Festival of Quilts 2014

A short trip this year as I wasn't teaching, arrived on the friday evening and met Claire Lynch for a bite to eat and a chat about the show so far and the masterclass Claire was attending. Left it too late this year to book the Hilton Hotel so took a chance on "The Gables", a short taxi ride from the NEC and cheap as chips. Twas basic but clean and a cooked breakfast, what more could I ask for ! I happened to bump into Sandy Snowdon at breakfast, (we met three years before at the Festival as we were both participants in the Fashions sans Frontiers fashion show) we had breakfast together during which Sandy very kindly offered me a lift to the NEC.

We arrived at the NEC about nine in the morning, were I met loads of Irish quilting friends and collogues, which was fun, then I sat and watched the crowds gather. Well the queue just kept getting longer and longer so I waited awhile to let the first rush in, then I promptly went to The Quilters Guild stand, which is always situated near the main entrance, to renew my membership before setting off to find the Quilts I had made and been involved in making to photograph while enjoying the hundreds of quilts I found on the way.

No prizes, had really hoped Isobel's School quilt would get something, next year hopefully!!
So here they are:

Isobel's School Quilt. From a distance I thought it stood out.

And here's a better view. It does need a sleeve and bar on the bottom to help it fall better. Haven't got to see the Judge's comments yet as Loretta O'Brien very kindly offered to take it home for me in her car.

Here's the piece I entered into the Quilters Guild Challenge, all from scraps that went into some left over dye at the end of a dyeing workshop!!

Quiet pleased with this one, a little few little bits annoying me about it but that's normal.

Here's my Gees Bend inspired triptych hanging in the EQA ( European Quilt Association) exhibit "Explorations" 

All hand dyed fabrics, blocks were all drawn out separately and were machine quilted in lots of coloured threads. Making these and working with all the colours kept me sane last winter, as the dark closed in. This is the piece I am most happy with this year. 

And here's "Just Threads" a new quilt group I sew with, our first quilt.

And finally the most important piece in the show Isobel's EQA "Winter Garden" mini quilt selected as one of sixteen to represent Ireland in this annual travelling exhibit. Isobel's piece is second from right on the top row, the Snowflake.

Three other members of "Just Threads" quilts were also selected: Claire's (second from right on bottom row), Ruth's (first on right top row) and Meg's (third from right on top row)

Got to try out the new "Own and Pussy Cat" pantograph design on Isobel's quilt, needs a little tweaking but looks good and she's thrilled with it. Just got to trim and add binding. Didn't get near the quilt I was working on as had to transform Isobel's bedroom. Promised I'd do her room during the summer and as that's rapidly coming to an end (sob, sob) I got stuck in, painting Tuesday, Wednesday I put floor down, new bunk bed went together yesterday and I'm knackered today!!!!