Region 8
Essex, Suffolk

From the Regional Co-ordinator

Dear Members, 

This is the second time I have written to you introducing myself, and I am sure that you will be thinking not much has changed in the five years since the first letter. To those of you who have joined in the intervening years, I still do more talking and reading books about patchwork and quilting than getting on with the job in hand. I really only patch in order to hand quilt which I find most relaxing, but I have yet to get started on the North Country Strippy although I bought the material several years ago.

 During the last five years my daughter Helen has married and produced two grandsons for me - I just wish she had got round to it earlier when my knees would have been fine for crawling round the floor.  James the elder one usually introduces me as "this is my Nanna who has poorly knees!"  My son Martin has yet to stop travelling the World and settle down, but girl friends only seem to last a few months, as soon as I get to meet them they are on their way - I don't think it is due to me. Having been a widow now for 15 years I do feel guilty about filling the whole house with my hobbies; Helen checked up on me and found that I had five chest of drawers full of fabric, but I replied that it was their inheritance along with all the boxes in the loft they brought back from University and never looked at again.

 I am involved in two patchwork groups which meet during the day on Mondays, Keene the original group I joined which got me involved in all this, and then Windmill which started when Keene could not take any further members, and then my W.I. and E.H.A also meet on Mondays in the evening (washing never gets done now on the right day according to my mother)

I have been lucky enough to visit the Quilt Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert on three occasions and each time I have come away with different thoughts which I have written about elsewhere in the area magazine. I am going on holiday to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Madeleine Howard this September and we are both looking forward to visiting the Amish, and hope to restrain one another from buying more fabric.

 Finally I would like to thank Ann Bevan and the resigning committee members for all they have done for the Quilters Guild and welcome the new members and hope they will enjoy their time helping in Region 8.

Delia