If Ever...

there was a format for a quilt show that was guaranteed to be successful, it has to be the Carrefour in Alsace. Take several scenic villages, strung along a single road, in an area which has a tradition of textile manufacturing. Run free shuttle buses between the venues. Bring in a wide variety of exhibitors, from the historic quilts to the traditional and on to the art quilt, and add a sprinkling of fashion. Mix in some serious quilt shopping opportunities in several languages. Make sure there are plenty of places to eat and drink. Provide polite, helpful staff. Now, that's a quilt show!

And, if ever there was a good way to visit a quilt show, I think we found it. Hire a gite on top of a mountain with plenty of room and wonderful views. Add three friends who met on the internet, and who get on just as well in 'real time'. Add a liberal sprinkling of other internet friends, to season...and plenty of good French wine. Oh, and a little judicious retail therapy!! Photos will follow, I promise (guess who forgot the camera again....). If you really can't wait, go look at Sandy's blog

I was lucky to be sharing the gite with Dijanne Cevaal and Sandy Marcoux, spending time with Thelma Smith, and to have met a variety of people, many from Alternativequiltlist, the online group I run, and whose names will doubtless pop up in the days to come... and yes, thank you, I had a wonderful time!

ps Some people bring home postcards of the area. Artist bring home postcards made by each other...in this case, one of Dijanne's pomegranates, which I fell in love with at first sight...thanks, Dijanne....