Seven hours and fifty minutes

I think I am probably the last online quilter/crafter left, who has never actually met an online person in real life.

Not any more.

I met Leila (she was my partner in Pillow Talk Swap Round 10 on Flickr) and over the course of approximately seven hours and fifty minutes we walked, talked, ate, drank, took subways and buses as we took our own quilty chunk out of the Big Apple.

We met at the hotel I was staying at and a brisk 15 minute walk brought us to Kinokuniya Books - a Japanese book store.

The park is quite beautiful - I was back there a couple of days later for lunch - please can we have a Chop't in the UK...they are fab

They have a quilting/crafting section and I ended up buying a quilting block book because, despite it being in Japanese, the visual instructions were so good.

The book is, in my opinion, much, much better than 'Patchwork 163' which I know a lot of quilters covet. There are more blocks and with excellent step-by-step instructions and I just think it is an all round much better buy. I have both.

If you are interested, they have a website where you can buy this book and it is very reasonably priced

Then it was on to the subway, some panoramic walking...

...a spot of lunch, some more walking...

 and a bus until we reached Brooklyn General Store.

I particularly liked what I saw on the door.

The store was a lovely mix of fabric and yarn, with the yarn so inviting I was almost tempted to take up knitting again.

Liberty fabrics beautifully displayed.

And if you bought skeins of yarn, you could wind it on to balls as Leila did

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I loved the whole look and feel of the store.

It had a lovely quirky, individual feel about it.

I would definitely recommend a visit.

The plan then was to get on a bus and go to a quilt exhibition.

Well we got on the bus bit but as we bumped along I spotted an Ikea and before we knew it, we were off the bus and buying the obligatory text fabric.

Documentary evidence.

Ikea very helpfully lay on a complimentary shuttle bus to a subway station so plans reworked, we took the bus, hopped on the subway and ended up here.

While The City Quilter is more utilitarian in appearance, it more than makes up for its choice and variety of all things quilty.

More than an ample choice.

With a side section devoted to a small quilt exhibition.

Incredible quilts.

After that, we fitted in a quick cuppa and cake and then it was time for Leila to get back on the train and make her long journey home.

I had such a lovely, lovely time.

Thank you Leila for making the long journey to meet up, for putting together such a great itinerary and for just being an all-round lovely person to share the day with.

I am sure we will meet again.

(Part Two to come with a visit to Purl Soho and some general hints and tips if you are visiting New York)