Into the Wild Blue Yonder

When we opened the curtains first thing this morning we were greeted by a beautiful morning with lingering mist and sunshine.  I grabbed my camera and took some pictures before all that beauty could disappear.

 Then I heard a whooshing sound and looking up spotted this colourful balloon slowly traversing the sky.

I loved the way it seemed to hang above our chimney.

It wasn't till this moment that I realized that if I could zoom in on it, the people in it could do the same in reverse and I was still dressed in my nighty! So I scarpered inside very speedily. But it dawned on me while driving to the first Thistle Quilters meeting of the season in Edinburgh that this balloon was an excellent image to reveal my news!

I too am off into the wild blue yonder, though not in a balloon. Instead I'll be winging my way to New York next spring on a quilting orientated trip that I won. I won't show you the winning quilt yet but here is a detail below.

This quilt (called Gelli Glory) was made for a competition on the theme of Stars and Stripes organized by the British Patchwork & Quilting Magazine on the occasion of their 30th anniversary, and you will be able to see the entire quilt in the next issue (November) of the magazine coming out in the middle of October. Once that has appeared I will post it here too. The prize is a trip organized by PandQTours and both I and a friend will be going. Going with a friend will make it so much more fun and I'm so happy she too is looking forward to it very much.

Guidebooks for New York have already been bought and the trip will included a visit to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA, and a visit there has long been a dream of mine), the 9/11 Memorial site, as well as a trip to The City Quilter where I will receive 10 fat quarters of fabric as part of my prize. Somehow I suspect these won't be the only fabrics coming home with me. A big suitcase will be needed! You will hear lots more about this adventure in due course. It is just SO exciting!