The Fitzwilliam!

Off we go this morning to the Fitzwilliam! Up early and get the tube to Wimbledon and then the train to Cambridge. Trains seem to come every few minutes, so if you miss one, there's another one coming right along. We have tickets we purchased over the internet, though, and the train man hasn't seen anything like it before, so there will be a certain amount of head-scratching first. Finally, though, we are off!

We arrive in Cambridge, and there's a dizzying array of cabs waiting outside the station. We finally figure out which is first in the queue, and head to the museum. We have an 11 a.m. appointment - it's about 10:20, so we are doing well. I haven't met Angela (who's meeting us here) in person, but I've seen pictures, so we position ourselves where I can see everyone who comes in and wait. At about 11:15, in she comes, looking around, and I think realizing that she hasn't seen a picture of me and won't know how to recognize me, hahaha. But I know her, so we are all right! A big hug and hello, and we let the reception staff know that we are ready for our appointment with Carol Humphrey.

Carol comes and meets us and walks us through the galleries a bit so we can see that there is a needlework exhibit on (Figures in Textiles) or something like that - with both embroidery and weaving. In pride of place in the room are two exquisite caskets - one of them open so we can see all the little drawers and boxes inside.

Then we are whisked away to the fabled "back room" and shown all the samplers one could imagine! I've asked for 17th C. band samplers again, and Angela has as well asked to see any orphan or school samplers and especially plain sewing sampler books. The next hours went by in a blur - we are treated to sampler after sampler. Dorcas Haynes makes an appearance - she is so dainty - as are five, count them, FIVE Judah Hayle samplers! So beautiful - all in fantastic condition. As we look, gasp and ooh and ahhh, we are madly taking photographs to remember the day and study more closely at our leisure. Carol keeps going back to the cupboard to get more and yet more samplers....

Each time Carol excuses herself from the room to fetch something else, Angela and I have a little chat - exchange gifts and do a mini-show and share! I've brought along a small huswif to show her and my Designing Women piece I'm working on - I now have 5 panels finished - almost half!

Angela has brought for me a beautiful round tablecloth with Cypriot embroidery and cutwork - so delicate - and four matching napkins. There is also some olive oil soap, a lovely ornament, and a wonderful sampler book! I'm so lucky!

At last, Carol comes to the end of the samplers we are there to see, and we have left poor Vern to his own devices too long, so we head to the cafe to join him for a late lunch. Afterwards, a quick look around the shop, and it's time for Angela to be on her way. I head back to the Figures in Textiles exhibit to see - it's small but beautiful. I have Vern take note of how the caskets are built..... Photos are not allowed in the gallery, so I have no pictures of the exhibit pieces, but it's really lovely exhibit.

The museum is getting ready to close at 5 p.m., so it's time to wend our way back to the train station. It's a lot harder to find a cab now, and when we finally flag one down who stops, we can't figure out how to open the door (everything seems backwards here - you squeeze a different part of the handle to open car doors - and not only to they drive on the other side of the street, but they walk on the other side of the sidewalk, too - and that's harder to get used to than you'd think!).

Finally, we are back on the train and heading home - tired, happy and replete with our day of samplers. Back home, we stop in again at the Old Swan and have dinner and a large glass of wine before toddling back upstairs. We should sleep tonight!