Patchwork Quilt - Europe

Hi everyone,

This quilt is a blast from the past, however I have not quilted it yet. I tend to completed and quilt gifts, but the quilts I keep for myself seem to always stop at the bottom of the pile.

In 2005/2005 our daughter, Carren, lived in London, working as a nanny.  Carren had a wonderful time.  She travelled to many European countries, spent one Christmas with her cousin in Vancouver, and made some wonderful friends.  She will visit one of those friends soon in Adelaide.

Anyway, I visited Carren for two months in 2006. I cannot go anywhere without some patchwork.  It stems from going to WeightWatchers in my teens with my mum.  We were told to always have something for the hands to work with.  Whilst I have fabric in my hands, I don't have food.

Well, I took the makings for this quilt.  I used pansy fabrics in each square. Some are 12” squares whilst the little ones are 4” squares.  I made them all by hand.  I always had the makings of a square in my hand luggage.

One night Carren and I flew from Heathrow to Salzburg.  We had a 4:00am flight. I couldn’t sleep in the chair at the airport, so I hand sewed all night.  Carren slept though. When we eventually got on the plane, apparently I was asleep before the plane left the airport and Carren needed to wake me as we landed. I was great company that flight.

 

We stayed in Avignon for several days.  One of those days, we intended hiring motor bikes but they were all gone.  So we hired push bikes.   We rode 15 miles out to a perfumery.  I remember that it was a beautiful day. Carren played ‘Mum’ that day. She rode behind me and continually reminded me that I had to stay on the right side of the road.  In Australia, we are used to driving on the left side of the road.  Anyway, I kept riding to the middle.  Carren would say, ‘over to the right, Mum.’

At lunchtime we stopped at a little village for a break.  It was so different to something that I was used too.  A little pond or well in the middle, the small square surrounded by houses and a street.  I have just finished reading a novel about Italy.  This image of this little village stayed with me during the book. On the way back we saw a country wedding. Such lovely memories.

 

This is Carren and I in Lucerne, Switzerland.  The above photos are also the surrounds of Lucerne.  A beautiful place.  We both grew up with 'Sound of Music.'  So Austria was a must.  We visited Salsburg and did the 'Sound of Music' tour.  We then worked our way back to England, on the fast train, stopping a few days here and there. 

 

This the Arc of Triumph in Paris.  Such a busy roundabout.  Carren and I climbed to the top.  I stood and watched, fascinated by the lack of road rules as car after car got on and somehow got off the roundabout in one piece or without too many scratches on their cars.  

Here is Carren in front of Cartier's.  

Such wonderful memories.  Many photos were taken but they weren't digital.  So it seems I must scan them onto my Ipad.  Above is a taste which has brought my memories to the front of my mind.  Such a lovely holiday and such a precious time I spent with our daughter. 

 

I have several pictures in my mind, when I remember make this quilt.  I tried to finish a 12' square every few days.  On afternoon I remember sitting on my bed, at Carren's employer's place, trying to catch up.  I patch-worked whenever I sat in the train, fast or just local and bus rides.  Having this quilt to work on, allowed me to have some down time quietly, on my own.  It allowed myself to process all the wonderful sites that I saw.  

I hope you enjoy reading about these memories.  I have enjoyed sharing them with you.

Blessings 

Leanne