Accommodation list for visitors to Quilters Haven

For your convenience we have listed accommodation within 5-10 minutes drive of Quilters Haven. All provide breakfast and some also provide an evening meal. They have been recommended to us by students. Please contact them directly. We look forward to welcoming you to Quilters Haven.

The Crooked House, High Street, Wickham Market. Tel 01728 747247 Contact: Jane Simpson. Only a few minutes walk from the shop

Old Carleford, Pettistree, Wickham Market IP13 0HZ Tel. 01728 746447. Picturesque 15th century thatched cottage in a village location one mile from us. The accommodation has two rooms in a separate annexe.

Moat Farm, Bredfield near Woodbridge. Tel 01473 737475

The Bull Hotel, Market Hill, Woodbridge IP12 4LR Tel 01394 382089. Ideal for those who wish to be in the centre of a charming historic market town. Ten minutes easy drive from Wickham Market.

4* Hotel Ufford Park Yarmouth Road, Woodbridge, IP12 1 QW tel 01394 383555. Situated between Wickham Market and Woodbridge.

Quilting Holidays 2010

I am delighted once again to be hosting Arena Travel's patchwork and quilting holidays, where all kinds of quilters get the chance to pick up lots of new tips and techniques, make some new friends, and see some truly wonderful sights along the way.

Each trip is designed to be different and together they cover a variety of destinations and themes. From machine sewing to hand quilting, and from single-base holidays to cruises and quilt festivals, there really is something for everyone.

So what tempting prospects do we have in store for you over the next twelve months?

Mountainous Alsace is renowned for its annual quilt show spread across four picture-postcard villages, so September sees us hop across The Channel for a feast of European quilts, French wines, delicious food and medieval architecture.

Later on in the year we head for the Arctic Circle and then cruise south to Bergen along Norway's stunning coastline in search of the elusive Northern Lights and, of course, come serious quilting. Since my own family originate from this area I'll be able to give you plenty of insider info!

In late Spring 2011 we fly to Canada and hook up with well-known quilter Ann Dale for the amazing outdoor quilt show at Calgary's Heritage Park. We'll also enjoy workshops at Ann's very own quilt store before taking a magical train journey through the Rocky Mountains to Vancouver.

Quilting and culture are both on the agenda in July when we travel to two of Italy's jewels, Venice and Padua. With ancient buildings, breathtaking canals, grand piazzas and priceless frescoes all to be savoured - as well as some gorgeous food and quilting sessions - who could resist?
Our weekend quilting trips have proved particularly popular in previous years and majestic Bath, with its American Museum, Fashion Museum, Georgian pump rooms and Roman baths will give us the chance to study textiles and design from over a century ago.

These trips are rarely repeated as I have so many other wonderful destinations on my list for the years ahead, and I know many of you return for a ‘new’ quilting holiday each year. So grab the chance while you can, and don’t be afraid of coming on your own since with this addictive hobby in common you can't help but make new friends.

I do hope you will join me!

Lake Constance, Switzerland June 2010

We had a fantastic holiday. There may be another in 2012..........
Why not take a look at the photos!

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show July 2010

The Sisters, Oregon Quilt Show is one of those 'must see' events for anyone who makes quilts or dreams of doing so. The actual Quilt Show will be held on Saturday July 10th 2010 but there will be events taking place the entire week with displays of quilts and other fibre and textile arts in sponsoring businesses. Over 1200 quilts from all over the uSA will be on display in the biggest outdoor quilt event in the world. The main street is blocked off for traffic and the town's buildings, fences and balconies are hung with the most amazing quilts.
Direct flights will take us into Seattle as we expolore the countryside and coast of Oregon either side of the Quilt week. We will have a coach with us for the whole trip.

To view and print Brochure click on picture

Festival of Quilts in Alsace, France September 2010

The Alsace is one of France's best kept secrets. Situated between the Rhine and the Vosges Mountains and bordering Germany and Switzerland, Alsace is ther smallest province in France -just 114 miles long by 30 miles wide. Small as it may be, the region offers a rich diversity of landscape: plains, forests, vineyards, valleys and mountain peaks.
In September each year the Euorpean forum of patchwork (Carrefour European du patchwork) takes place in Ste Marie aux Mines in Alsace. More than 800 textile workers from different countries are present in Ste Marie and the neighbouring villages during this four day festival. In previous years you could have admired ancient Turkoman wall hangings which combine the techniques of embroidery with patchwork, as well as wonderful Egyptian shimmering-coloured works, mostly completed by men. There is always something for everyones tastes. Contemporary textile art takes a large place too with very original presentations from Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, and in 2009, a spectacular display of Amish Patchwork Art.
There is also a sales area (essential for a patchwork fan!) with around a hundred shops.

To view and print Brochure click on picture

Norway - Northern Lights Cruise

11-19 November 2010. Now booking.

Arena Travel Reservation Form

A reservation form is available for you to download Click here

Photographs Northern weekend June 2009

What a great weeekend! To see photos of our visit to Calico Barn, Alnwick gardens and Beamish Museum click here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quilters-haven

Photographs Seine Cruise July 2009

A week of quilting and river cruising.
To see photos of our holiday click here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quilters-haven

Read about the Seine Cruise

The adventure began at St Pancras International, where a small but excited group of quilters assembled on 4^th July, to meet up with our very efficient Arena Travel Tour Manager and Karin Hellaby, our quilting tutor and expert. As the station boasts the longest champagne bar in
Europe, at least some of the group felt it appropriate to toast the start of the trip with a glass of Veuve Cliquot - they tried hard not to calculate how many fat quarters could have been purchased for the cost of the eye-watering bill!

We all agreed that Eurostar travel beats the stress of doing battle at the airport hands down and it seemed only a short while later that we found ourselves in Paris Gare du Nord. Speedily whisked away to the Quai de Grenelle on the Seine, we were soon ensconced in comfortable cabins in our new home, the CroisiEurope MS Seine.

Our first evening meal was a sign of what was to come: as one delicious course followed another and we perused the wine list, it became clear that not only our suitcases were liable to weigh considerably more on the way home and that it would have been an excellent idea to pack clothes with elasticated waistbands. Tender asparagus, shrimps (endearingly described as "shrumps"), cheeses, foie gras, fish, duck, veal, chicken, steak, rabbit, crème brulee, iles flottantes, plum tart, baked alaska, flaky croissants, delicious tiny pastries, to name but a few of the beautifully presented delicacies we were tempted with - oh, how we suffered!

A night cruise under the bridges of Paris turned out to be even more exciting than planned. Hardly under way, we were rammed by a much smaller boat, which caused an impressive dent and a surprising amount of damage. Both Captains were taken away to be breathalysed by the River Police, but luckily ours had not given in to the same temptation as the quilters and we were soon enjoying views of the Eiffel Tower and many famous landmarks, as well as waving to people on other boats and to what appeared to be the entire population of Paris enjoying a balmy evening on the banks of the Seine. We voted it a truly magical experience and a real highlight of the trip

The following morning we joined some of our fellow cruisers ( our League of Nations included French, Italians, Spanish, Mexicans, Americans and British) for a guided bus tour of Paris. Our knowledgeable French guide was very informative and spoke excellent English. Not to be outdone, one of our quilters reciprocated by wishing the somewhat startled driver a cheerful "bonne nuit" as we boarded the bus - at nine in the morning!

In the afternoon we had our first patchwork and quilting session. Although we had complete freedom to bring along any of our own projects ( or even to play hookey!), most of us opted to try Karin's very clever pleated log cabin pattern or relaxed with a sashiko embroidery kit.

That evening we were joined by a late-arriving group of 39 Spanish passengers: breakfast the next morning became an altogether noisier and livelier event. With everyone now present and correct, lunchtime found us enjoying belated welcome cocktails and being formally introduced to the crew. It was good to see some of those working behind the scenes, to say nothing of seeing just who was responsible for the ever-expanding waistlines. Throughout the week everything was announced in English, French and Spanish. Fabiola, the assistant purser, was responsible for English translations and more than justified the first syllable of her name. One minute dressed in her smart ship's uniform, dealing with queries or selling her own weight in stamps from the little gift shop, then in trainers and joggers for the "gymnastique douce" ( no, we only watched!), then in a red T shirt and trousers, accompanying an excursion, then in glamorous gold for the Egyptian night ( the chocolate pyramid pud was to die for), or in flowing green chiffon for the gala night. Fab indeed.

By now moored in the quaint little town of Vernon, our next trip was to the Monet Foundation in Giverny. We all enjoyed wandering through the beautiful gardens, admiring the Japanese style water gardens and snapping each other on the famous bridge featured in so many of Monet's
paintings. In the evening 6 of us opted out of the cabaret put on by the crew, choosing instead to explore Vernon. As if to remind us of home and a traditional English summer, the heavens suddenly opened. Doing our finest impression of drowned rats and with hardly an umbrella or jacket between us, we hurried back to the ship, only to find that a complicated manouevre to moor two boats together was under way. A truly gallic shrug on the part of the crew made it clear we would have to drip a little longer before they let us back on board. We felt we had been nearly as entertaining to those who spotted us splashing past as the cabaret we had missed!

Dried out by morning, we cruised past many quaint villages, negotiated locks, admired the scenery and generally relaxed. Yes, we were still steadfastly ignoring the "gymnastique douce" on the upper deck! Karin turned her attention to Suffolk puffs in assorted shapes and sizes and
some of us opted to make an early start on Christmas by stitching small felt ornaments. Our "workroom" was in the ship's lounge and so we often attracted an interested audience. Several of the Spanish ladies were particularly admiring and we regretted our lack of language skills - whilst we could muster up "buenos dias", sangria por favor" and one of our number knew how to say "take the lift to the second floor", this sadly left us ill equipped to discuss the finer points of patchwork! Luckily, hands, feet, a big smile and some good will do much to bridge the language gap and we did our bit for International relations.


On arrival at Caudebec en Caux, many of us took the opportunity to visit somebeautiful churches and abbeys, dating back to the the 15^th and even 10^th century. We decided not to enlist at the abbey where the monks had sworn a vow of silence - too hard a choice for quilters to stick to very long! Besides, we needed to return in time for the evening quiz, conducted in three languages. Thanks to a great team effort and a tour de force from Karin, our gallant team captain, we were the triumphant winners. She did explain to us how she happened to know the exact date Elvis died, but it's strictly on a need-to-know basis! Triumphant, we toasted our success in the bottle of bubbles we won.

A lesson in hand applique a la Karin formed our next class and we all produced surprisingly neat looking hearts. Well, mine was certainly a surprise to me - AND I finally seem to have been taught a full proof method of threading my needle; not bad after 40 years of sewing.

By now we had reached the lovely old port of Honfleur and enjoyed the medieval atmosphere, along with the rather more modern shopping. We toured the nearby floral coast in the company of a very good looking Ukrainian guide - he seemed even more handsome after our visit to the
Calvados distillery! In the evening he led a walking tour of the town, packed with historical interest, but the bustling street market provided too much of an alternative temptation for some. Suffice it to say, some interesting new items of jewellery and footwear were on display the
following day.

Our next port of call was Rouen, sailing under the impressive Port du Normandie. En route Karin showed us assorted methods of making and drafting Flying Geese and we continued to work on our little projects, many of which were now nearing completion. Once arrived, we explored the town, both on our own and later with yet another very knowledgeable
guide. His tour concentrated on the wonderful towering cathedral and those who returned there in the late evening for a spectacular Son et Lumiere voted it a highlight of the holiday.

From the sublime cathedral it was to to the slightly more ridiculous - evening found us all roped into a game of bingo! As if it wasn't enough that she had led us to victory in the quiz, Karin now managed to complete her top line first. We treasured her expression when she
discovered she had to sing a song before being allowed to claim her prize and all pleas of being tone deaf were sternly disregarded. However, when she also claimed a full house, and probably mindful of her solo, no more singing was demanded and instead we were all awarded
cocktails.

Time was now rapidly running out and we enjoyed our last quilting session. We were joined by an Italian passenger, who not content with inspecting all our work, decided she needed to take up this lovely hobby too. After the agony of realising her husband probably wouldn't approve
of her taking the entire contents of Karin's case of goodies and with much communication in broken French, she triumphantly bore off a charm pack, a pattern and a sample Suffolk puff!

The final stop before returning to Paris was les Andelys. Those who visited Vascoeuil Castle enjoyed a wonderful afternoon exploring the beautiful chateau, museum and gardens. They provided the setting for an amazing and unique collection of modern art and many sculptures, amongst them pieces by Dali, Volti and Cocteau.

A gala dinner provided the final assault on any remains of the waistline and all too soon we found ourselves enjoying a last wander along the banks of the Seine, just one more coffee, an ultimate glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. Once more escorted by our Arena Tour Manager, we were
suddenly back on Eurostar and then hugging goodbye at St Pancras. We all agreed it had been a wonderful and stress free holiday, with good company, excellent food, great excursions and very enjoyable sewing. Despite the impression I may have given, none of us will need to sign up for Alcoholics Anonymous, but I do fear that my next outfit may have to come from Evans Outsize, so I'm off now, to practise my log cabin over a diet coke!

ILONA MATHIE July 2009

Photographs Spain Quilting Holiday September 2009

A fabulous week in Ronda, Andalucia with day trips to Granada and Seville.
To see photos click here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quilters-haven

Read about the Sisters trip in 2007

THE LARGEST OUTDOOR QUILT SHOW IN THE WORLD!

Many quilters have heard of the Sisters Outdoor quilt show - the largest in the world but few from the UK have managed to get there!

Sisters is a small town (pop.1, 875) in the high desert area of Oregon USA. It is literally in the middle of nowhere and yet the town has hosted a quilt show for 32 years which this year attracted about 20,000. When I first suggested the trip to Arena Travel little did we realise the logistics of taking a group of 20 quilters to this remote area.

We flew into Portland and had a half day tour of this attractive city before visiting our first quilt shop Greenbaums Quilted Forest in Salem, voted one of the top shops in the US. Then a 3 hour drive over the scenic Cascade Mountains to Sisters. We were so lucky to have accommodation in the local inn. Most quilters arrive in an RV or equipped to camp for the week!

During the five days running up to the show there was plenty to do. Some attended classes and evening lectures with well known teachers in the local high school, others shopped until they dropped in the attractive craft centres in the town. On the first day we started a quilt walking tour around the town to see some of the 100 quilts already hanging in local shops, including the supermarket - would Tesco ever hang quilts we wondered? The mini heat wave meant temperatures were in the 90s so we soon adjourned to the Sisters coffee shop voted by us as being one of the nicest places to people and quilt watch. Arena Travel had arranged for us to visit the High Desert Museum, tour the quilts in local gardens and visit nearby Camp Sherman only 12 miles away, for their small quilt show. Each time a coach had to come out from Bend, 30 miles away, as there was no public transport in Sisters, apart from bicycle hire!

The penultimate evening was spent at the Quilters picnic on the town green. This proved to be a real highlight and unlike any picnic we had ever experienced. There were over 800 quilters sitting on chairs at tables, served beautiful food by local teenagers and entertained by the local school band. Kaye England was the 'after dinner speaker' and had us all in fits of laughter as she told amusing stories about her quilts and explained that her new chicken shed was named 'Cluckingham Palace'.

On the morning of the show we were all up bright and early and walking around town shortly after 7am.to see the quilts hung. The popular spot was watching the good looking fireman climbing ladders up the Stitchin Post Quilt shop building. Within two hours all 1200 quilts were hung and the town started to fill up with sightseers. Coaches arrived from Canada, California, Nevada and all over Oregon but the organisation was fantastic to watch, and there was plenty of room for everybody. As temperatures reached 100 degrees it was still easy to find a place to rest in air conditioned buildings and free bottled water was handed out to everybody. In between times we walked the town looking at special one woman quilt displays, the teacher's tent and the block competition where three of our group had won ribbons! None of us were convinced we saw the whole show but we loved the atmosphere and friendliness. We were certainly a novelty! Over and over again we were welcomed because we had come all the way from the UK. Some of the group volunteered to help during the show and the best job had to be folding the quilts ready for barcode scanning at the end of the day - that way you could get a real close look!
After 6 days it was time to leave Sisters and drive on to San Francisco. On the journey time was spent at the amazing Crater Lake, America's deepest inside an old super volcano; Klamath Falls; Mount Shasta and of course quilt shops! The favourite was Tater Patch which occupied an 'old' farmhouse in the middle of fields. Here, the whole building was crammed with fabric and quilts - including the bathroom, which became a problem as we each had to spend a long time in the loo. Each room had a fabric theme. The owners served us breakfast in the classroom, converted from a farm shed. We voted Tater Patch as one of the most original quilt shops we had seen.

After two days in San Francisco, before catching the plane, we had just enough time to visit the San Jose Quilt and Textile Museum. Here we found special exhibits on the theme of war and patriotism. The hand embroidered textile hangings from Chile, South Africa and Cambodia were particularly moving as they depicted some of the dreadful atrocities that had taken place in those countries.

Where can we go next…….? Will we go to Sisters again? We would love to, but maybe not for another couple of years as there are so many other places for quilters to visit! Karin Hellaby

Sisters - a poem by Rosemary Styles
Read to us at a 'Show and Tell' in Klamath Falls on Sunday July 15 2007

I have visited Sisters in Oregon
I am very glad that I had gone.
Sisters motel is where we stayed.
Fabric shops is where we played.
The quilted Forest and Stitchin Post
now which one did I look the most?
Sew many Quilts and Quilters Rooster
Gave my fabric stash such a booster
No classes there did I attend
Perhaps I did not comprehend
The fun and learning there intended
My disbelief now suspended.
And so I gave them all a miss which was for me quite remiss.
The teacher's Lectures told their story
We saw their quilts in all their glory.
High Desert area well worth seeing
Of how the area came into being
The Garden quilts went down a treat.
With drinks and cookies for us to eat.
Picnic in the Park what can I say
Which brings us round to The Quilt Day
The feast of colour all around
Lit your eyes and could be found,
On houses, Fences, Businesses too, what a sight for us to view.
With Jackie as our mother hen, who tells us who, what, why and when.
And without Karin's expertise we would not have had any of these
With Crater Lake to end the day just what is left for me to say
But thanks to Richard, Russ, Jerry and Chuck whose driving skills and driving luck have led us last Frisco bound on quilting trips we may be found
So thank you for your company that's all you are going to hear from me.

PS Apologies to Mount Sherman for leaving out a mention of their show!

Read about our Carcassonne Quilting Holiday

Memories of Quilting in Carcassonne April 2006
by Anne Ogden

Eleven quilters from England, two from Norway, two from Canada, one husband, Karin Hellaby from Quilters Haven and Jackie Coggan our Tour Manager from Arena Travel set out one April Saturday for an adventure into France. We were greeted at Gatwick by Jackie, our Tour Manager, identified by our pink luggage labels. Due to unforeseen circumstances we did not arrive at our destination until 1.30am. Our first glimpse of Carcassonne was through the coach windows - out of the darkness an illuminated fairy tale castle, La Cité appeared. The coach parked below and we gazed up at the surreal spectacle. We then made our way over a drawbridge, through a huge stone arch and up through the eerily quiet narrow cobbled medieval streets to Hotel le Donjon les Remparts, situated within the Cité walls. It was an unforgettable arrival. Our luggage arrived by minibus shortly after as coaches are not allowed in the Cité. We went to our comfortable rooms and fell into bed as soon as we could, tired, but very excited by our unusual surroundings and the prospect of a quilting holiday.

The next day, after a delicious French breakfast we were shown the workroom. It was large and airy and looked out onto a lovely walled garden with patio, chairs and tables. We each had two tables and a brand new Bernina 240 or 440 sewing machine. These are the machines most of us could only dream of but there they were, waiting for us to use, kindly supplied by Bernina. Anne, one of the Canadian quilters, and Karin gave us demonstrations of the capability of the 440's unique feature for freehand machine quilting. It was great to see it in action.

Jackie, our Tour Manager proved to be a tremendous asset and told us she was there to be of service, answer questions and sort out any problems - nothing was too much trouble. I think the most serious thing was a missing bathplug. She made daily sorties into La Cité and town to get local information and find restaurants. In the evenings we mainly ate together - no one was left to eat alone. Our evening meals were riotous occasions, full of fun and laughter, probably helped by a little local wine.

The whole group really gelled - this was a great bonus. The majority chose to work from Karin's Sew a Row book, but some worked on their own projects. We had demonstrations morning and afternoon with help and suggestions whenever needed. Everyone showed interest in their classmates' creations and offers of tools, fabrics etc. were constantly heard, as well as squeals of delight as our "rows" were finished.
Expertise varied, but we all achieved very satisfying results. The main emphasis was relaxing and enjoying ourselves. We were free to work as much or as little as we wanted and could pop off for coffee, lunch, shopping or sightseeing as we pleased. A bonus for those who had read the bestseller 'Labyrinth' was the easy access to many of the places mentioned in the book. The time just flew by and a few of us had to be dragged away from our sewing machines as we were enjoying ourselves so much. Our gentleman companion went off and did his own thing each day and joining us for the evening meal. Gary said he felt very warmly welcomed by the group and was able to relax and have as much enjoyment and fun as the rest of us. He was quite a card!

On the Wednesday, Jackie took us to Lavelanet to visit a Textile Museum and outlet factory. The coach tour gave us a wonderful opportunity to travel through the beautiful French countryside. We saw lots of quaint houses, vineyards, trees in blossom and spring flowers in the towns and villages. We stopped for lunch in Mirepoix, a little town famous for its ancient overhanging wooden buildings that housed restaurants and shops. On the way back we were dropped off in Carcassonne town and walked back through the square and streets to La Cité. We found a sewing shop and more interestingly an interiors shop that sold Provence style fabrics at very reasonable prices and gorgeous French household knick knacks. The assistants were amazed at the amount of fabric they sold in one afternoon. We had a great photo opportunity from the Roman bridge to capture a brilliant view of La Citie. That evening we agreed that it felt good to leave the 21st century behind as we were once again cocooned within our fortress and felt, trés comfortablé.

Sadly the time came for us to pack up our machines and get ready to go home. We all took photographs of every ones' work. Marit and Inger-Marie, our two companions from Norway, presented Karin and Jackie with beautiful framed collages of Carcassonne. These they had created late at night from scraps discarded in the waste bins - apparently we were very mean with our wastage. We were very touched by their thoughtful and imaginative gifts and all signed our names on the back of the frames. Jackie had shown more than a passing interest in patchwork and quilting and was delighted to be given a copy of Karin's Sew a Row book and a rotary cutter and mat - yet another convert - perhaps in her retirement !

We all wanted to know if there would be a trip next year. Karin said she would very happy to host another holiday and Jackie told us she had thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would even come out of retirement to take us again. She mentioned that she knew somewhere in Tuscany that would be ideal, hopefully by now this will have been arranged by Arena Travel? I know we will fondly remember our quilting experience in Carcassonne with a smile and a sigh, the new friends, perfect weather, wonderful setting, superb tuition and lots of laughter and fun. When we parted company at the airport there were promises to keep in touch by Email, hugs and a tear or two, but the burning question is
WHEN CAN WE DO IT AGAIN?????????