Festival of Quilts 2011

I have just had two wonderful days at the Festival of Quilts.Well worth the long trek, and the feeling of complete exhaustion from trying to get round everything, and take it all in. Nearly 1200 exhibits. I'm sure there are things I missed. What inspirational work!  From exquisite work using traditional skills, through fabulous and amazing art quilts, to group projects, contemporary quilts which explore new boundaries, work by children and young people. Some with a message, others just invoking the joy of working in fabric and thread. Magic.

Here are some photographs...... firstly some I was interested in because of their local (Cumbria) connections.

 Autumn Fairy      Rosalind Pollock , Cockermouth    (Look at her blog, Down by the River)

Passion(flowers) for Patchwork       Gill Reid   Workington

The Fun of the Fair        Eve Westwood, of Cockermouth won first prize in the Young Quilter/Young Embroiderer 9-11 years for this........ well done!

Now, some of the other quilts that made an impression on me.... Not all expertly photographed, and not always the winners. 

Tiny hexagons and applique flowers

Click on the two above, to see the detailed stitching better.

Thursday Evening was the fashion show, which was great fun, and designers competed for the audience's vote for their patchwork and quilted creations. they were superb, witty, clever. The photos of them, static, the next day, don't have quite the same power, but they still look impressive.

And some 'quilt creations'  ......

Sweet undoing    Greta Fitchett

There are lots more, which I will post another time. Last for now, though, the 'Bell Quilt', a group project to commemorate the victims of the earthquake in New Zealand, symbolised by the bells of Christchurch Cathedral. Pippa Moss, of Welsh Quilts, designed this quilt  and put it together with the contributions of readers of her blog. One of the blocks is mine!

A wonderful show.