Janet Redler Travel was delighted to be chosen by Northcott Silk Inc. to deliver a very special quilting tour of Britain, celebrating 85 years of successful trading for North America’s premier supplier of fabrics for quilters, and 10 years of their best-known Stonehenge brand.

The tour culminated at magical Stonehenge

Conceived in 2019, before Covid struck, this landmark tour was twice postponed before finally taking place in June this year. What was first devised as one tour, ultimately became two tours running simultaneously, as demand and interest in the adventure grew.

Focusing on the long and fascinating history of quilting in England and Wales, highlights of the tour included visits to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre, the American Museum in Bath, and Bowes Museum, which boasts Britain’s largest European textile collection. The culmination of the tour was an exclusive behind-the-ropes visitor experience at the world-famous prehistoric monument Stonehenge.

Exploring the textile collection at Bowes Museum

The tour began in London for both groups, with a Beefeater tour of the Tower of London and an awe-inspiring view of the capital from the London Eye, in addition to a private guided tour of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This part of the tour concluded with a memorable dinner cruise on the River Thames.

On leaving London, the tour split into two, with one group heading north to the ancient city of York, and the other group heading west to Wales and the Roman spa city of Bath.

On arriving in York, the first group enjoyed a fascinating lecture and tour of The Quilters’ Guild Museum Collection, opened in 2008 as Britain’s first museum dedicated to the history of British quilt making and textile arts.

Visiting The Quilters’ Guild Museum Collection in York

Close by is Bowes Museum, housed in a remarkable French style chateau, and here the group enjoyed a private tour with the museum’s fashion and textiles curator, with detailed focus on six of the museum’s most beautiful quilts.

Leaving York, en route for Wales and the next leg of the tour, the group enjoyed a visit to the Silk Museum and Paradise Mill in Macclesfield, north west England. This fascinating attraction provides a glimpse into life at a silk mill in the early 20th century, with its restored looms and weaving machinery.

Arriving in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the group enjoyed a delicious Welsh themed dinner, before heading off early the next day for a scenic drive through the Welsh countryside to the Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre, the hub of the Welsh quilting tradition and a must on any quilting tour of the UK.

Group photo in Cardiff, the capital of Wales

In Wales and elsewhere on the tour, our visitors had the chance to visit several major stockists of Northcott fabrics, including the Stonehenge range which inspired this tour.

Before the two groups met up again in Salisbury, in anticipation of the culmination of the trip with the private viewing of Stonehenge, the quilters stopped in the beautiful Georgian city of Bath, with its famous terrace, pump room and Roman baths, made famous by Jane Austen, and more recently Bridgerton.

Bath is the location for the American Museum and here the group explored the unique collection of vintage American quilts, including 18th century examples by Sioux and Amish women, as well as enslaved people.

The tranquillity of the cloister at Salisbury Cathedral

The two groups converged in Salisbury for the climax of the tour and, after an early start, arrived at Stonehenge for a private and exclusive ‘behind-the-ropes’ experience led by one of the curators there. Each year just a small number of select visitors are allowed to enter the stone circle itself and our group was privileged to gain access.

The prehistoric circle of vast monoliths at Stonehenge form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and present one of the most mysterious sights in Europe, dating back to around 3000 BC.

After enjoying some free time in the sublime city of Salisbury, giving our visitors time to reflect on their tour and the unique experience at Stonehenge, the whole group enjoyed a fabulous supper in the hallowed confines of Salisbury Cathedral. A truly wonderful conclusion to a very special tour!

At Stonehenge – the climax of the tour!

We have subsequently received some fabulous feedback about the tour, which we were so proud to deliver alongside our North American partner, Isle Inn Tours.

Kathleen Wagoner said: “The itinerary was great - the places we visited were very interesting - there was a good mix of quilt focused stops and tourist attractions and all were good.  The ‘Behind the Ropes’ visit to Stonehenge was amazing and probably the best thing on the entire trip!!“

Kathy Keenan added: “During the 10 day Northcott Quilting tour, I was extremely fortunate to taken care of such wonderful, talented people as Neil, our guide and Peter, our driver. Both of them went out of their way to make the trip enjoyable and memorable for us.”

LeAnn Gogel said: “I want to let you know how fantastic my trip to England was. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Jan and Dean Mast concluded: “The once-in-a-lifetime experience was magical.”

If you or your group would like to enjoy a tailor-made quilting tour of the United Kingdom, including visits to the principal quilting destinations as well as some of the country’s many other must-see attractions, tailored to the preferences of your group, please contact our friendly team today.

We take care of all aspects of the trip from the minute our visitors step off the plane, with excellent accommodation to suit all budgets, delicious meals in popular restaurants and comfortable transport, whether coach, car or train.