International Quilt Festival 2008

I had a great time yesterday at The Festival of Quilts a t Birmingham. It rapidly developed into a day for chatting and meeting for coffee. Amongst the people I spoke to were Lise ( will e-mail you when you get home) Julie, Sally, Artmixer, Maggie and I loved having the chance to see Ferrets quilts up close - she deserved the awards.

Later, just reread what I wrote: meant to add well done to Sally for your strippy and to everyone else who entered such brilliant quilts...mental note, do not blog when half asleep!!!

Somehow, the halls didn't seem as crowded as last year and after 4 o'clock there were plenty of chances to take photos.

Found this gentleman hanging about

did a small amount of shopping, trying not to add to my stash too much.

Rounded off the day by getting the train back to Nottingham and going straight to hen night, yes I was there, blowing up balloons and making animals as well as rather rude structures in the middle of a pub in Nottingham AND I WAS SOBER!!

Birmingham Back to Backs

Birmingham Back to Backs are a group of houses that had been preserved by the National Trust near the centre of Birmingham. These Back to Backs are literally that, the back wall of the house facing the street is also the back wall of the house facing the courtyard unlike back to back terraces in some parts of the country where the yards back on to each other.

This week they have been celebrating VE Day so we were issued with ration books so we could get our sweet ration from the shop ( see previous post) and a cup of tea and a biscuit. We even got to visit the coal cellar which was used as an air raid shelter, I don't think I would have wanted to be down there for long.

This is how the National Trust describe the buildings:

• Birmingham's last surviving court of back to back housing
• Story is told through the experiences of the people who lived and worked here
• Covers four different periods, from 1840 to 1977
• Design of each interior reflects the varied cultures, religions and professions of the families who made their homes here

Ration book and ID card

The wash house

1940s style

complete with home guard

As with all National Trust properties, photography is not allowed inside the buildings so here are panoramic shots of some of the rooms and this site contains memories of living in such buildings.

Shopping in Birmingham

Birmingham still has a large traditional outdoor market, something that I wish we had in Nottingham.

There is also the Rag Hall selling fabric, haberdashery and other items and an indoor market selling fish/meat and assorted household necessities. with a abundance of International food stalls.

China Town has Chinese supermarkets and restaurants

This traditional Sweet shop is to be found next to the Birmingham Back to Backs (see next post)

Glimpses of Birmingham

It was so nice yesterday morning that I hopped on a bus and then a train and ended up in Birmingham. The main reason for the trip was to visit the Art of Stitch Exhibition organised by the Embroiderers Guild. More about this later.
As usual I took my camera so the next few posts will be photo heavy and I apologise to anyone viewing on dial up rather than broadband.

Above is the fountain often nicknamed 'the floozy in the jacuzzi'

the above photos are of the Spirit of Enterprise fountain.

These two carvings were seen on buildings as I wandered around shopping.

Unfortunately my favourite Forward statue is no longer there as it was burnt down a few years ago so I will search my old photos foe a good shot of it.