Nantes - Days 1 and 2 Pour L'amour du fil

 Well ..... this was a sight I wasnt sure I would see again! OK I did see it when I went to FOQ last August but this is different, this is ABROAD 😂😊I wont lie, in the days leading up to going I was almost cancelling, the thought of doing this was making me physically sick. I posted a fair bit on social media in the hopes that the fear of looking like a wimp would help me go through with it, and it worked! I did go through with it and loved it!

Big shout out to the scoobs, he lent me one of his compression sacks so I could squish down my clothes so the rucksack would fit into the required measurements, before:

And After:

😂, I know I do tend to overthink things! Scoobs also took me to the airport. All of these things were second nature before 2020, I would think nothing of this but one global pandemic later and also shielding, well it all takes on a different significance then.

But once under way it was OK, it all felt familiar, I masked up all the way in the airport and on the plane etc, I was one of only a few but that didnt matter, it made me feel safe. Im not so worried now about getting CV (still dont want to get it though) but I definitely don't want to get it abroad in the first instance. There were so many people coughing and hacking and sneezing that I was really glad I was masked, its not just CV which is going around! I had a couple of hours in Schipol which was fine, I took my embroidery with me and it was all grand, the KLM flights were fab, nice snacks!
Arriving in Nantes I got the shuttle bus to the main train station, the hotel I was in was right across the road all so handy, I was shattered and still a bit wound up after first overseas travel in 3 years so I took the easy option for tea and went to the convenience store next to the hotel 😊 Classy huh? 😂😂😂

19th April - 1st full day in Nantes! I got up at a reasonable time, went to train station for coffee and a croissant and found the most beautiful park slap bang next door to the hotel.

I was blown away by it to be honest, sitting here each morning having my coffee and croissant was one of the many highlights of this trip.

There was a camelia labyrinth! Me n Scoobs are looking into getting some camelias for the garden, they were stunning.

I had to tear myself away from this to actually go and visit Pour l'amour du Fil which was my real reason for going to Nantes!

I chose the hotel (which was basic but very nice) because it was near the train and tram lines, slap bang in front of them both, the tram was 15 mins to the exhibition center which was very very lovely, more on that to come!

I wont lie, it took me a few goes (even with mask on) before I went into the show it was heaving, like the FOQ pre pandemic.

In terms of size I would say the show was half the size of the Festival of quilts but I probably spent as much time here as the FOQ, I didnt sign up to any classes but if I came again I would really consider it.

For me there was more of an attraction than FOQ, Im still trying to pin what it was. The show definately cemented that I am a traditional quilter, a traditional modernist quilter I would say (if we have to put a label on it and I am not keen on labelling but in this case it helps with my thinking) I mean I like making traditional quilts in modern fabrics. To be honest a lot of modern quilting leaves me cold, improv does not appeal in the slightest and negative space? Nah not for me, I can appreciate the skill etc but we cant all like the same things.

The exhibitions here sang to my heart, I want to make a basket quilt a tree of life, a circle medallion! Loved them all.

Here are some highlights from day 1:

This black whole cloth got quite a few comments on instagram, it is incredible

I always thought i wasnt that fond of basket quilts, but oh my this show made me think otherwise! I loved these and want to make one.

Stunning.

There were food trucks outside, not a huge amount but there was nice food and all the staff were so lovely, the sun shone and when i needed to I could go outside for a breather 😊

As well as seeing the exhibitions I was noting what stands I wanted to buy things from, my standpoint is always with these shows that I want to buy things I cant easily get at home, either online or from my local stores.

One place I really wanted to check out was Odile Bailloeul, I have followed her on instagram for years I managed to snag a FQ bundle of her fabrics in the 2019 FOQ but it was limited and I could only get the bundle not individual prints. I adore her bright vibrant colours and stylem, her stand did not disappoint!

She did the design for the show bag, so I had to have one!

My first purchase was for a good chum, she wanted the latest Willyne Hammerstein book, I was happy to oblige!

Willyne Hammerstein had her own display area, just stunning, most of the quilts were from the latest book.

I didnt buy too much on the first day but I did some purchasing, so here is the traditional hotel room show and tell! Aided by a certain little stow away who decided to come with me 😊

I loved these adorable little embroideries, I have a joke with a chum about partners who load the dishwasher, there is always one who loads it like a Scandinavian architect and one who loads it like a racoon on meth 😂 this little racoon embroidery reminded me of that and it is adorable!

Book for chum!

The first of the Odille Bailloeul fabric!

I went back to the hotel and when out shopping for tea (convenience store again!) I stumbled across this chateau 10 mins from the hotel, I will be back!

There were mutterings about "more Merlot???" but hey I was quite quite overwhelmed and did need to decompress 😉

Thats it for day 1, Ill be back with the other days once I catch my breath