Quilters!

There's no doubt about it, we quilters have a knack of finding each other, wherever in the world we might be.

I hadn't been at CARACAL more than half an hour on my first day before Trish called in to have her dog vaccinated. She had heard on the very efficient grapevine that I was a quilter, and asked me to her Friday morning quilting group.

What joy!

So I've spent the last two Friday mornings stitching, chatting, and swapping tips with Trish, her daughter Bronwen, and another friend Rentia on a cool tiled deck overlooking Trish's beautiful tropical garden.

Rentia started on this cushion cover, made from furnishing off cuts. It's going to look perfect on her couch.

Bronwen finished hand quilting and slip stitching the joining strips on this quilt-as-you-go baby quilt that she and Trish have been making together.

Trish patiently drew up a full size pattern for a block from a historical quilt she saw in a quilting magazine.

Then there was the "show and tell", including Bronwen's first quilt. 

An intricate puzzle quilt by Trish.

This purple beauty, also by Trish. Can you imagine piecing all those flowers?

And a warm, African toned Wedding Quilt Trish made for Bronwen, where every block has a special significance in their lives.

Just look at the rich colours in this colour wash quilt Trish is currently working on, made from thousands of batik scraps (some as small as an inch!) given to her by her friend Jenny from Kalahari Quilts. Trish prefers the quilt-as-you-go method for making her quilts and I'd love to see this one finished and bound.

I've already planned a visit to Kalahari Quilts when I'm in Gaborone next weekend. So what a bonus it was to find a shop selling traditional African Shweshwe cottons here in Kasane. Look at those colours!

And in case you're wondering, I've finally managed to complete a whole flower for Princess Plenty while I'm here!