  What with floods, ice, snow and ‘flu, I’m happy to see the back of Winter! Although we’re still (11th March) having some frosty nights, Spring is definitely heading our way, which means that gardening will inevitably take up a lot of my time. Of course, it doesn’t mean that sewing will come to a complete stand-still! In fact, I’ve got a busy year ahead which will involve both quilts and plants, sometimes in tandem.
The V&A exhibition, Quilts 1700 – 2010, begins on 20th March , so I’m aiming to make an early visit as I’m sure I’ll need to go there several times during its run to fully take it all in. Full details of the exhibition can be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/futureexhibs/Quilts/ This promises to be an important milestone for patchwork and quilting in UK, focusing on both the history and on contemporary practices and practitioners, and displaying the practical, social and historical aspects of this phenomenon to a much wider audience than those of us involved in the craft can usually reach. The book which accompanies the exhibition is now available and will almost certainly be an essential addition to the quilt history bibliography.
Early June sees a visit to The Brown House of a party of Japanese quilt enthusiasts on a tour organized by the magazine Quilts Japan. They’ll be seeing a variety of quilts, old and new, having a talk on the British quilt tradition, being entertained to a Show and Tell by Brown House Quilters and last, but by no means least, having proper English Afternoon Tea! Weather permitting, they’ll also be able to see the Brown House garden.
Tukey red and white frame quilt
And speaking of gardens, as the season progresses, gardening becomes a pressing concern – this year more than most because we’re opening for the National Gardens Scheme. On Sunday 27th June, three gardens in Fleming Square, Maryport, will be Open: our own garden here at The Brown House, the garden at The Priory, on the opposite side of Fleming Square (which is the one I look after myself), and a house belonging to neighbours on another side of the Square. All three gardens are walled and offer three very different ‘gardening experiences’ since all of the gardens’ owners have very different ideas of what they’re aiming to do. Teas will be served at The Priory tea room and there will be a good selection of plants for sale.
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The Brown House garden
In addition to the Japanese visitors, we shall welcome various gardening and horticultural societies to see the gardens – and the quilts as well, if they like! So this is a good place to mention that parties of 6 or more quilters and/or garden enthusiasts, can book a morning or afternoon visit here, to see quilts and gardens. Please contact me on celia.eddy@btinternet.com if you’re interested or want to know more.
In August ,I’ll be lecturing and teaching at the Festival of Quilts. My lecture is titled Quilts from the Alhambra, subtitled ‘A little history, a little design – and a lot of quilts!’ I’m really looking forward to that and do hope that I’ll meet some of you there.
Finally, in September, the British Quilt Study Group will be visiting the textile archive and mill at Stead McAlpin near Carlisle, followed by a viewing of some of the wonderful quilts in the collection of Tullie House Museum and Gallery in Carlisle. Full details and booking arrangements will be on the British Quilt Study Group website later in the year.
Wishing you all a very happy and quilt-full Summer!
Celia
Best wishes and happy quilting to you all.
Celia
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