quilting in Europe

there is a good quilt shop (bird blocks -

iirc)) in Amsterdam just under a shop that sells reproductions of older Dutch fabrics (de Haan & Wagenmakers - again IIRC) . then there is the Albert Cuip markt where a lot of interesting fabric shops are located.

Paris also has a quilt shop but then Paris is *huge* so it's easy to miss it.

There are many brilliant quilters there, but in the rest of the world quilting is not necessarily as "common" (as in all-pervading or popular) as in the States. You could come to Australia as a tourist and not necessarily see any quilt shops, but they're here. It depends on how hard you want to search for them.

Did they ask any locals? After all we have quilters from England, Netherlands and France on this ng.

There are most certainly quilters galore in the UK. The quilt shops tend to be scattered, however. There is certainly not one in every town

- even large ones like Oxford. I know there is no longer one in Cambridge (or there wasn't last time I checked), so perhaps Oxford is the same. In towns like that the overheads are crippling (Major, prestigious Universities and tourist towns). There is a marvellous Italian quilter, but I don't know how prevalent quilting is in Italy. Our Nicoletta can tell us how popular it is, if she reads your post. The European Quilting Association provided a wonderful show of quilts at the Festival of Quilts here just a couple of weeks ago. . In message , Idahoqltr writes

the other thing to remember is that the average non quilting *and* non native English language speaker won't even know *what* a quilt is if you use the word quilt, let along know where a quilt shop is.

I live near 3 quiltshops and didn't know of any except one that is over an hour away till I joined a Dutch yahoo quilting group. nor did I know that there is a guild near me till I joined the same group.

I second the recommendation to ask here first!

-- Anita --

Howdy!

Yes.

Ragmop/Sandy

Howdy!

Before we went to Germany last year I researched all k> the other thing to remember is that the average non quilting *and* non

I have two quilt shops within a 1/2hour drive, but both are in small towns. Neither of the big towns/cities (Ipswich and Norwich) have quilt shops (not that I've found, anyway.) When I lived in Nottingham (big city) there were no quilty shops, and just one department store with a very small needlework department - just kits. I think, as Pat said, the overheads are just too great, so those there are are in smaller towns.

Also most Europeans use duvets rather than quilts, and quilts tend to be used as a decorative cover during the day, a throw or a wall hanging. We don't have a quilt in our bedroom as DH moans about having to take three small cushions off the bed at night(!) and the duvet cover is pretty.

Duvets just don't work properly if you have an added cover over the top. I suppose you can still buy blankets for beds, but I don't really know where from - haven't seen them for years.

-- Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~ (uk)

There are most certainly quilters galore in the UK. The quilt shops

"Jessamy" wrote in news:44f0746f$0$14481$ snipped-for-privacy@news.wanadoo.nl:

I was going to mention Den Haan & Wagenmakers. I love their fabric! It has such a nice feel to it.

"Cats" wrote in news:44f07563$1 snipped-for-privacy@news.chariot.net.au:

And Switzerland. :o)

I find that in Europe (or at least what I have seen) many of the quilts are art quilts, more art really than practical (odd sized & shapes, lots of embelisment), for the reason you suggest (use of duvets rather than blankets).

Sally Swindells wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Sandy Ellison wrote in news:C1163776.988B% snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.net:

Most of the fabric in the quilt shops around me are from the US. There is sometimes small sections of German, Dutch & UK fabrics (I've seen only one brand from each country).

When I was in Southern Italy two years ago visiting relatives, I found (or should I say didn't find) the same - no quilt shops or even fabric shops. I asked my cousin about it. She said people are not interested in sewing and she didn't now know anyone who was not a professional seamstress or tailor who sewed or quilted Based on what I saw, though, my suspicion is, sewing/quilting is seen as an extravagance, given the high price of electricity and the fact that space is a premium! Many people live in small 'flats' without a lot of extra space. In fact, I was there in July - one of the hottest months in that area - and there was not an air conditioner or fan to be found in any of the houses I visited, not even in the shops. And we went all over S. Italy....I thought I would melt! But folks there were used to it, everything closed up at noon and people took a siesta until later in the day when it cooled off. Even the washing machines and refrigerators are very small, and even though my hosts had a washer in the two weeks I was there they never used it. In fact, they showed me the wash tub & faucet (on the porch) and invited me to wash whatever I wanted :)=20

We think nothing of turning on washers, computer, irons, sewing machines and other things we take for granted....but in other parts of the world where electricity is very expensive, they do.

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------

Sally,We have a 4.5tog duvet on the bed summer and winter.In the winter and indeed Autumn and spring out comes the appropiate quilt, its needed for warmth then!

Thanks for all the great responses. I learned a lot. In the future I will check here first.

Quilting/quilts is/are something very American both in origin as in the present day. In the US everyone knows what a quilt is, and most people will at least remotely know a quilter. There are quilt shops all over the country (how I envy that!!!). But here in Spain patchwork/quilting is something that has really only "come into fashion" relatively recently. Right now it's the "in" thing and most classes are full with waiting lists even, but it's really only been around for a few years (10 at most and that is being generous and for those "weird ladies with their needles" group). It has really become fashionable in the last 5 years or so. There are very few shops around because it is an area that caters to a very small and select group of people, so it is a high business risk to open a quilt shop. Plus, there is the price factor; most (if not all) the info and supplies come from the US and Australia, which certainly increases the sale price and severely limits the stack of shops. I know of one shop here in Guadalajara (which is quite a feat this being a "hick" province) and it has a very poor fabric selection and supplies/notions are laughable. I think there is a shop in Madrid (or two) but I haven't been there and can't be sure where they are. Of course, I have the advantage of speaking/reading/writing English so I do most if not all my quilt shopping online. Even with shipping and customs I am still way better off than buying at the shops here. It's just too limited a market to open a quilt shop in Spain (and I would guess most of the rest of Europe as well).

Just my two cents' worth

Claudia

Idahoqltr wrote: