In the Val d'Argent

Every year, at this time of year, people interested in quilting, from all over the world, gather in the Val d"Argent, Alsace, for the European Patchwork Meeting. There they can see the work of textile artists from every corner of the globe. The main centre for the exhibitions is in the town of Sainte-Marie-Aux-Mines, an old silver mining town in a valley of the Vosges Mountains, but there are also many venues in nearby villages. It is a lovely and not very much visited area of France. You buy a ticket for the day and wander as you please, driving or using free buses to get from one place to another.

I love this event and have now been several times. Sometimes we have actually been staying in the area, but other times like today we have made a diversion from our route south to Provence. What I like is the diverse nature of the work exhibited – traditional alongside the avant-garde; European alongside Asian, American alongside African (this year's guest of honour was the Quilting Guild of Kenya - some superb work). 

Even Gordon enjoys it, mainly because of the diversity of work and the venues – the churches, the village halls, the houses, the theatres. However, we often go our separate ways – at one point today I found him at the Mining Museum talking at length with a young girl about the geology of the silver mining. Fortunately she was enjoying practising her English, so he wasn’t taxed too much by the language!

But he also likes lunch – no sitting in corners eating bits of sandwiches here – this is France! Most people gather at tents where Tarte Flambées are made to order, then they sit on long benches to eat and chat. We talked with some Americans, who had come over especially for the event – one of the group was a lady who had a house like the one in ‘Gone With the Wind’ and she proved this with photos. She also had her own airstrip, but no longer used it as she sold the aeroplane when her husband died. The people you meet! She was a very keen quilter, as were the other ladies in the group and they were there for the full four days – I am not sure the men were too happy about this!

Here is Erick Wolfmeyer an American quilter, who had an exhibition of his work, astonishing in its simplicity and complexity. He was explaining his way of working to an interested visitor– a fascinating guy who was here on his first European visit and loving every minute of it.