This week I am writing to you from London, where Sophie and I are visiting an old family friend before going to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK. It is Sophie’s first visit to England, so we are squeezing in several museums and cultural experiences in our few days here. I’ve been coming to London since 1983, and have visited many sites several times. Some things change (like the entrance to the National Gallery) but it is comforting to visit so many historic sites that are maintained in their authentic disposition.
If you sign up for the Buckingham emails, you will find out that Buckingham Palace opens up its State Rooms for the public to visit for several weeks in the summer. Presumably the queen has ditched her London palace for the cooler climes of Balmoral. Everyone here is complaining about the record-breaking heat. Anyway, I have been trying to hit the summertime Buckingham dates for years and I finally made it! We also took the Royal Garden Tour (her back yard, essentially) and visited the Queen’s Gallery. We’ll fit in the Mews and Westminster Abbey tomorrow, before we head up to Birmingham on the train Thursday. The V&A and Tower of London might have to wait til next time. Sophie’s luggage was missing for 2 days, so we lost some time, having to go shopping to find her some clothes to wear. The luggage finally showed up but now our laundry is lost. Oh well, it will all work out in the end. You have to keep your sense of humor at times like this.
There is so much incredible art at Buckingham, collected by multiple monarchs. We loved the gorgeous ceiling designs by architect John Nash, and portraits of Victoria by Winterhalter. We also saw Prince Charles’ favorite art works from the 3 charities he has founded: The Royal Drawing School, The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts and traditional crafts of Turquoise Mountain.
The photo collage above is a painting by Drouais, of Madame de Pompadour at her embroidery frame. She is wearing silk, embroidery and lace…sitting with tambour needle and thread. My how times have changed. We often sit with needle and thread in our jammies now. You can see this painting at the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square in London.
sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul
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eQuilter Classroom & Event Calendar:
Sept 14-19 – Betty Busby FRCQ workshops @ eQuilter
Oct 6-7 – M.J. Kinman Gemstone Quilt workshop @ eQuilter
Dec 2 – CQC workshop Victoria Findlay Wolfe @ eQuilter
Luana’s Travel Calendar:
Aug 9-12 – Birmingham UK Festival of Quilts
Sept 6-12 – CMG – Wash DC, QA TV – Ohio
Nov 2-8 – Houston Quilt Market & Festival – Love Your Mother Exhibit
Nov 13-19, 2018 – POLAR BEAR Tour
Dec 23 – Jan 4 – China
