Deb Roberts' Textile Study Tours

Chintz, Costumes, Quilts & Christmas
European Textile Museum and Christmas Market Tour
December 1-11, 2008
Only $2,995  including round-trip air from Newark, NJ

Space is limited - please register early to avoid disappointment.
Group air registrations due by August 20, 2008 - Registrations accepted until September 26, 2008 or until full.

Spend 10 enchanting days visiting some of continental Europe’s finest  museums and Christmas Markets. Exclusively on this tour, you will have the opportunity to explore the Christmas Markets of France, Germany and the Netherlands by way of some of Europe's finest museums  including the Musée de l'Impression sur Etoffes in Mulhouse, the Netherlands Textile Museum in Tilburg, The Open Air Museum in Arnhem in Amsterdam and the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden.  The curators and docents at these museums are preparing special tours for our group and as always, we will have archival treasures open for our viewing which are not often seen by the public.  Collections seen will include Indian painted and printed chintz in the form of costumes, quilts and other textiles, 17th-19th century regional costumes, antique quilts of the Netherlands, weavings and more.  Along with the incredible textile study opportunities provided by the museum visits, the festivity of the markets will bring back all the magic of Christmas, with their log cabins, hand-craft gifts, delicious smells of mulled wine and regional savories. Not only will you be seeing exceptional textiles, but you will give yourself a welcome break from the usual Christmas stress and no doubt find some beautiful, original gifts. 

Itinerary

Day 1 - December 1:   This evening we depart on our overnight non-stop flight from Newark, NJ to Zurich.  Relax during the onboard services for dinner and a light breakfast before our morning arrival in Zurich, Switzerland.

Day 2 - December 2:   Upon our arrival we will be met by our guide and taken to our coach for a morning drive to Basel.  Here we will have the remainder of the day free for lunch, museum visits and/or Christmas shopping at our first outdoor Christmas Market. Basel is a city humming with activity, one will surely want to visit the Old Town, one of several art museums and partake of one of the mulled spice drinks offered at the markets.  We will depart Basel in the late afternoon for Colmar, about an hour’s drive away.  Colmar will be our home for the next 3 nights, and is an enchanting little town founded in 823 AD.  Its history is rich and one can easily lose time wandering the narrow streets of the downtown area.

Old Town Colmar

Day 3 – December 3:  Our Colmar Hotel is right across the street from the railway station giving us ample opportunity to explore the Alsace region.  Today, after breakfast we have an appointment just a short train ride away in Mulhouse at the Musée d’Impression sur Étoffes.  It is very exciting that during our visit the museum will be hosting an exhibit of early Indian Chintz. Pieces will include costumes, palampores, quilts, several made for various world-wide markets.  This is a very special exhibit as it not only will contain samples from the extensive Mulhouse collection, but fabrics which are from the archives of the French East India Company.  It is amazing to me to know that this company stored away a rich collection of treasures from its founding.  I have been assured by the curator that this will be the finest exhibit of Indian chintz ever assembled, and one not to be missed.  The museum also holds what is considered the world’s largest collection of printed textile sample books, and we will also have the opportunity to study fabrics in this collection, made available to this group by any category of interest.  Once you have completed your day at the museum, the remainder is free for you to explore Mulhouse on your own. 

You will not want to miss the Mulhouse market square where you will find the Christmas Markets.  Each year, the city selects a fabric and reproduces it for the Christmas Market celebration and one will see it draped from the city buildings including the train station, city hall and downtown shops.  It is impressive to see this outdoor tribute and remembrance of what has made this city famous.  You will be free to return on the train to Colmar at your leisure.

Mulhouse city hall - draped in 2007's Christmas reproduction fabric.

Day 4 – December 4:  Today is a free day.  You may choose to explore Colmar, return to Mulhouse for further textile study or perhaps an attempt to block print your own fabric.  You may alternatively choose to travel to any number of nearby villages and towns to enjoy the Alsace countryside.  If anyone wishes to have further study time or to block print fabric today, an appointment will be necessary as the classes take a limited number of participants and the study area size is limited.  Appointments will be taken on a first come basis so be sure if you choose to do this you indicate your preference on the registration form.  There is no additional fee for either activity.

Day 5 – December 5:  After a leisurely breakfast, we depart for Cologne, Germany by way of a stop in Strasbourg, France, the capital of the Alsace-Lorraine region.  Strasbourg was built around a magnificent Gothic cathedral which dominates the old part of town.  We will have an opportunity to visit the cathedral as well as explore the winding cobbled streets of the area known as “Petite France”, where tanners and weavers once resided.  There are five Christmas markets in Strasbourg, and as one wanders from market to market you will be fascinated by enchanting holiday decor found on the old timbered structures throughout the city. We will gather in the late afternoon to head toward Cologne, our home for the next 2 nights.

The Strasbourg Cathedral

Day 6 – December 6:  Today is a day of leisure in Cologne.  Cologne is at once a Romanesque city of great historical beauty, a modern vibrant metropolis and a European centre for Modern Art.  Along with the magic Christmas Markets, you will want to visit the DOM, a gothic cathedral that took over 600 years to complete.  It is one of the largest Gothic structures in existence and its position next to the Rhine makes it a breathtaking site.

Day 7 – December 7: After breakfast today we will depart for the textile museum in Tilburg, NL.  Tilburg used to be a thriving textile town where monumental textile factories dominated the city. The Dutch Textile Museum is situated in one of the most imposing old textile factories in Tilburg: the former woolen fabrics factory of Mommers & Co.  The structure dates from the nineteenth century. In 1986 the building was restored and now is a museum which holds textiles from around the world and provides a glimpse back in time to the every-day life of the former Dutch textile laborers.  Following our visit here we will be off to Arnhem, home to the Open Air Museum of the Netherlands.  The remainder of the day and evening are free to explore this area.

Day 8 – December 8:  By special invitation our group will visit the archive areas of the Open Air Museum.  Located in two areas, the curators are preparing very special viewings of some of their finest textiles in the collection.  We will have hand's on opportunities with extraordinary examples, not often available for viewing.  Known for their collection of chintz procured by the Dutch East India Company, their costume and textile collection of these items is second to none.  Following our day here, we will head to Amsterdam, where our hotel is in the historic area also known as the Museum Quarter.  This puts us in a great location to see some of the city’s finest museums and attractions, and the tram stop is just outside our door for further exploring of the city or nearby Dutch towns.  We are within walking distance of the Rijksmuseum. The Van Gough and Anne Frank museums are also nearby and are places you may want to consider visiting.

Day 9 – December 9:  We will be off today to Leeuwarden and the Fries Museum where they are hosting an exhibit of antique Dutch quilts .  These pieces have been gathered from the finest collections in the country. Following our curator led tour of the quilts, we will spend time in the museum archives for a personal look at more of this museums collections including costumes, chintz and other pieces. The day is ours in Leeuwarden to see and explore the sites of this area.  Before returning to Amsterdam we will be making stops at the private costume museum called "De Gouden Leeuw" and as time permits the Museum Hindeloopen, full of vintage and antique Dutch textile treasures.

It will be an incredible day to finalize notes on a costumes and a comparative study of Indian Chintz noting the differences between those prepared for the Dutch and French Markets.

Day 10 – December 10:  Today is a day of leisure to do with as you please – there are so many things to see and do in Amsterdam and in the surrounding towns.  For example you might decide to go to the Zaanse Schans heritage village, which is just a few miles north of Amsterdam.  Here you can see the traditional buildings and wind-mills alongside a selection of historical architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries, or you might go to Alkmaar, the Dutch cheese capital.  No matter your choice, you day will be full.  We will gather this evening for a farewell dinner at the hotel.

Day 11 - December 11:  Today we depart for home with memories and treasures that will long be with us.

Space is limited please register early to avoid disappointment.
Absolute deadline is September 20, deadline to participate in group air is August 20, 2008.

Download Registraton materials here - must have Adobe Acrobat Reader

êTour Price - $2,995.00, per person double occupancy (includes non-stop round trip air from Newark, NJ)
êLand Only - $2,650.00
êSingle Supplement - an addition of $975 per person will be added to the above for those wishing their own room - limited single rooms available.

êêPrices which include air do not include airport departure fees, taxes and gasoline surcharges which are added on at the time of ticketing.

Optional Insurance Coverage - click here for policy information Copy of Insurance Certificate
    Full tour including air - $180
    Land only - $150
    Single supplement, full tour including air - $225

TOUR INCLUDES

ê Roundtrip non-stop airfare from Newark, New Jersey to Zurich/Return from Amsterdam
ê All transfers to/from airports and between designated cities and venues by deluxe motor coach unless otherwise indicated.
ê Services of a full-time multi-lingual tour director
ê Deluxe First Class Hotels - 3 or 4 ê
ê Open train pass per itinerary 
ê Museum entrances and tours per scheduled itinerary 
ê Full buffet breakfast daily
ê Porterage of one bag per person (hotels and coach)
ê Tour Tote-bag and surprise gifts.
ê Non-optional tips and gratuities

Due to unforeseen circumstances, there may be times when teachers, itinerary, projects and schedules may need to change without notice. In order to participate in related activities, all cruises and tours offered through World of Quilts Travel must be booked through Deb Roberts Tours. We cannot make exceptions, thank you for your understanding. Deb Roberts' Tours is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions.

Deb Roberts' Tours is proudly sponsored by All American Crafts: Publishers of: The Quilter & Fabric Trends Magazines as well as eleven
other exciting art, craft and hobby magazines.

Contact Information: Telephone - 714 325-5708 FAX: 949 369-6933 E-mail: textiletours@aol.com

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