I can’t quite understand how a year can have gone by since the last Festival of Quilts, yet somehow it has. Of all the things to come round sooner than expected, a chance to see fabulous quilts (and buy fabrics and tools and catch up with a good friend who lives too far away) isn’t such a bad thing.
I enjoyed looking at the competition quilts, but only a couple caught my attention. Generally the curated exhibitions are the thing I really enjoy – the chance to see international quilters using all sorts of innovative techniques and styles. I always love seeing the student showcases as well, particularly as there is often someone who has done their work placement with me!

Work by MA Textiles graduate Yumi Chon, made from old teabags. Fantastic stuff.

My three favourite competition quilts. Makers names unknown, they are exhibited only with a number and title and you have to buy the guide to find out who they are. I didn’t have time to buy the guide and forgot to write the numbers down. Quite useless.

Work by Janice Gunner.

Manipulated fabric pieces by Helen Reeve who was last year’s placement student with me. Love her use of colour in these double-sided slashed fabrics.

I also bought a fabulous brooch from her which I must photograph.

My purchases included some interesting new eco products (or at least newly available in the UK) and some Liberty fabric and matching giant ric rac. Very little Japanese fabric came home with me this time, which was quite remarkable. And no books, so I need to get on over to Amazon and remedy this. Sewing / textile book recommendations people? What new stuff is out there?

PS. I wrote about the show in 2007 here.