Well, I'm back at my desk having spent a day last week stalking the aisles at one of Britain's biggest craft shows, Craft Hobby and Stitch International. It's a trade show so there's nothing to buy (probably just as well), but it does offer the opportunity to see the latest products and designs that manufacturers are launching this Spring.

It's a mixed craft show, with lots of papercraft and beading, but there were some fabric houses there as well as EQS and Gutermann, Janome and other sewing machine companies. I'm still kicking myself that I didn't overcome my natural reserve and ask if I could have a go on a long arm machine. However, I might have been there for hours, and have had to be dragged away finally by security. Those things look fun.

I had a nice chat with the guys from Moda about jelly rolls and layer cake. Does fabric make you hungry? Look out for Pam and Nicky Lintott's fabulous new Jelly Roll Quilt book is due out in May this year (www.quiltroom.co.uk). It's brimming over with patterns for turning jelly rolls into lovely quilts. Perfect if like me you get one home and just want to stare at it.


mycraftivity.com/quilting

By far and away the most alluring stand (US: booth) was Rowan's. They had Kaffe Fassett, Amy Butler and Martha Negley fabric, some of it made up into quilts. Stunning.

I noticed that there were some lovely soft corals, browns and sage greens in the ranges on display. I'd be interested to know if you see these colours coming through in your local quilt shop.

My real treat of the show was to talk to Laura Kemshall, who makes breathtaking art quilts. She was working on a piece at the show inspired by the nineteenth-century obsession with tulips, known as Tulipmania. I don't have a photo of that but you can see samples of the pieces that she and her mother Linda create at their website (www.lindakemshall.com), or in their book, The Painted Quilt. Prepare to be filled with joy or envy, depending on which side of the bed you got out of this morning. I'm going with joy.