Tuesday 13 August 2013

Festival of Quilts 2013

Festival of Quilts 2013 in Birmingham, UK is over and I have a report to write. However the internet connection where I am staying at the moment is slow and sporadic so I will keep the report short. I am sure there will be many other summaries on other blogs, head over to Piece 'n Peace for example.

Although there were changes to the show from previous years, I found that what I wanted to see and the traders I shop from, were all there.

I met up with Margaret and she was every bit as funny and kind as she is online. I saw a lot of other friends too.

Here are some pictures for you from the show. I'll be 'patriotic' and start with a Japanese:
Winner of Traditional, Amateur and Best In Show:
'Thank You Father' by Kyoko Yamauchi

A crowd stopper!!!

Grace by Sandy Chandler, second prize Traditional. Stunning machine quilting, wouldn't you say?
Kumiko Frydel received the First Prize Miniature, for her Rose of Versailles.

My own Bellaflora is looking very pale in the bad light.

Actually I have been wondering how the quilts would look in real daylight. Unfortunately the light in the hall is an orange sickly light and spotlights are only used in the Galleries, not for the quilts in the competition.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh! I love your quilt queenie, I wish that I could have seen the beauty for myself, you have done a wonderful job. The quilt that wone first prize is lovely, I don't know how the judges decides a winner out of all the gorgeous entries!

Elizabeth's quarters said...

If that's how it looks when pale, then your quilt must look gorgeous in reality. Grace Sandler's quilting is indeed stunning–I just don't know how people manage to quilt like that.

The Pied Pedlar said...

Your quilt looks stunning such a lot of work. It is good to see your finished quilt.Tricia

Lis Harwood said...

Your Bellaflora looked vibrant in the show despite the shocking light and the low position of your quilt. The liveliness of it was a wonderful contrast to the nearby quilts with their muted palettes. I hope you will be able to post again once you get better internet access. Thank you for the link to my blog, I'm trying to post everything I enjoyed!

Queeniepatch said...

I am able to reply to the comments so hopefully I can write up another FOQ report.
The light at NEC is making it very difficult to enjoy quilts with yellow in them, and I guess ALL quilts looked duller than they actually are.

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you Susan.
It must be hard being a judge when there are so many beautiful quilts to consider.

Queeniepatch said...

In this blog post you will find a more accurate picture of the quilt. http://queeniepatch.blogspot.jp/2013/03/wipw-or-should-i-say-completion-report.html
Sandy Chandler's quilt was one of the most stunningly beautiful machine quilted pieces I have ever seen. Apart from being large and impeccably quilted it was also crisp and snowy white.

Queeniepatch said...

It was a great feeling when I finished Bellaflora in March, and I haven't seen it much since then (been kept in storage) so when it was hanging in the show it was like meeting a long lost friend.

carorose said...

I love your quilt. I know that the winner quilts are technicallly perfect and these are measurable things that judges look at but I also know, from your blog, all the love and care you put into your quilt. That makes it special.

Lins Artyblobs said...

All the quilts look lovely!

Chris Dodsley @made by ChrissieD said...

What fabulous workmanship, thanks so much for sharing with us Queenie :)

Pamela said...

Thanks for sharing! Bellaflora is beautiful.

Julie Fukuda said...

What a shame about the lighting. Sill, your quilt looks great. I'm not a ig fan of machine quilting but the one you showed is remarkable.

margaret said...

so lovely to meet up with you and will see you next year! Your photos are great and you are so good to have recorded details about them, will put mine on my blog soon but do not hole your breath

Queeniepatch said...

How kind you are. I am so happy to have my quilt shown to the public. Whatever quality, it is a nice feeling to see one's quilt rub shoulders with quilts of the top league.

Queeniepatch said...

There were some really stunning quilts. I will post more photos once my online connection gets more stable.

Queeniepatch said...

Some of the quilts were breathtakingly beautiful, others had fantastic features or wonderful colour combinations.I love shows!

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you, but if I may say so, it looks even better 'in the flesh'.

Queeniepatch said...

Yes, many visitors complain about the lighting. You know in Tokyo and Yokohama how there are spotlight scattered around to give 'life' to the quilts. Many quilts have metallic thread or shiny fabric which looks dull in the 'fog light'.
This particular machine quilting was out of this world!!!

Queeniepatch said...

You are one of the most active and generous bloggers who visit and leave encouragement on others' blogs, so it was a real treat to meet you. Let's meet up again next year!
I got most of the info from the show catalogue and will try to share more photos and info once my internet connection gets more stable. The disadvantage of travelling, I'm afraid is not being able to access the internet easily.

Anonymous said...

Bellaflora är underbar. Ditt blå broderi blir också fint med alla TAST.
Ingalill

Cynthia@wabisabiquilts said...

Too bad about the bad lighting - but still, your Bellaflora is bella!

Queeniepatch said...

How sweet you are! Bad lights can 'kill' a quilt and I really wish there were some spotlight so we could have seen more of shiny fabric, beads and metallic thread, alas...