Sewing in Wartime * Quilt Museum York * to 16 October 2010

While clothing was still rationed owing to wartime shortages, we were occasionally surprised by a large squashy parcel coming from Canada. Inside would be dresses, blouses and skirts, pre-enjoyed certainly, but pretty enough to make Cinderella herself swoon. My favourite memory of all time is the sight of my big sister, ten years my senior, twirling round and around in a full circle, red, taffeta skirt, looking so beautiful in her delight. The kindness of strangers is often missing from history books, and we never knew who to thank. So if anyone remembers sending such a gift to whomever, please know the joy it brought to us. There are a large number of Canadian Red Cross Quilts (which are simply a token of the hundreds and thousands donated to British war relief) on show at the Quilt Museum in York at the moment - Canadian women must have stitched their fingers to the bone in anonymity since the Red Cross forbade any signing.
And when you are in York, don't forget to pop into Bettys which is the most wonderful place to take tea there. I don't know if they still have three kinds of fruit cake served with Wensleydale cheese, but I do know they have Lavender Shortbreads and Betty's own Yorkshire Fat Rascals.