An Inspiring Day

Little Treasure has been keeping me very busy lately and continues to grow and change before our eyes. Even though I've really had to cut back on the things I can do (like blogging and stitching!), I wouldn't change a thing. She's such a joy and makes me smile all day long! However, the weekend before last I did have a day of indulgence...having left Mr Treasure in charge all things baby-related, I headed off to the NEC with Mum to the Festival of Quilts. What an inspiring day it was..and so much to see!

I thought I'd share a few of my favourite quilts, so here they are (in no particular order!)...

Double Delight, Pauline Law (South Africa)

It's a knitted quilt! Brilliant! I was really drawn to the colours. Having looked through all the photos I took at the Festival, I've realised that I'm drawn to all things colourful, like a moth to a flame!

21st Century Victoria, Dana Leigh Brenan (London)

A modern interpretation of the crazy quilting technique that the Victorians were so fond of.

Becky's Dresses, Rosalind Gregory (Taunton)

Smocked dresses were hand appliqued on to this quilt. I thought this was a really clever and lovely idea. What a wonderful way of keeping treasured children's clothes.

Dorothy, Yvonne Fish (Southampton)

I'm a magpie when it comes to vintage ephemera, so this quilt really appealed. It was based on the life of one woman and featured all sorts of photos, tickets and concert posters.

Moeders Mooiste (Mothers Most Beautiful), Hanneke Kwakkenbos-Schilt (The Netherlands)

This quilt incorporated all sorts of design elements, including embroidered panels, which I thought was a really clever idea. However, it was the gorgeous fabrics used in the patchwork parts of the design that I was particularly drawn to.

Heat, Vibrance and Colour, Impressions of South Africa, Joan Squibb (Ipswich)

Another colourful quilt that caught my eye. I love the gorgeous Kaffe Fassett fabrics that have been used.

4 Seasons, Ineke Berlyn (Bromsgrove)

This is a detail from one of the panels that made up Ineke Berlyn's quilt based on the four seasons. I was rather taken with the little bird that was hiding in amongst the lines of stitching.

A Taste of Africa, Irene Sutterluti (Austria)

The colours and patterns in this quilt were absolutely stunning.

A Taste of Africa, Irene Sutterluti (Austria)

I was really drawn into this quilt and couldn't help getting up close so I could have a really good look at all of the hand-printed designs on it.

A Taste of Africa, Irene Sutterluti (Austria)

More gorgeous patterns and colours from Irene Sutterluti's quilt.

Spoon Fed Love, Maria Thomas (Kenilworth)

This was one of my favourite quilts. I loved all of the different textures and techniques that were used. It had a lovely vintagey feel too.

Spoon Fed Love, Maria Thomas (Kenilworth)

According to the show catalogue, recycled fabric and paper ephemera were used to create this quilt, which is all about the maker's task of feeding her family being a token of her love.

Spoon Fed Love, Maria Thomas (Kenilworth)

Printing, buttons, applique and stitching - brilliant!

Botticelli Quilt, Nikki Parmenter (Poynton)

This quilt was exquisite. It was based on Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus' and 'Primavera' and even had 3D elements to it.

Stash Findings, Jenny Hubbard (Newark)

Vintage heaven! I loved all the bits and pieces that made up this quilt and spent ages looking at it.

Stash Findings, Jenny Hubbard (Newark)

The Suffolk Puff flowers were really eye-catching.

In amongst the competition quilts were exhibition galleries featuring the work of various textile artists and groups. My favourite was Jennifer Hollingdale's collection - 'Re-make, Re-use'. She uses all sorts of old materials in her work including labels, packaging, household linens and wallpaper. I could have easily brought all of her pieces home with me...unfortunately, the budget wouldn't stretch to one of her big pieces of work so I treated myself to one of her small printed pictures instead!

Brunswick Street (on the theme of 'Community'), Kirsten Duncan (Australia)

I really enjoyed looking at the creations of the Twelve by Twelve group. They're an internet-based quilt art collaboration group who set themselves the challenge of creating 12 x 12 inch-sized quilts on chosen themes. The results were really diverse and it was interesting to see how everyone had interpreted the same theme in completely different ways.

The Indulgent Delights of Spring (unfiortunately, I can't find the listing for this one in the show catalogue, so I'm not sure who the maker is)

Oh what glorious colours!

Endurance 1 - The Ship and the James Card and Endurance 2 - Shackleton and His Men, Cathy Corbishley-Michel (London)

I thought this was a really striking quilt. According to the show catalogue the images have been cyanotype printed on to fabric and then machine quilted. Such a great effect!

Hexagons and Stars, Lucie Summers and Jenny Spencer (Worlington)

I really liked the colours and the different screen-printed fabrics that were used in this quilt, as well as the fact that it was made by a mother and daughter team.

Festival, Susie Corke (Kettering)

Gorgeous vintage fabrics.

Retrospective, Louisa Lawson (London)

This quilt was hand sewn and hand quilted...what a task! The fabrics that have been used represent a cross-section of the fabrics in the maker's stash since she started quilting in the early 1990s. What a great way to keep lots of pieces of fabrics that are (no doubt) steeped in memories.

There were so many fabulous quilts at this year's Festival, it's been a job choosing just a few to show here. After so much inspiration in one day, my fingers are itching to raid my fabric stash and get creating something myself!