Paris Hill Friendship Quilt

Just before I left for Maine last month I noticed a quilt on an historical museum site in Paris Hill.
It looked really interesting to me so emailed the museum to ask if they had any other photos of the quilt.

They replied and I was told that the one on the museum web site was all they had. I thought as I would be passing quite near Paris Hill when I left to drive to Vermont I would go and have a look.
No it wasn't to be,  the museum has limited opening hours and certainly didn't fit in with my schedule.
I can't post the details on here but here is the link.

This is one very big quilt measuring 101x101 and is made up of 61 11 1/2 in blocks.
http://www.hamlin.lib.me.us/f_exhibit.html

I did find this image by googling Paris Hill Friendship Images .

Wouldn't this make a great study quilt?

Sue

Another Little Road Trip

I've been on the road again. Another little road trip to Wales to the Welsh Quilt Centre to see their latest exhibition of Kaffe Fassetts's and Welsh wholecloth quilts.

I decided at about 9pm on Monday night to ring my favourite hotel in Lampeter to see if they had a room for a couple of nights. They did, so on Tuesday morning I packed my bag and the dog and i took off . I love that I can take my girlie along for the ride its a very dog friendly hotel with fabulous walks around the grounds. 

The Welsh Quilt Centre- Lampeter

The way the Kaffe Fassett quilts were hung reminded me of the Infinite Variety of Red and White Quilt exhibition in New York back in 2011.

Isn't this just fantastic. I love the jester border, the points were so sharp. 

Another interesting border. 

Folk Art quilt

Kaffes Mariners Compass. 

On my way back home I did a little detour to Lananfan Fawr. My cousin has been doing a bit of genealogy research and found our ancestors came from this area back in the 1700's. 

it's  an absolutely stunningly beautiful area of Powys but back in the 1700's it was part of

Breckonshire. Why am I waffling and telling you this you may well ask!!!

Well when I stopped  by I went into the church and had a poke around the graveyard to see if I could see any headstones with family names on . No names but what was interesting was these carved stones in the porch wall.

Recognise any of these designs. I gotta feeling that's where some of those welsh ladies may have got some inspiration for their quilting designs. 

 Yes I think we can see the resemblance and the scalloped edge one has a similar design. 

I believe these stones are dating back to the 7th century. 

It's a great mixture of old and new quilts in the exhibition and the wholecloth quilts the finest I have ever seen. 

All in all another great little trip to beautiful Wales. 

Sue  

Festival of Quilts 2013 part 3

These are some of the quilts that caught my eye. 

Nice pinwheels 

Loved the fussy cutting in these stars. Hand quilted too.

 Nice edge treatment too.

How about this. Eat your heart out Madonna. 

Sue 

More from The Festival of Quilts

Have been back to the FOQ today mainly to collect my quilt and the Shipton Quilters Group quilt. 

I have been sitting here reading the judges comments and it is funny how three people have differing opinions about a quilt. 

I guess even if their is a formula it's never going to come out the same. 

So this is how it goes for the group quilt.

Fulfils Catergory/ Theme rules.          2 Excellent 1 Good    Satisfactory

Visual Impact / Emotional Response. 1  "             2 "

Originality /Content.                           1  "              2 "

Design, Composition,Colour.             2  "              1 "

Choice & Suitability of Material           2  "              1 "

Surface Design & Embellishment     

Not Applicable                                   2 n/a.          1  " don't understand 2 think its not applicable

Piecing construction /accuracy          2                 1 "

Applique design & execution

Not Applicable.                                 3 they all agree that their was none

Quilting Design & Execution.             2 ex.                               1

Edge Treatment, hangs well.             3

So the only thing they all agreed about was that edge treatment and hangs well and their was no appliqué on it. 

Three judges and three differing opinions. I'm baffled but  hey I often am. What does one person see that another doesn't?

You deserve some photos after this little post.

Very innovative and well deserved Group Quilt win.

What a beautiful winning  miniature. 

This one actually won best in show too.

Beautifully quilted by Sandie Chandler

Hunters Star by Helen Brookham and quilted by Sandie Chandler.

I meet up Virgina today and here she is with her lovely quilt full of reproduction fabrics. 

Will be back soon with a few more photo. 

Sue 

Festival of Quilts 2013

Today was the start of the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. 

I entered my Klosjes quilt just because I hadn't entered anything here for quite a few years. After all the heartache of making this quilt it was a nice feeling to see it hanging.

At one point I saw a lady making notes whilst she was standing in front of it and decided to tell her it was mine. She seemed pleased I had told her as she went on to explain that she will be putting on an exhibition some time in the future and would possibly like to use it . 

We exchanged email and she wrote on my competition catalogue. To my utter surprise it was Tracy Chevalier. http://www.tchevalier.com/

She is the author of several books and the most famous one being 

The Girl With The Pearl Earring.

She told me a little about her latest book The Last Runaway which is about an 

English Quaker who emigrates  to the USA and that she is a quilter. 

Tracey then went on to show me her Ohio Star blocks she has been making and
through her research In Ohio she has now been drawn into the quilting world. 

I've only seen the film of The Girl With The Pearl Earring. I loved the film especially 

as Colin Firth is the main male character.

I'm  going to be ordering The Last Runaway as reading the reviews sounds 

fascinating. 

Will be back with some quilty photos over the next few days. 

Sue