I have a lot of catching up to do again as most of my time has been taken up with working on my quilt for Festival of Quilts. More of that in a future post. What I havn't had time to talk about is our trip to Cumbria at the end of June to go to Woolfest. I've seen adverts for Woolfest for several years but never managed to go so this year we decided to make the effort.
Woolfest is held annually in Cockermouth cattle market and the stalls are all set out in the pens. The setting is eccentric and as well as showcasing all things woollen and fibre-y it showcases many rare breeds of the wonderful providers of said fibres, sheep.
The exhibition fills two halls and it was lovely browsing up and down the aisles seeing all the amazing things people make with wool and fibres.
If you click on the photo above you can see the name of these very cuddly sheep.
Sedbergh, Farfield Mill and Pagoda Arts of Liverpool were advertising an upcoming Sheepfest at Sedbergh in September with a variety of manmade sheep in amusing poses and a coat of many colours woven by 650 children, each square hiding its secret dream in its lining.
If you get a taste for a fibre festival from this post you can catch Sheepfest here.
This weaving above is Saori weaving which is a very free way of weaving. I would love to be able to do something like this.
These coats above, left to right, are made by Linda Chapman (Cobble Coat) and Ruth Strong (Flora of the Fells) (I didn't get the name of the third coat, sorry).
I was tempted to do a little shopping with the Woolly Pedlar.
You'll have to wait and see exactly what my dear DH bought me from this stall. It's far too warm to model it at the moment ;-)
The best part of going to exhibitions is the people you meet up with. This time was no exception and I met up with the very lovely Jackie Cardy who had a stall selling her beautiful brooches and pictures.
I sneaked up on Jackie and took a photo of her while she was deep in conversation.
Her stall was kept very busy all day. Sadly I didn't think to get a photograph of the two of us together. Doh!
Before I finish I would like to refer you to the work of Iona Mackenzie Laycock. I had a lovely chat with her about her stunning work but again didn't get a photograph. Iona's work incorporates fibre and paint and she has spent a long time perfecting her technique. If you get the chance to see her work it is well worth seeing. It is so vibrant!
A couple of weeks ago DH and I ventured up to York to visit the Quilt Museum which will sadly be closing later this year. Their last major exhibition is Ancestral Gifts and is running until 5 September. The patron of the Quilters Guild, Kaffe Fassett, selected 15 quilts from The Quilters’ Guild Collection dating from 1780
to 1949, and created 15 new pieces in response to them. The exhibition space at the museum had been renovated over the winter closure and looked wonderful. Kaffe Fassett had encouraged the Guild to have the walls painted grey instead of white and this tone really set off the quilts.
I've always loved this beautiful space even though it may not have been ideal for its purpose as an exhibition space.
This beautiful quilt below received a bright and modern re-interpretation.
The Elderton Log Cabin quilt inspired the colourful quilt below it.
Side by side below, a bed quilt and Kaffe's version on the wall above it.
As well as the quilts Kaffe had provided some of his beautiful embroidered clothing:
I am so in awe of the stitching on this jacket. I can recognise some of the vintage fabrics that underlie the stitching. Wonderful!
You may recognise the photographer who saw a creative opportunity in the design wall and fabric squares.
There is still time to visit this interesting exhibition and if you've never visited the Quilt Museum now is almost your last chance. It is a beautiful building and I will be sorry not to be able to visit it in the future. There will be one more exhibition after the Kaffe finishes and the museum closes for good on 31 October. It sits in beautiful grounds nestled below a section of city walls, with a stylish restaurant on the same site and an art gallery too.
