Festival of Quilts

                                                                     Story of the Earth

Yesterday Stitch&Bitch friend Lynne and I took the coach to the NEC to visit the Festival of Quilts. Lynne had a heck of an early start...she was running the dogs on Heacham beach about 5.30...and she is NOT a morning person! Jim drove us to the pick up point for 0700hours and we boarded a half empty coach; this was lovely for us all as we could spread out over two seats each, and have a good doze, but we wonder whether the company will be running the coach there next year, it can't have been worth their while financially.

We noticed fewer than usual cars and coaches - the recession is certainly biting. We decided to view the quilts together then split up to shop and meet up for lunch. Well, I don't know, unless we are both getting a bit jaded, or it is just that we've been around a long time looking at quilts, but we felt we had seen SO MANY of them before. Lots of lookey-likeys, and ....well, I'm not going to carp because I do think everyone should have an opportunity to exhibit and amateurs should be shown as well as the more prominent almost-pros and professionals. And correct me if I'm wrong, anyone who went also, but there didn't seem to be so many entries this year.

We thought this deserved more than Highly Commended. Lovely colour and design, and beautifully finished.

Now you know I like a bit of a basket, there were a few Baltimore-type quilts, but I wasn't terribly struck by most of them.

I must apologise here and now, as I have no idea who made each quilt. We decided against buying programmes at £6 just to be ale to put a name to each quilt. How mean are we?? Why can't they label the quilts? They put other information on them. I know the judges mustn't know the names but the labels could go up afterwards, or have a cover....or something. It's so annoying even when you DO have a programme, faffing about with your bag, your camera, your bags of stuff, your glasses...oh for goodness' sake!

                       Lovely wholecloth with stipple quilting.....only one of its kind.

             More hand stipple quilting.........oops, that's one of mine, how did that get there!!!

                                           Love the painterly effect of this one.

                                                              Juicy, juicy colours!

This was another Judges Choice, Vikings Beware, really lovely. Something to do with the sea holly thorns giving the Viking invaders sore feet. Or so I was told. They'd have thick foot-coverings on, surely? Anyway it was a great quilt.

                Masterful. Reminds me of C June Barnes  Dyeing to Quilt series.

                                                                     Impact! Precision!

                               

                      Simply.........

                            .............stunning.

                      I do find I am more and more drawn to the quite graphic designs these days.

                                                           Or outbursts of colour.

       I don't think this would have appealed to me 10 years ago. Ah well, you live and learn!

                                                           Just beautiful.

I stopped and spoke to a young lass called Sarah Stewart, who has just graduated from the University of Dundee, and was exhibiting in the Graduate Showcase....she was in fact the winner of the judges  Graduate Showcase Award. We liked her work best of all so were in full agreement! She has a blog:

intoaparalleluniverse.com  check it out. Wishing you all success in the future, Sarah. Here are some of her textiles.

           Beautiful colours, lovely linen; the embroidery reminded me of stitched collages.   

So, yes, I did take a few more photos but you have probably all dropped off to sleep and I'm getting mesmerised by the key board, so that will have to do! I stopped by to renew acquaintence with lovely Janet Bolton, she must have met a thousand people, all old students of hers, yet she always has time for a smile and a chat. I adore her work.

We found it quite pleasant being able to get to the stalls without fighting our way through several layers of other shoppers, but it doesn't bode well for the takings. We gave a nod and a wave to old friends, Magie at the African Fabric Shop, and Yvonne Brown and Annette Morgan, both members of Anglia Textile Works, old stitching pals, busy in their booths. 

We stopped for lunch at just after 1pm, and then sat and nattered til 3pm, quick look at Art VAn Go, which I had missed! first time round, then we went and got on the coach, we  were away by4pm and back in Kings Lynn by 6.30....very hot and tired out but having had a super day. And to make things even better, Jim had  bought an Indian takeaaway so no cooking!!!Yay!

Oh, and in case you wondered..........

This was what I bought! Yes, I know, how circumspect was I! Some hand-dyed felted wool from 21st Century Yarns, some variegated hand-dyed threads from Oliver Twists - lovely, lovely company, a few Kaffe Fasset fat quarters - just because - and some BEAUTIFUL journals. Can't wait to get into these. But they will have to wait as I am off tomorrow to Burwell in Cambridgeshire, to the annual Burwell Bash, a week of music, good food, late nights, music, laughter, more food, even later nights, more music and most of all more laughter. I'm meeting up with my 'other family'.  I will take LOADS od photos, and will see if I can blog while I'm there...though I seldom have time even to read a page of a book when I am there. I have to phone Jim before breakfast, because once the day starts ....it just goes and I never remember to ring after supper....no time....no time! I KNOW i am going to have just THE BEST time as usual.  Catch up with you soon.