Friday, October 06, 2006

Double duty

I combined two things I wanted to do today: a trip to the Quilt Room in Dorking with buying the fabic for my one yard fabric swop partner. Several people have recommended the Quilt Room to me, but it is quite a trek from here. However, today I had the option of driving round Dorking, or driving through it and stopping off at the shop.

I don't know what was up with the one way system in Dorking, but honestly I think it would have been faster to park my car on the outskirts and walk in. OTOH, I parked in a little car park almost opposite the shop: unfortunately when I drove out of the car park, I had a mystery choice of about seven roads that were dead ends, or the one road that takes you back into the main road system. That road is not marked, so you have to guess which its going to be, and twice I guessed wrong. If you ever need to know, turn left out of the car park.

The shop itself is made of three or four smallish interconnected rooms. One room is dedicated to bolts of fabric, another is entirely quilting books. A third room has sixty or seventy rolls of fossil fern. Another room has the notions and fat quarters and similar things. Upstairs is a large room with a table, clearly for workshop space.

I looked at the material, but I had a Purpose. I needed to buy the fabric for my one yard fabric swop partner. Well, actually I didn't need to, because I am going to the Knitting and Stitching show at Ally Pally next week, so I could get it then. But I wanted to get it before, because otherwise I'll just spend the week second guessing myslf. Of course, if I see anything better there, I'll have to keep this one for myself.

It was fun, because I was looking for something I wouldn't normally buy for myself. I knew which colours she likes, and a range of fabrics she likes. However, the range is hard to get over here, but there is another range which is readily available over here, but supposed to be similar. The Quilt room did actually have some of her range, but the colours were ones she said she didn't like. So I got some of the local range because some of the colours were right and none of the colours were wrong.

Once home, I looked through her blog archieves, and she has posted lots of things in the fabric's colours. I think I choose the right colours, it all depends on whether she likes the design. I think she is quite easy going.

1 comment:

caroline said...

ah the vagaries of Dorking's road system! I usually park in near M&S and then walk through the church yard to get to the Quilt Room. I am sure your swap partner will love what you have chosen.