22 August 2006

I left my quilt on the train!

Wednesday morning, with handbag, suitcase, and big blue bag containing packaged-up quilt for the Fissures exhibition, I'm catching the early train towards Birmingham and a two-day workshop with Jo Budd before a couple of days at the Festival of Quilts. The scenery rolls by, the train gets to Rugby, I collect my things and get off, change trains. Then comes the dreadful moment of realization:Shaken, I consider the worst that can happen, then formulate Plan A and Plan B, and try not to fret, stuck helpless on the connecting train. At Birmingham International station, Rob in the lost property office phones Crewe, the train's next stop; the train will get there in 5 minutes. The package will be taken from the overhead rack above seat C25 [I kept the ticket; thank goodness for reserved seats!] and put into the lost property office at Crewe. Rob gives me train times to Crewe so I can go collect it. It will take at least 3 hours to do so.

The quilt needs to be hung before the show opens at 10am next morning. Now the quandry is: to miss the morning of the workshop, or the afternoon; or will it be possible to go to Crewe after 4.30 and get the quilt to the exhibition before 10am next morning? I formulate a new Plan A and a Plan B...

I make my way to the Fissures stand and find no-one there, so start to write a note of explanation. Various people come and drop off their quilts, and I tell my tale of woe to anyone who will listen. Everyone is aghast, then sympathetic; I'm so glad my quilt isn't still on the train, heading for Glasgow, that I don't much care if they think that leaving it on a train is a right daft thing to do.

Having done what I can, I go to the workshop and again tell my tale of woe to everyone there; I can think of nothing else, after all. And a miracle happens -- someone who must remain nameless offers to drive to Crewe and collect it. (She was acting subversively and I don't want to get her into trouble.) Thank you, thank you, anonymous angel! She would accept no recompense, so I'll be "paying it forward".

The quilt got to the Fissures exhibition after all. Who's a happy bunny, then? As for the entire Fissures exhibition, it looked really, really good, and some of the visitors commented that it was the best exhibition in the entire show. Thanks to Bailey, Susan, and everyone else involved for their hard work getting the Fissures exhibition up, and to others in Contemporary Quilt who are planning more activites.

5 comments:

Stitching with Schnauzer and Siamese said...

Oh Margaret - what a panic - shall now treasure my postcard even more, knowing how this quilt travels all on its own to places! Thank goodness the train stopped at Crewe. Glasgow is a bit far to go and collect a quilt!I was in a panic reading about the loss - you must have felt awful. So pleased you are now re-united. Wonderful photo.

Maggie H

The WestCountryBuddha said...

Well, that's everyones exhibition nightmare. I sympathise with the feelings of panic but think you handled it ever so well. Not sure what I would have done in the same circumstances. I bet your blood pressure was through the roof! Anyway, well done, you survived and your quilt looks great.

Dijanne Cevaal said...

Have maker/artist/will travel- the quilt seemed ot have a mind of it's own! It looks like a wonderful piece by the way- are the patternings on either side of the fissure- appliqued or stitched- it looks very textural.

Digitalgran said...

What a story. Anything could have happenend to it, but didn't. I'm very happy for you. It's a lovely quilt.

Anonymous said...

Ooooo, Margaret, that must have taken some years off your life. Wow! And I like the piece, but wish I could see it straight on. Thanks for the story. June