London has been and gone

It's Tuesday morning and my eyes are still all squinty from crying.  Crying when Mandy and I arrived at Baden Powell House on Friday afternoon and it looked so amazing.  Crying when Project 51 was being photographed.  Crying when everyone left.  Crying when we all sat in the bar at 2am on Sunday night Monday morning and Katy mouthed to me "I don't want John to go home".  Crying when we all had to say goodbye on Monday morning.  Crying because I don't know when I'll next see Tacha, Lu and John.  Crying when Mandy and I drove up the motorway and she read me the FQLondon tweets and blogposts.  Crying when I sat on the sofa watching the Jubilee concert and photos started appearing in the Flickr group of Katy, Brioni, Lu, Tacha and John.  Crying because it was the best weekend ever and it's over.

My fave pic of my pics

Also my stomach muscles are sore, actually strained I think, from laughing.  I'd been getting really nervous about meeting everyone, scared that Katy, Brioni, Lu, Tacha and John would think I was a frumpy sad old middle aged loser and exclude me and then sack me (insecure, moi?).  But within five minutes of meeting them all outside the hotel, I was already laughing so hard I was hurting my tummy muscles.  Amongst the things that made me laugh a lot were:  Lu talking about my granny who's called Granny Smith "Granny Smith, ironically pear shaped"

Katy, Tracey P and Tacha

John listing films to cry to: "Schindler's List, Sophie's Choice, Hotel for Dogs"

Lucy overachieving

Katy counting John's children "you don't need to include all the ones conceived at quilt market"

Lu and Tach

Tacha talking about Laura getting out her knitting on a date: "ooh, let me just finish this sock"

Didn't she do well

Terri talking about Brioni phoning Sandy for the first time in an unintelligible accent sounding Mexican: "Mexican - and I don't even like guacamole"

Lu and Laura and others

Amanda telling us what she might call a future child - Caoimhe pronounced Quee-va and John telling us what that meant in the US and actually blushing.

Katy showing me her bum

John after visit to French bakery: "they have these things called baynyay but they're just donuts"

Brioni talking in her sleep: "we must make sure we get the sewing machines ready" and later "ooooh
clever".

Diane

Mandy commenting on me asking if I should add a necklace to my outfit: "mmm, a bit office".

Lu, on seeing my "a bit office" outfit: "you don't look your age but you do in your office outfit"

Awww

Taking photo of Sarah Narcoleptic's quilt with Laura and taking care to hide all the ladies with boobies photos in the phone booth behind.  Look, I'm wearing my "office" outfit and we're on tiptoes. 


John showing us how he had to shower in a cubicle inches wider than him with the nozzle pointing at his belly: "every time I bent over, I opened the shower door with my butt" and "when I dropped the soap, I had to get out of the shower to pick it up".

Off with his head

Brioni singing and dancing to the Spice Girls' Who Do You Think You Are: "bend it something something something who do you think you are".

Brioni dancing to Spice Girls

Katy winding up Lu over her fabrics "I think I'll make something with Lu's Somerfield line".

Lu reading John's instagram description of our last dinner "celebratory dinner" as "celebrity dinner".

the FQ team have a well earned end of retreat dinner

I will blog about this event properly when I have got over the mourning of it being over but for now I am still too tired and too emotional to think straight.  It was the best weekend ever.  The FQ gang and extras were the best gang ever.  Every single person who attended was the best person ever.  The Baden Powell House crew were the best crew ever.  You see?  I'm too tired to write anything but complete emotional drivel so I'll stop now, go and unpack my bags, wash my sturdy pants (more on that later) and start planning for next year.  Because counting the sleeps til next time is the only thing keeping me going today.

Ann Kvinta's UJ

Comments

  1. Too funny!!! I'm laughing and crying again. I might have wee'd a little bit when John did his shower bit. The actions that went with it were just hilarious.

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  2. Thanks for a great class. I think I need to finish the cushion this week or the next event will be here ad all I'l have are more UFOs.

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  3. Great post Lynne. I cried real tears of laughter over John 's shower exploits.

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  4. Awww shucks Lynne I'm crying again!! The recap of hilariality (is that an actual word) was just what I needed!!! Luff you xxx

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  5. So funny, tears of laughter here! Fat Quarterly gang should be so proud for pulling off such an amazing event! Till next year xx

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  6. You are all too funny! I'm crying that I missed it and so happy for you all that you had such a fantabulouso time. Can't wait to meet up in Dec. xxx

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  7. Poor john. Our teeny tiny hotels aren't designed for me his size!

    Now stop crying and get cracking on planning the next one!

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  8. New friends seem to have been made all round again but this time in person - what a precious thing - something to be cherished forever
    I'm so glad it was a success and that you all had a ball - here's to the next one

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  9. Such a funny post, thanks for making me laugh & for such an amazing weekend. And thanks for getting me into this crazy online world in the first place with your Bee!

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  10. Yup - that just about sums it up!! What a fun(ny) weekend full of knowledge and giggles!! You all rock!!!

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  11. I had the best time, and it was great to meet you in person. I do hope you will plan the next one soon so I can start figuring out how to manage the trip again.

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  12. The pants - I forgot about the sturdy pants. Don't forget to take the safety pin out before washing. Need me a pair of those of my own!!

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  13. i forgot about the sturdy pants too! & the fact they were pinned to your bra to stop them rolling down...

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  14. I have suffered from delayed emotional trauma, but you have made me grab the tissues now!

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  15. Oh my gosh! What a riot :-) I'm so glad ya'll had a wonderful time, and everything was a great success!

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  16. Oh God more blubbing from me and I don't even like sewing.

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  17. Completely Hilarious post. I have so enjoyed reading everyone posts about the retreat - it's felt like I've been there. And also getting to meet up with Katy C who broke down on her way home near my house!

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  18. It was the best weekend and one that will never be forgotten. Thanks to you and the FQ gang for making it happen. Di x

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  19. So glad you had such a blast!!!

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  20. Thanks for blogging your fun time. John is great isn't he! I'm glad it worked out. WIshing I was with the group.

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  21. I'm crying and laughing just reading this post. I can't imagine the thrill of actually being there. Can't wait for next year!

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  22. I regret that I couldn't be on retreat. Even more when I read a few post about it. But... I hope that it's not the only one FQ retreat in history!

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  23. i'm only glad that I too had the best weekend ever because only the best weekend ever would console me to have missed this. Sturdy pants rock!!x

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  24. This is just so funny. I love that you shared all the crazy comments. I'm glad you had such an awesome experience and made great new friends...(sounds like mom talking to kid back from camp.)

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  25. I'm crying with laughter! In fact I laughed so much I couldn't read the words because the screen was moving too much and then my laptop almost fell off my lap!

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  26. So thrilled it was such an amazing success for the FQ gang.

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  27. LOL Ramona! and DITTO Archie!

    What a perfect post! I laughed and cried and I wasn't even there!

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  28. It was so lovely to meet you and the rest of the FQ gang! Can't wait to do it all again next year.

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  29. Can't wait to do it all over again!!

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  30. haha you are so funny, that was a wonderful read!

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  31. Hi Lynne, It was so lovely to finally meet you in person. Sorry we didn't get much time to chat, next year I'll have to come for longer. I had a brilliant day and it sounds like the whole weekend was amazing. You and the rest of the gang did such an amazing job x

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  32. Oohhhh. Seriously jealous! Next year peut etre?

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  33. How exciting & you met Quilt Dad! Sounds & looks fab :)

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  34. I can't believe you didn't already know everybody already. I thought for sure you did! I have lived every moment of this amazing, spectacular, inspirational event vicariously through all the great tweets and blog posts. All I can say is if Sewing Summit is only half as much fun as what you all had, it will be a resounding success!
    A big HUZZAH to the FQ kids in the blogateria!

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  35. Wow are you sure you have any water left in your body after all that crying! All the pictures are too funny! ~Gosh I so hope I get to go to next years!
    =D

    I'm having a giveaway on my blog. Feel free to stop by and enter (if you haven't already) =D
    http://ibescheraldine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/official-150th-post-giveaway.html

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  36. Oh Stop it! Now I've got to go shopping for even more tissues! It was the best!

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  37. It was lovely to meet you and although I'd never met you, Lu or Tacha before you sure made me giggle at lunch on Sunday! I'll remember your pillows (with that little bit extra!) story forever! It seems a bit weird to go back to normality but hoping for next year and a chance to get on one of your classes!!

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  38. Hahaha! Brilliant summary Lynne, especially love the shower story, the Somerfield line and the officey oufit bits! Lovely to meet you and the others, bring it on for 2013! Ceri x

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  39. Huh, you only went to that place for dinner after we peasant tasters went the night before to make sure you weren't poisoned ;o) Looking forward to next year :o)

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  40. Stop your blubbering! Think about how toned those tummy muscles are going to be! What a fantastic weekend was had by all. Though I'm quite surprised our little Queenie didn't join in our fun! X

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  41. So glad you had as good a time at retreat as we did! Here's to next year! Jxo

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  42. Sounds lie you had a wonderful time! Can't wait to read more.

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  43. Lynne, you've had me laugh so much, but I can imagine how emotional it all was. Keeping my fingers crossed for the next time.

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  44. Lynne, it was a truly fantastic weekend, you all did such a great job, and I can't wait till the tickets for 2013 go on sale - well done!

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  45. I thought you looked incredibly stylish all weekend missus, and pretty unflappable too, like Joan out of Mad Men but without the giant boobies. I love all the pics and funny comments above, especially the one with Brioni, who I found SO funny! Is it her accent? It was great to get to know you a little bit, but frankly it wasn't nearly enough! I need to spend more time with you all and everyone else who was there - every time I read a blog post I see a comment from someone that I missed talking to entirely! So we just have to do it all again!! And you were a great teacher too (having read your comment on Kerry's post), really natural, relaxed and precise, so stop worrying!

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  46. Awww - so happy for all of you! Well done! Everything I've seen or read sounds so wonderful. One of these years, I will come and we can show off some My Little Buttercup choreography and reminisce about the times we almost ran into each other at Whiteley's in the early 90's.

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  47. Awesome post! Giggle ;) What a great weekend!

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  48. i feel a little schmoopy and giggly after reading your post. you know just how to tell a story to share exactly what you are feeling. i want to be cool like you and your FQ friends when i grow up :)

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