Saturday, 28 October 2023

Festival 23 Here and there

 

Here are novice and quilts and a peek into some of the galleries. The second time winner of the novice quilts was a controversial choice but it chose itself as it was an immaculately made copy and as such within the rules as long as the other marks made up  for the lack of design input.

However while my choices are not winners they win with me as do many other pieces with many other people and that's why I hope the show will contnue to be non juried unlike American Shows where every piece is highly finished and destined as a show Quilt.


This novice quilt by Kate Evans is a case in a point. I love the quirkyness and go for it nature of the blocks. Further it is a quilt(s) with a heart and a story. The label reads "Both pieces are cut from the same cloth and linked with hand quilting. One quilt is for my sister in Canada and one for me in the UK. The bear paw represents our Canadian heritage, the linen thread our Irish ancestry and the pearl buttons our Cockney foremothers. This quilt is a hug across the Atlantic."
NV 12 Geoff Kerrins: Patterns

Detail

Gallery entrance


Joe Cunningham

Joe Cunningham

Joe Cunningham

I always make a beeline for galleries displaying vintage quilts from which we can learn so much. These are red and white (obviously) from the International Quilt Museum and Study Centre in Nebraska. 
They came from the 600+ donation of  the Joanna S. Rose collection which was displayed to great acclaim in New York 2011. Oh that Turkey Red, now, it seems, no more.
These display a modern graphic sensibility and use of repeated shapes creating layers of pattern emphases.


Irish Chain


Delectable Mountains

Detail





Road To California with negative
space


Detail


This must be from one of the art quilt galleries.

Another quilt with heart and with layers of
pattern



Tuesday, 17 October 2023

Modern Quilts at Festival 2023

 There is quite an overlap between modern and contemporary quilts as modern quilts have expanded though some more clearly fit into the modern mode.

Ruth Stone: Lines in the bay

Detail

Midori Yusa: A Fusion of differences

Detail

Jan Bevan: African Jazz

Vera root: Faig

Wendy Crampton: Neon Infinity
This is the most pronounced example of
a modern quilt

Claire Brenwald: Starry starry night

Detail


Bobby Plews & Hannah Page: Fragments. As there is a specific two
person category I suspect this quilt was not judged.
I really like it.




Helen Butcher: BLOCK CAPS! a super quilt

Helen Howes: The Entertainer


Monday, 9 October 2023

Sustainable Quilts at Festival 23

 This was a new category and the largest and the one imho providing the most creativity and new approaches. Along with the "Unexplained and Unexpected" gallery last year and Joe Cunningham's this year this kind of organic receycled work is definitely in the zeitgeist. I was really inspired but find myself making regular rail fence samples for Quay beginners!

Sarah Jane White:
The things we wore!


Helen Cauvy Foster; this thing we started


Jane Davies: To Beth, Love from Grandma

Hannah Thompson: Half square
triangles starting with Dad's Shirt


Leslie Ball: A stitch in Time

Fay Harrison; Maximalist in green

Jeanette Barber: Moody Blue
My Visitor's Choice

detail

Russel Barratt: Oh My giddy aunt

Leslie Bell A stitch in time

Detail

Carolyn Forster: Framed broken dishes

Caroline Nixon: Les brodeuses inconnues

Detail

Janet Coope: My Yorkshire Kawandi

Tatiana Alexeeva: Japanese dreams

Jeanette Barber: Nebula

Kristen Hubert: Overgrown


Friday, 6 October 2023

Two Person Quilts at Festival 23

 This category is a mixed bag of collaborations and all sorts of quilt types quilted by somebody else so it must be hard for the judges. I have had quite a few large quilts longarmed by my friend Maggie but didn't submit one this year. She did quilt one for my friend Belinda below.

Sarah Falco & Katrina Wilson: Vermont Summer Medallion
This is the pattern three of us are making jointly. We've just done the second border.

Detail of Belinda's quilt

Belinda Jeffries & Maggie Breakspear: Octagon Medallion
I have a box of fabrics destined for this pattern.
A wonderful quilt.

Kat Molesworth & Trudi Wood; Books and
Swimming Quilt. I love the units and overall
arrangement of this one.



Sarah Falco & Katrina Wilson
Westwood Manor Quilt
A close copy of  a quilt owned by the 
National Trust. In the spirit of a
"Dear Jane".

Detail of the small blocks

Heather Hasthorpe & 
Amanda Parks: Pebble Beach
The photo doesn't do justice to the subtle beauty 
of this one made by retreat friends.

Detail