Festival of Quilts - winding up

I've been meaning to finish off my review of the Festival of Quilts for days now but somehow it keeps getting put on the back burner.  So, tonight's the night!

I have long been interested in the work of Dijanne Cevaal, especially her Traveller's Blankets and it was wonderful to be able to get close up and view the stitching.  

This piece was part of the Beneath The Southern Sky exhibition, a travelling exhibition of 30 works curated by Brenda Gael Smith.

The second piece below was part of the Through Our Hands exhibition curated by Annabel Rainbow and Laura Kemshall which I have mentioned previously.

 

The colour change across the silk surface is beautiful but it is the stitchwork that brings it to life.  The piece is entitled 'Reef'.

A fellow Contemporary Quilter, Mags Ramsey, made this piece in response to the Guild's 'Transported' challenge.  It is titled 'Shinkansen' and is based on photos taken at speed from Shinkansen train from Tokyo to Yamagata.  The fabrics used include vintage kimono and silk organza scarf and the detail photo shows (I hope) how the surface has been twin-needle quilted to enhance the effect and impression of speed.

  

Just next to Mags' quilt was the work of Terry Donaldson, also in the Transported challenge.  My photo below is of just a section.

I love the marks across the surface of this quilt and especially the great swooshing arc across it.  When I read the description I understood why I had been attracted to it.  The title is 'Full Circle' and is inspired by the south west coast of the UK.  Terry has blogged about her quilt here.  

A quilt creation that I failed to show previously was this Layers Triptych by Sam Brundish, "layers of fabric trapping secrets of the past,  inspired by peeling wallpaper, frayed vintage quilts hand-written notes and threadbare textiles".  

 I continue to be interested by layers and sheer fabrics so found this quilt particularly interesting.

No account of a trip to a Quilt Show would be complete without admissions of shopping and I am not going to disappoint!

I couldn't resist buying some fabulous buttons from Textile Garden.  This lady's buttons are sourced all over Europe and are very different from the usual run of the mill buttons you see so often.  That cricket/grasshopper is destined for a jeans bag I am in the middle of making.  Seeing it in this photo just reminded me that I'd got it.  Next thing is to find it!

I succumbed to two books, Alice Fox's account of her Spurn Point residency which she had shared with us in an inspiring lecture, and Hilary Beattie's first publication.  Hilary's book is just like her, vital and brimming over with ideas and information.  Opening it is like having Hilary chatting at your elbow.

I think I may have said I helped out on the Bookwraps Tombola run in aid of the Quilter's Guild and Quilt Museum.  After my stint I was lucky enough to win 3 wraps one of which was made by Sabi Westoby, whose work I have admired for some time, and another by Chantal Guillemet. I don't know the maker of the third bookwrap which was very pretty but I've passed it on to my friend to spread my luck around.  The tombola raised an amazing £7808! Thank you if you made a bookwrap or bought tickets.

 

 Finally, I couldn't resist these fabulous hand-dyes from Farne Designs in Cornwall.  My excuse was that I needed fabrics for the workshop I was doing with Linda Beach but in the end we didn't get any further than sketches so the fabric came home intact.  I've been a good girl though, I sent some to my friend along with the bookwrap and some buttons.  My halo's slipping!

Well, I think that about wraps up Festival of Quilts till next year.  Next time, cruise continues to Norway!  If you're in the UK I hope you've enjoyed the long holiday weekend.