A New Me!

Just so you know.

I've noticed another Clare has emerged in Blogland so I have changed my sign in name to Dordogne Clare. Same picture, different sign in name.

Whilst on the subject of blogs and blogging, I am trying my hardest to get round the rings and keeping up to date with my RSS feeds, but it is getting harder and harder and I get side tracked by a new blogger, or the connection times out, or I get sucked in to doing something else. Please don't give up on me. I am still reading, even if I don't leave a comment. There are so many fantastic quilts to look at these days.

Quilt going well, nearly there with the top and then the border to do. Got some lovely Coats & Clark Multicolour thread yesterday and am deciding whether to do fans or spirals. Which will be the quickest I wonder? This quilt has got to be ready in 2 weeks and I'm having panic attacks that it won't be. I was up at 5.30 am yesterday sewing like mad and finally had to give in at 11.00 pm last night when I started doing the nodding dog bit.

When I start designing/making a quilt, sometimes I cannot see the wood for the trees and it is not until the last few stitches are being sewn that it all comes together in my head.

Are you the same, or can you see it right from the word go?

And on that note I will bid you au revoir. Must get some chores done before settling down with the quilt.

Sorry - no photos. I've tried but a combination of connection and Blogger is making uploading impossible.

French Quilts

Esteemalu over at Quilting-Mania asked me about French Quilts. No, I don't make them and, no, I haven't got any pictures on here.

But, just for you I have tracked down the web site of the Dordogne delegation of Association France Patchwork. There are some fine examples, if this is what you mean by French quilting. If you mean quilting Toile fabric then type french quilts into Google Images et voila! Look at the white one on the left of the 4th row and I love the chickens. They remind me of Joyce's chicken quilt.

Alex's Bulletin de Notes has just come through in the post. 3rd over all for the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wip Wednesday - 13-06-07 and Machine Quilting

Jean and John have been quilted and I've nearly finished "Katherine" in stem stitch. Today is wet and miz again so I'm going to catch up on a few chores and then knuckle down and try to get the centre finished. Then all I've got to do is to tackle the border which is giving me nightmares.

Onto the next question. I am thinking of machine quilting Tamzin's wall hanging quilt cos then I might just be able to get it done, if not in time then at least before they go to L.A. What thread mix do you use, or what make? I am hoping to get up to the QS at Thiviers on Saturday so can have a rummage in the thread section then.

What length of stitch, etc, etc, etc. I don't have a walking foot, just a plain old universal one that does everything. Would you advise me to get one or just see what happens. On the other hand, perhaps I should stick to hand quilting. After all, my machine isn't a posh one and I do prefer hand quilting. What do you all think?

And to brighten up what is turning into a miserable day, here is a picture of my Alex lying in the freshly cut hay talking to Magic yesterday evening.

Wandering Around Brantome

We had a walk round Brantome yesterday before the season really starts and you can't move for Grockles.

One of the smaller supermarkets closed its doors recently and I was interested to see what, if anything, had taken its place. Prime site so surely someone would have the sense to open up a sensible shop, rather than a tourist one. Don't be silly Clare! Brantome is a tourist town and don't the retailers know it. Overpriced tat!

Anyway, the shop has been taken over by an importer of woven cashmire and Middle Eastern bits and pieces.

The scarves are beautiful and not that expensive, but look what I found at the back of the shop.

This is part of a folded wall hanging. No batting, but silks machined together and then backed and bound. No quilting. But oh my goodness look at the price! AARRGGHHHHHH!



The next picture is a section of one that was hanging up. The workmanship is appalling. Split seams all over the place so how they have the nerve to ask that amount of money I do not know.

Towards the front of the shop was some more "patchwork" similar to Tonya's Crusty, but about 3 times the size. Fantastic colours and beautiful workmanship this time, but still horrendously expensive. No photo - sorry. Owner was looking at me oddly by this time so I didn't push my luck, especially as DH tried to distract him by asking the price of a carpet (8,000 Euro).

I wonder how much the people who make this stuff get paid? Not a lot.

Ok, next bit. In the Place du Marché is a fossil shop selling, apart from fossils, jewellery and the normal tourist stuff, fabric, yes fabric. Not just any old fabric, but hand woven and hand dyed batiks imported from Senegal in purples, blues, greens, reds, blacks and yellows. The price? Wait for it, 7.50 a metre. Yeesssssssss! Tonya - you have just got to see these colours and patterns.

Sorry no photo. Don't you just hate it when you are being "watched".

To round off this post. I have been meaning to take a photo of this for years. Propped up outside the Au Fil de L'eau restaurant on the Quai Bertin.


Lovely setting, lovely restaurant and gorgeous food if you are into duck cooked in a variety of ways and rounded off with a rich Perigord sauce.

Pressies and a Small Purchase.

A long standing friend, who I have never met, but we belong to the same Yahoo Group, mentioned sometime ago that she had received 2 quilting books from a book club which she did not want so would I like them? Yes please!




Well, they were parcelled up and ready to go by UPS from Portland, Oregon to France when my friend Meg's husband just happened to be in Texas, so they were sent down to him. They then travelled across the Atlantic to the Pays Basque and a few weeks later were delivered to Allison who lives in the Charente Maritime. Allison gave them to my friend Sue who lives just north of Nontron and last Saturday I finally got my hands on them.

And then last Monday we went into Perigueux, as you know, and as we were in the vicinity of Mr Bricolage I popped in for thread and blades for the cutter. I came out with this little lot, more blades and other bits and pieces. I love the colours and shall probably use this for Aunt's quilt (if it is ever finished).


And on that subject, I am trying to get the sections up onto a white wall to show you all so more on that later.

Stashbuster Topic of the Week (a little late) .... My Favourite Quilt Store

Oohhhh - this is hard! I have various ports of call for various quilting bits and pieces.

Fabric comes from the fabric warehouse at Javerlhac if we are passing; quilting thread, machine needles and replacement cutters come from Mr Bricolage at Boulazac in Perigueux (don't laugh - they took over the concession of the Arts et Passion store when it closed), embroidery threads come from all over the place (all kinds of shops stock the DMC threads), rulers come from Oasis in Perigueux if and when I need one, but I suppose my favourite of all the ones I have discovered is Saperlipo'patch in Bordeaux. We were there last Friday on a jaunt as it was the last day of the holidays for Alex, but unfortunately we ran out of time and I didn't get to visit. Good thing or bad thing I do not know, but at least the bank balance didn't get a thrashing!

Now a new discovery. There is a tissu shop in Perigueux next door but one to the swimming pool supplies shop. DH had to pay a visit yesterday to get a new white bache for the summer pool cover and some other bits and pieces so I popped next door for a quick look. Loads of quilting fabric. Tiny little FQ's for 1 Euro and lots and lots of choice of fabric. Boy was I tempted but I was a good girl and didn't buy. I did see material for the borders for my aunt's wall hanging (WiP demain) and spotted a supply of Coats handquilting thread so will be returning.

3 years ago it was difficult to obtain quilting supplies here without going onto the 'net, so I am pleased to see the choice is finally opening up. I am yet to try Angouleme, but DH has promised a trip there sometime this week. I wonder what I shall find?

I don't just get in the car and zoom off at the drop of a hat for quilting stuff. Each visit has to co-incide with a trip out, be it Perigueux, Nontron or, even, Bordeaux.

Belated Blog Birthday and Quilt History

Belated Happy Blog Birthday to me. Hard to believe that just over a year ago I started blogging and look at what has happened!

I'm so busy with Quilts 4 Leukaemia that I haven't got time for anything else; I have made friends with fellow quilters all over the world and hope some day to meet some of you in the flesh; my idea of quilting has changed beyond recognition thanks to a certain person; and I have well and truly amazed myself.

A big hug to each and every one of you and thanks for stopping by over the last year.

Onto the second part of the title.

As you probably know, this last weekend saw the 200th anniversary of the abolishment of the slave trade. On BBC Radio 4 on Sunday evenings there is kids programme called Go For It. Yesterday evening the programme was devoted to the slave trade. I wasn't really listening (rarely do), but suddenly heard a woman saying how quilts were used to depict safe houses for escaping slaves and contained hidden messages ( Drunkard's Path, Northern Star, etc).

Is this really true? I only ask because this topic came up on Stashbusters the other month and someone said it wasn't.

Pictures soon hopefully.

Lynne Edwards and Fabric Diet

I was leafing through the January 2007 edition of Country Living UK and came across an article about Lynne Edwards. Now being a relatively new quilter and not quite au fait with the celebrity quilters, I was thrilled. There are some gorgeous photos of her quilts, her applique, tote bags, etc. Oh and a picture of part of her stash!

If anyone is interested in seeing a copy, I can easily scan it as a PDF document and email it to you.

There was something else I was going to say, but I've forgotten what it is!

Oh I've just remembered. In the same article there is a list of where to see quilts and the Quilt UK Show at Malvern on 17 to 20 May is mentioned, as is the Festival of Quilts at the NEC Birmingham on 16 to 19 August.

No it wasn't that! Just to say thanks again to Kim for her lovely March Fabric Diet badge.

Hold the Front Page

I was just about to sign off for the day and then heard this on the radio.

Fascinating.