To make it was pure joy. I'd better tell you a little bit about the story behind it.
In Baltimore quilt symbolism, the ship stands for Christianity.
But in my case there are added meanings.
It commemorates the day when I came to Britain by boat, just for a year, to learn the language better. Of course, I am still here! The top flag is of course, Dutch. The next one is of Overijssel, where I was born, and then there is the British 'red duster', since that was where I was going.
The name on the ship is that of my grandfather's ship. The rhyme underneath is a line from a rope-skipping song, which I grew up with. 'Witte zwanen, zwarte zwanen, wie gaat er mee naar Engeland varen..' (White swans, black swans, who is coming with me to sail to England..) I remember how often we used to sing this song, and that I used to think that I was going to go to England when I had grown up...
Have a lovely evening!
Jane