A Little Bit of Shopping

I'm not much of a shopper, but yesterday 

(to reward myself for having sorted the curtains out)

 I had a very nice outing to Dorking.  

Dorking is about three-quarters of an hour away, so not normally somewhere I'd go, but I was heading for one shop in particular...

...The Quilt Room, which is owned by Pam and Nicky Lintott, who have written many lovely quilting books such as this one, which I was lucky enough to have for Christmas last year...

...and many desirable others...

...and...

All images from The Quilt Room

The drive to Dorking is a very pleasant one, taking me onto the Hogs Back and then through pretty villages such as Compton...

Geograph.co.uk

Albury, with its amazing chimneys...

Geograph.co.uk

and Westcott, with its thatched bus-stop and dovecote...

Geograph.co.uk

...but as the weather was miserable I didn't stop to take photos!

Once inside The Quilt Room, I was in heaven!
So many gorgeous fabrics - I could have spent a fortune (if I had one!)


I had gone to get fabric to back the quilt I made this time last year (from the 'Two from One Jelly Roll Quilts' book). 

After much browsing, I chose this one...

'Whitewash Fabric' by Meg Hawkey for Lecien 'Hope Chest'
It comes in a very desirable red colourway too!

I love the mock cross-stitch and monograms .


I also needed some fabric for a commission I have been asked to do, and think this might be good...

A Sevenberry design - not sure what it is called, but it's very fine with a delicate stripe to it.

As the commission is for a dress for a very special antique doll, I think it may be suitable!

Unfortunately, there was a bit of a queue at the till and somehow a Cabbages and Roses Layer Cake called Northcote came to be in my basket by the time I paid...

Shopping done, I headed down the pretty and historic High Street...

...and then down West Street, which is chock-a-block full of antiques shops, and had looked oh-so-tempting on the way in.

There was also this, which I felt had to be investigated...

The FLUFF-A-TORIUM!

...home of Gillian Gladrag, well known in the crafty world for her colourful felting kits and designs and for this book...

Thanks Amazon.co.uk for the pic!

I did buy a lovely sheet of unusual coloured felt, and some felt balls, and would like to return there another day, when I am looking for something yarny or felty to do.

Pretty, pretty colour

The antique shops all looked so tempting, with fabulous window displays.  Needless to say, they did not photograph well, but I'll include a few, just to give a hint of the treasures to be found there.

Beautiful filing trays and desk accessories

The green bench took all my attention, so I didn't even see the riding boots and trees, so like my own (but rather shabbier). Sweet little chair too!

Can you see the 'His Master's Voice' dog with the gramophone?   The rest of that window was filled with vintage, Bakelite phones - all very desirable.

As darkness fell, I wended my way home.  Today, the quilt has acquired a layer of old blanket and the backing fabric.  This evening I shall be sitting underneath it, getting started on some hand-quilting.

A good way to keep warm, as the weather has become rather chillier with this howling wind!