Surprise gift!

Its been a while since the last blog post. I don't know what happened - maybe I needed a small break but whatever the reason I'm back:-)

I have loads to tell and show - not so much finished stuff (surprise!!!) but I just returned from a great week in London where among other things I visited the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace - or the Ally Pally as the place is called by the locals;-)

But first a post about surprise gifts.

This summer I participated in a secret partner swap on Flickr - the in the Framed Purse swap.
My purse arrived safely at my secret partner's house and I waited patiently for my purse to arrive.
And I waited. And waited. And went to the post office time and time again.

No purse for me.

Its a really odd feeling to be the only one in such a group not getting my swap. Its not like I got extremely sad or crushed - its more that you are not finished in time with the others, sort of being left out or behind. Not in a bad way - the swap mamas and group members have been extremely kind and supportive - but I've not finished the swap yet.  The purse sent to me is probably lost in the mail - of course it can turn up but the chances are small. I have been told who made a purse for me, I have thanked her and it is just the most lovely and perfect purse - just my style and fabric and pattern and all... but alas: Its lost.

Returning from London I found a notice from the Post office that I could pick up a package - wow!!!
Was it the missing purse??? I doubted it as the name on the notice didn't match the name of my secret partner.

This morning I went to pick it up.

And this is what was inside:



A lovely lovely mini quilt - my name handembroidered on linen and with my favorite fabric from Flea Market Fancy



A very sweet and lovely letter, thread and favorite fabric!



My name hand embroidered and a nice pumpkin - ready to eat! 


A group member, the lovely zaynoo1 (Kristina from Mûnchen) - who I only knew from the group and never have had any contact with previous - had read about my missing purse in our Flickr group and sent me this absolutely gorgeous mini quilt along with some of my favorite fabrics, threads and a lovely, lovely letter!!!

I'm so surprised and overwhelmed about this gesture - I just can't believe she did this for me!!!
Look at it - and think about all the time she has spent making it - handstitching and embroidery - stalking my blog and Flickr photos to find out my favorite fabric etc etc - I just can't believe it! I love it!!

Thank you Kristina - such a nice and moving gesture!

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To finally finish this saga about my missing purse I think you should see what helenjanei made for me - the perfect purse that I loved from the first photo uploaded on Flickr - the purse that got lost in the mail can be seen here on Flickr.
Unfortunately I can't show you pictures - they are copyrighted to helenjanei - but a link should do the trick:-)

A big thank you again to Helen for all your work. Regardless - you nailed it perfectly and I'm so happy I told you that in the comments from the very start:-))