Emma's written a book!

There's great excitement and anticipation on the EB front at the moment as Emma's written a book!

All we know about it is what you see in the above picture of the cover - it is due to be published on 14th March.

The publishing publicity machine has swung into action and Emma is due to appear at various book festivals around the country, but first there is to be a special launch day for Collectors at the factory in Stoke.

When I heard about this my heart sank then skipped a beat.  I knew that trouble lay ahead as there were only 40 tickets available with successful applicants able to order  two.  The instructions for ordering were a bit confusing with conflicting information on the Members' page as to when and how to order.  On the day, due to the high demand, the computer crashed and there were a great number of disappointed fans!  This is putting it mildly, complaints flooded in and Customer Services were inundated with very annoyed pottery people!  So much so that they did issue 10 more tickets to randomly selected applicants! 

I have never participated in anything like this and had absolutely no interest or intention of going to the event. Stoke is quite a long way from where I live and I have met Emma and Matthew before at the Hay Book Festival, so I enjoyed watching the consequent pleas of unfairness and begging for tickets!  Not really very nice to enjoy this, but hey I'm human!

Well let's get to the point of this post, without telling me, my friend Sharon managed to secure two tickets and has invited me to go with her!   Other Welsh EB friends nearby have managed to get tickets too, so there will be quite a Welsh presence in Stoke on the 18th March!  Oh I'm so looking forward to it as it will be a chance to put names to faces and talk pots to our hearts content and hopefully buy some and of course meet Emma!

Welsh Quilts and Pictures

One shouldn't wish one's life away but I am really looking forward to March!  February isn't the best month here in Wales as we are having terrible weather, but at least the bulbs are peeking through the waterlogged ground and it is the shortest month!

One event I am really anticipating with excitment is the opening of the new exhibition at the Jen Jones Quilt Centre in Lampeter!  This year there is a folk art theme and I know that some of my favourite quilts will be on show.  "Early to Bed, early Welsh Quilts with Janet Bolton" opens on March 7th.

I have only seen pictures of the quilts shown below, so it will be a treat to see them in reality and just to add to my joy, Valeriane Leblond is including some of them in her delightful paintings -

 

These will be on exhibition and for sale at the Centre from mid May to the end of June and as I am teaching there on the 16th May - so lots of temptation!

Since posting the above I have come across more images.  This is a picture of the reverse of the second quilt showing its wonderful quilting -

Another picture by Valeraine of a basket quilt which is a favourite of mine and which I have done a version of -

Below is the original quilt which is in the collection of Ceredigion Museum and my version, which looks a little lighter than it is because the picture was taken in bright sunlight!  I was going to add that "those were the days" but looking out on the garden from my desk at the moment the sun is shining brightly, but how long will it be until we are deluged yet again?

Good happenings!

Last Wednesday night I couldn't sleep - I felt too wired!  The alarm was set for 6 am as we were off to London for the day.  I hate preparations for any trip and get so worried about arrangements running smoothly.  Well actually I'm just an anxious traveller and admire people who seem to do it so casually!

We were booked to visit the Royal Opera house to see the Royal Ballet's new production of Giselle.  It was a Christmas present from my friend - something to cheer us up she said as we all need a treat in January.

A great idea and it worked!  We had a perfectly lovely day, a wonderful experience as I had never been inside the Royal Opera House before. We taxied everywhere as it was rather cold and damp and just viewed the hustle and bustle of the streets without worrying how to find our way!  However when we reached the Opera House and it was announced that the auditorium was open and we could take our seat, we couldn't find them!  The signage was dreadful and we nearly missed the beginning of the performance.  We weren't alone in this as there were a lot of panicking people rushing about with us!  In the end all was well and we were safely installed before the curtain was raised, alleluia!

Giselle is a very pretty ballet with lovely costumes and scenery, but the plot is ridiculous!  I suppose that's the point of ballet, you have to suspend all believe and enter the fairy tale world and enjoy the dedication and talent of the dancers!  A great day, ending with cocktails on Paddington station while we waited for our train to be called!  I can't believe I'm writing this, cocktails on a station forecourt - what next?

The other reason for not sleeping was that I had received an email from the curator of textiles at St. Fagan's (The Welsh National History Museum) enclosing some images of an early 19th century patchwork coverlet that has been found in the in textile store!  It is in wonderful condition and I hope to see it soon and, with permission, I will tell you all about it!

What an end to January!