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.
