Travels

Scotland and the Tartan Adventure

September 17, 2026September 17, 2026 Elizabeth E.11 Comments

This past couple of weeks I’ve been traveling in Scotland, with a coda of several days in London. In Scotland, we stayed in Edinburgh where my husband had two scientific conferences which kept him (and us) tethered. We were fine with that, knowing how one can really explore a city if you are in it for a while. I’d done this before with Berlin, and now looked forward to exploring this city.

And…I wanted to buy some tartan. Or plaid, if you want to call it that (great article on that idea). We arrived in Edinburgh, took the tram to our hotel and were greeted with Conan Doyle’s statue with a cone on his head. I started laughing, but since my husband hadn’t seen much of the Tartan Army’s invasion of Boston during the World Cup this summer, he didn’t quite get the joke. I loved it. Welcome to Scotland!

The next day, our first foray to a fabric store was to Edinburgh fabrics. I was on a tartan hunt, and I wanted blue tartan.

We took a bus from our hotel (really well sited; details at the end) and in a few minutes we were there: Edinburgh Fabrics. I was not interested in the acrylic or polyester versions which I’d heard were in a lot of shops on the Royal Mile, but only 100% wool tartans from Scotland. I’ve been sewing with wool my whole life, so even though I now live in a warm climate, I wanted the traditional cloth.

*I promised the fabric-cutting guy I wouldn’t post his picture.*

Pretty quickly, I found the blue I wanted. I purchased a meter of wool, knowing that with its width, I could make a skirt. But the idea in the back of my mind was this dress:

I purchased that wool ages ago and made the dress. In cleaning out (and preparing for this trip) I found the dress again, and decided if I took it apart (one cuff and the collar are already gone; next is to separate the skirt part from the bodice part) and then augment the top with well-placed other pieces of tartan, I might get a jacket out of it. This is all in the fuzzy planning stage; stay tuned.

When I went back outside, I met the man in the blue T-shirt. His wife and her friend were inside the shop (I’d seen them picking bolts of fabric) and we struck up a conversation with him (my husband is on the left). He was cracking jokes left and right about quilters and stopping at shops. We were laughing at so many of them in complete agreement and understanding. The two couples were from the USA (the other man was in a car, driving around since they couldn’t find a parking place) and had been traveling around for 4 weeks…and stopping at every quilt/fabric shop. My kind of people!

So I ran back in the shop and took a photo of these lovely quilters. Wish we had more time to compare notes.

But the real experience I was after was a visit to Kinloch Anderson, all because of this skirt (also found in while cleaning out). I’d purchased it ages ago, the same time as the tartan plaid above, and I was interested in getting another as a souvenir for my time in Scotland.

(*Tartans are worn for many school uniforms, like this kilt skirt on the young woman*)

To visit them you get on their website and make an appointment. I did that about three weeks before I left, and we had an email conversation with what I was looking for, what I was interested in buying. So the next day, my husband and I got on the tram and went to Leith, right next door to Edinburgh.

Even though the tram was a bit late, and it was a drippy rainy day, the woman who greeted us was charming and kind and put me right at ease. We talked over our options, and she told me they had kilts I could order, or they had “kilt skirts” for purchase there, but I couldn’t choose the tartan — had to pick from what they had.

I immediately fell in love with a soft green and purple skirt and tried it on. My husband thought it looked great, too. The woman helping me was ready to help me choose a tartan, get the fabric ordered from the weavers, but I told I liked this one, and would take it. I’d also done some research on the vagaries and mysteries of our country’s erratic tariffs and knew I could be paying a hefty sum on top of the shipping. It was a huge unknown.

We discussed this, and she was also aware of this limitation. For me that was a huge part of my decision to buy the kilt skirt right then. (The drape of it is shown in the black/white plaid on the right. They had two other styles, shown in the blue/green and the red.)

So what is the different between a kilt and a kilt skirt? The amount of yardage, for one.

(*my husband took this photo in their small display room*; right-click to open in a new tab, then click to enlarge)

A true kilt has about over eight yards of fabric. That is one reason why it swings so wonderfully when the wearer moves. I forgot how much was in a kilt skirt, but I think it’s more like around three yards, a dramatic difference in the amount of fabric, but also the weight of the garment. There are also varying weights of the wools; mine was a lighter weight.

Mine was mid-calf length, not short like this one. At this point, my husband took off to go get breakfast and walk around Leith, a picturesque town, so we said good-bye.

The woman who was helping me was ready to wrap up the sale, but I also wanted a kilt pin, a fancy one. So we went to an adjoining bay off the main room, and I chose one. Then she thought I was done, but I’d also read about their scrap bags. (I’m a quilter through and through.) She said she was the one to be choosing the size and color, so what did I want? Blues, of course, and about “this big,” as I held my hands in the approximate size. She left to go find the scraps, leaving me to explore in the area we’d started.

I found a true kilt. No dainty skirt hanger clips for this one.

I hefted it off the rack and laid it on the table. I was interested in seeing the construction.

I loved the hand-stitching on the above inner panel, and the neat edge treatment with the 1-inch fringe. I carefully replaced it on the rack.

They made and supplied all parts of a kilt outfit, from the jackets to the kilts to the stockings and shirts and accessories. I loved these snazzy and elegant cuffs on one of the jackets for men.

They had many books of tartan samples.

This one reminded me of my dress. I can’t remember the details of the purchase of that tartan fabric long ago, as we were all using cameras and film and didn’t document our lives to the extent that we do now.

She came back with two scrap-bags full of tartans in blue. I was in heaven! I can really have fun remaking my dress bodice into a jacket, if I can just figure out how, with some leftovers for other various projects.

My husband returned from his walkabout, and we chose two ties for him in two different tartans, one Christmasy in red and green, and one in blues (of course).

This is my twined thistle style of kilt pin, even though they included a more traditional pin with the skirt.

She brought out a beautiful skirt hanger and a garment bag, and we took it back to our hotel where I hung it up in the window to take a photo. This tartan’s name is “Kinloch Anderson Heather,” the skirt a midi-length.

I had one more kilt-related experience in the next couple of days. Again, I’d done some research about high quality shops to visit, as it’s generally acknowledged that the stuff on the touristy Royal Mile isn’t of high quality. Beside the one mentioned above, there was another I knew about:

Gordon Nicolson, on the end of the Royal Mile near the Parliament and Holyrood Castle. (As with Kinloch Anderson, I asked for permission to take photographs.)

Tartans everywhere in scarves, but they also make custom kilts as well as do rentals for weddings, as does Kinloch Anderson.

The black and white sporran, above, is not a skunk — like I made the mistake of blurting out loud — but is a badger. Remember that kilts have their origins in the hunting and military skill of the highlanders, and project that image.

Upon seeing the Dick Winters (above, on the shelf), the age-old question has been resolved.

I was there to look for a circle brooch or pin, as I wanted to wear it to the gala dinner at the end of the conference, with a sash (I’d found a long length of tartan in my scrap bag that I could use as a scarf).

I chose an intertwined circle Celtic-knot style. (And in case you were going to ask, I’m probably the only one in the world who has not seen the film series Outlander.)

There was quite a bit of tartan wearing that night, and no one said anything to me, so I guess I looked okay. The venue was the National Museum of Scotland. I put up a post about the floors here.

Here are the details:

Edinburgh Fabrics
Open 10 AM -7 p.m. Monday through Saturday
12-14 St Patrick Square, Edinburgh EH8 9EZ

Kinloch Anderson
4 Dock St, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6EY, UK
Their Website This has their address, hours and a link to click for an appointment. They really aren’t too set up for walk-ins, but will try to accommodate you (but please do try to schedule yourself).

Gordon Nicolson
189 Canongate, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH8 8BN
Their Website. You’ll love all the photos and tips and details, and they also prefer that you schedule an appointment. They do NOT sell scraps, but instead re-use them for accessories in their shop (I purchased a small tartan zipper bag), or donate them to charities.

While this post is mainly about my tartan adventure, I did also visit a quilt shop:
My Bear Paw
Website
Open Wednesday through Saturday from 10-5
50 Lochrin Buildings, Gilmore Place, Edinburgh, Midlothian

I purchased her original quilt pattern, a meter of checked fabric, trim and a FQ.

We stayed in the eastern side of the city at Forth House by Supercity Aparthotels, at 6 Broughton St Ln, Edinburgh EH1 3LY. It was a block from the large St. James Quarter (a mall) that has a great ramen place inside, as well as good shopping. It was served well by multiple bus stations and a tram stop.

*Bank of Scotland Ceiling • St. Andrew Square*

Journal Entry

Things Didn’t Go As Planned

December 27, 2025December 26, 2025 Elizabeth E.13 Comments

Or, We Stayed Home This Christmas.

It certainly wasn’t intentional. We’d been planning this year-end trip with our son for four months. He and his lovely wife Kim were taking their four daughters (and one new son-in-law) to three European cities and invited us to come. Oh, boy, we were thrilled! However, two days before Thanksgiving the Scooby-Doo muscles in my husband’s shoulders (or whatever they’re called) went on strike and he could hardly move. We cancelled our Thanksgiving plans. I forbade him to get out the Christmas boxes. We visited the ER, our doctor (twice), had an MRI, and now he’s in PT. But still, the Christmas trip was a go, albeit tentative.

Here we are, the pose at the beginning airport.

I had my squircles–I was ready!

Here we are at the connecting airport. Still excited, still ready to go with our little passport pouches and all, posing by a nutcracker. Having stayed out of airports for Christmas for many years, I have to say, it was lovely to see all the nice decorations.

We found our gate, sat down just as the airline cancelled the flight to Amsterdam at the gate next to us, and a whole planeload of people went streaming towards the Help Desk, long lines forming. Glad that’s not us, we said, and of course, after two posted delays (mechanical problems), it was us. We went streaming towards the Help Desk at the far end of the terminal, but that only got you a chance to scan the QR code to see the agent (one of three). We grabbed a cup of soup, and after some more time, we were at the top of the list. The options were not good. Because of the Amsterdam cancellation, flights were already full that were leaving. After some time, I looked at my hurting husband, and we both realized we couldn’t complete the trip, given the new (possible, but certainly not probable) itinerary. So much was up in the air, and three hours later, we were too, returning home.

I spent some time looking out the window, the trip so close, yet so far. The plane trouble was “hydraulic problems,” which of course, would cancel the flight.

We welcomed photos of our son and his family as they hit the sights. We went to church two days later and I wept through the service, so incredibly disappointed in missing out on creating memories with this part of our family. We’ve been to all these cities before, but it was the time and experiences with these lovely four young women we would miss.

I have a great church community. By the time we left Christmas Sunday services, we had three invitations to dinner, to help fill this lonely week.

The first was an outside movie night with lots of friends: The Muppets Christmas Carol, one of my favorites. We stayed for a while, grateful for friends and laughing children and pizza, then I took my husband home.

I found this kit I’d purchased some time ago, and thought: no time like the present. I had lots of time, so started cutting. My sisters and daughter began calling me every day.

One of those days in there, I opened up the 2026 calendar book, and started getting that set up. [After my regular calendar planner stopped publishing, I tried out Golden Coil last year and liked it. I made some tweaks to this year’s layout, but am using it again.] I backed up our photo libraries onto a new drive, doing my squircles while I waited. My husband used the heating pad and tried to get better. We talked out what we went through, only now considering options we couldn’t see that night in the airport.

I left the calendar notice on my Phone, but what you can’t see is the word Cancelled after the Ellipsis. And yes, we went to the Dillman home for dinner one night, for a delicious meal of pork roast and potatoes (I brought rolls) with their two young boys, our “adopted” grandsons since our family lives so far away.

More calendar prep, with stickers from my sister Susan. My old calendar had monthly tabs and this one doesn’t, so I add them (click on the right photo to see the tabs).

I went to Michael’s on Christmas Eve to see the new “JoAnn’s stuff.” Waste of time. I did post about it on Instagram where people definitely have something to say.

We stayed in the rest of this day as the rains arrived — something we’ve needed all fall. I made Creamy Tortellini Soup, and we had a quiet night. I figured if I could make it to Christmas dinner at our friends, I might probably stop being weepy.

We head out on a walk on Christmas morning, our neighborhood washed clean by the rain, where I say hello to the lovely Grevillea ‘Superb’ bush. This is at the halfway mark, and it was about now that I stopped aching, knowing my disappointment was but a small thing. Time and perspective help: we have each other and will have other Christmases.

The Giffords host us, two new faces folded into their family table of children and grandchildren; I’m incredibly grateful for this kindness, and they make us feel welcome: no strangers at this meal. We enjoy the true spirit of Christmas as envisioned by Dickens in his Christmas Carol, and as preached in the gospel of Luke.

I finish up the cutting of the quilt later on that night.

Every night I enjoyed the smiles of my family on their trip.

The day after Christmas, another morning walk, then I’m back in the sewing room. I’d cleaned it up, cleared it up before leaving, but now it was time to mess it up again with scraps of fabric, bits of pattern directions pinned to a quilt over my cutting table. Time to thread the machine, plug the iron back in and fire it up.

Would I ever have a chance like this again?

A chance to say to my husband, you are the most important thing in my life and if we need to stay home, we will? A chance to feel the goodness of our friends as they welcomed me into their homes, living the gospel that the Christ child came down to earth to teach? A chance to take a walk in a freshly-washed world and see the amazing beauties all around me?

I hope so.

So often life is not what we expect, and between you and me, it can be hard to shift gears, especially after thinking and dreaming about something for four months. But thank heaven for angels all around me, for creativity which pulls me forward, for counting my blessings which ground me.

I hope you had a Merry Christmas. In the end, I did too.

Haha. This was in one of the airport gift shops.

Carrefour Quilt Show 2025: Intro and Part I

October 27, 2025October 27, 2025 Elizabeth E.12 Comments

I’ve now been to the Carrefour Quilt Show in the Alsace area of France three times, and this is start of my third write-up of that amazing experience. The Carrefour Show is like none other: set in four small towns in France (some with castles, like the above photo), in the Val D’Argent, or Silver Valley, where silver was once mined.

The show draws from all over Europe and the quilts are as varied as the quilters in all these different nations. I am often surprised by what I see. I am never disappointed.

This post covers:

Espace Commercial
Venue 1: Theater with its traditional antique quilts
Venue 2: Carrefour Contest, one of three exhibits in that space

I have a main page where I link all the posts, so you can see the ones from before, as well, and see why I have loved going back over the years. Of course, my husband Dave is hugely enthusiastic, too, and he took many of these photos. This year we were able to spend the better part of two days there, and took a zillion photos. That means that when I post — which I will do sporadically over the next while — there will be lots of beautiful quilts to see.

We lodged this time in Colmar, a lovely town that feels medieval, but has all the comforts (like pumpkins with words).

As always, in many places there are reminders of the Great War (WWII) like a tank in the park which we passed by as we walked to get our rental car. We picked that up early on Thursday morning, September 18th, the day the quilt show started, and drove past the castle in the first photo into the Val D’Argent, stopping for some breakfast croissants on the way (it *is* France, after all!).

After being caught in the traffic, we parked near this very old building (1912), picked up our tickets and walked up into the town, seeing store windows all decorated up with quilts (I know it’s hard to see):

Espace Commercial (Shopping and Vendors)

I knew what I wanted to do first: Shopping Area.

Vendor tents are set up along the pathway to the souvenir stand:

Stickers, pen, exhibit book…they don’t have a bag this year, so in we go to the Espace Commercial.

Click to enlarge any photo.

1-My favorite bag place: ABCDaires. I’ve already made the little orange bag in the far corner (see below).

2- Christine, from Chifonie Studio has really lovely jewelry, made from art clay. She also has lots of buttons, and fun decorative pins.

3- Torneria Germans Castels sells wooden things from Germany. This booth had so many cute wooden buttons and fixings.

4- Le Atelier D’Eoie had so many cute things in their booth (they were so friendly, I took two photos of them). I bought a kit for a stuffed animal and a small quilt.

The other photos are crowd shots; I only took photos where I had permission. Here’s the thing: could I have found some of these things in the US? Possible. But I hadn’t ever seen them before and loved how European everything was (duh) and it — as Marie Kondo would say — sparked joy. (And I just love those orange pouches!)

I also loved the booksellers, and I bought a book in French, because why not? Last year I made a purse from a Japanese book, translated into French and it came out just fine. If you click on that link, you can also see a pouch made from the kits from ABCDaires.

On the side of the Espace Commercial, they had these two wooden cutouts: the one of the left celebrating thirty years of the Carrefour Patchwork Show, and the one on the right, a figure that denotes the Alsace region, and is seen everywhere. Okay. To the quilts!

Venue 1: Theater in Sainte Marie-aux-Mines

In case I didn’t mention it, the main town is Sainte Marie-aux-Mines, and that is where we will start. This year, it was all on the bottom floor and the display was traditional, Amish quilts.

The Carrefour organizers bring in scaffolding and partitions to hang the quilts, as it really is set in an old theater. Below is a series of photographs; click to enlarge. I did try to get title cards for every quilt.

Click to enlarge any photo.

Now a slide show. Click on arrows to advance; unfortunately, you cannot click to enlarge the slideshow photos.

After we finished with the downstairs, we went up…we love this staircase!

Peeking through the glass in the locked doors of the balcony, my husband took this photo of the exhibit below.

Venue 2: Osmont Pavilion

The section of the Pavillion where the quilts are hung is one large space, and the quilts “divide” it up. The contest theme this year was Avant Garde, and here is a slide show, with title cards. (Click on arrows to advance; unfortunately, you cannot click to enlarge the slideshow photos.)

We’ll see more of Tania Tanti’s work in another post, as she was a featured artist, but I wanted to say that nothing on this quilt is pieced. She starts with a white piece of cloth and paints her shapes, then quilts them. Details below; click to enlarge.

I found this one to be intriguing, and moving, as it is a tribute to her husband.

I showed you the cut-out close-up first, then the total quilt.

(I did mean to put all these in the slideshow: technical difficulties!)

The quilting on this was so close together, and it sculpted the cloth, moving the eye over the surface.

A tumble of houses, a view to the landscape.

Olga Stang’s work, Monet’s Pond, intrigued me, because of the construction of all those little two-sided squares.

Then they look to have been laid on another cloth, and folded to mimic petals, or vegetation on the Monet’s lily pond. Tiny beads are placed at the intersections.

She believes we’ll all be doing more recycling in the future, and if it turns out like this, it will be a good goal.

As always, I owe a lot of these photographs, as well as the ability to take this trip, to my husband Dave; I’m most grateful to him. There are two more exhibits in this venue, but that will be on the next posting about Carrefour. I’m just now starting to process, to revisit the photographs, to think about my visit. Watch for the next one!