you are more than welcome. Payment on arrival to the quilters, not me, in cash or bank transfer.

It’s on Monday 20th July, at The Abbey Community Centre (172 Belsize Road, London NW6 4BJ) and is part of the group’s monthly meeting (6.30 - 9pm, for a 7pm start). My talk will last about an hour including questions, but I don’t know what time it will kick-off. I expect there will be some quilting agenda first. Let me know if you want to come, so I have some idea of numbers, but also can give you more accurate info, when I know.

According to the internet, the Beatles zebra crossing is a fifteen minute walk away. But it was like the Sahara the day I did my recky, so I couldn’t be arsed.

Thank you to the ever-patient Sue Aron for helping me overcome my tech-angst.