Event Reviews 2010


Laying The Table - by Ann

The February meeting of Shirley Quilters was called "Laying The Table" and what a host of lovely things were on the table for our inspection, including 
patterns to make them up.  Table runners, cup and saucer pin cushions, knitted cup cakes, even a bag which would safely carry your cake tin 
(full of goodies) to which event the contents were made for.

There were some of the latest quilting fabrics to buy, pretty buttons to embellish our handiwork and project patterns from Gail Penberthy to purchase.  
The latter were flying off the table and in due course I am sure we will see some of the made up items at a Show and Tell.

The block of the month raffle was drawn by Jill and won by Bina.

After tea and coffee, we saw lots of lovely projects made by members.  We have a wealth of talent in our group.

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UFO Workshop at Thread Bear for Shirley Quilters - by Julia 

Saturday the 28th January was the first ‘UFO (Un-Finished Objects) Day’ at ‘Thread Bear’, especially for Shirley Quilters, organised through Julia. 
Five of us spent an enjoyable day sewing and chatting whilst being treated to coffees and teas and a yummy lunch!!  We all managed to work 
through a few unfinished objects, including a few challenges for Shirley Quilters.  Of course we managed to fit in a little retail shopping, a girl can 
never have too many sewing things!!!!

Watch out for the next date, there will be six places available.

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Ardingly Spring Quilt Festival - by Jan

I always enjoy a visit to Ardingly Quilt Festival, perhaps because it is a relatively small and intimate show and you can come away not feeling too overwhelmed. This year it did not disappoint.  It was full on from the start as the first set of quilts were by Dilys Fronks entitled ‘The Fabric Palette’.  And what a palette it was. 
No more wrought-iron gates opening into beautiful gardens, although there was a hint in one of the quilts.  She explains that she started an art class and 
learned pointillism.  She has adapted this idea in her quilts, overlaying fabrics with a raw edge technique and then adding textured quilting to hold the small shapes down and add visual detail. They were a riot of colour.  I particularly like her Robin and a set of five narrow wall hangings, each showcasing a different flower.

Next up was a selection by Jan Hassard entitled ‘Colour and Illusion’. On close inspection a lot of these used ‘scrap’ fabrics, carefully matched by colour, and geometrical designs which gave the illusion of three dimensions.  She teaches workshops, so a possibility there?

Anja Townrow had a display called ‘Colour and Curves’.  A lot of her quilts are well known images, but here were even more, and all showing her wonderful colour sense, accurate piecing and beautiful quilting.  She had a stall selling her patterns and some fabric and I particularly liked the pattern for a book cover.

The Journal Quilt Challenge ‘Quilt Poetry’ contained a selection  of  entries each one consisting of two A4-size quilts.  Some of these were very attractive and 
the wide range of styles made the exhibit interesting.

Judith Wilson showed a selection of quilts with the title ‘The Next One Will Be Better’.  That is the sort of title which makes one despair as it was difficult to 
see how they could be better.  She combines piecing and appliqué and her quilts are heavily machine quilted.

Lesley Brankin is a familiar name in Patchwork magazines and I particularly liked two sets of journal quilts. Two of these had watery green backgrounds with beautifully executed white flowers and the other two consisted of a cello in faded browns and a sea scene labelled Porthmeor.

Only left to mention are Traditional Roots by Rebecca Collins – Poppy was the one that caught my eye – and a display by Thanet and District Quilters entitled ‘East Meets West’ and ‘Sun, Sea and Sky’.  As you would expect from a quilting group, a huge range of ideas and techniques but very enjoyable.

Now it was time to leave the peace of the exhibits and join the scrum downstairs and pick up some bargains.  Most of the usual traders were there but I got the impression that there were not so many bargains.

Certainly the exhibition was worth a visit.  I think what struck me most was the quality and variety of machine quilting. (I did buy some fabric).

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January Meeting - by Helen

An action packed meeting to start 2012!

What a year we have ahead of us – our main exhibition on 6^th October and a new charity, South East Cancer Care, to support.

Julia started with the notices; of particular interest were some new activities that have been added to our 2012 Programme:

           Coach Trip to Threads and Patches on Friday 11^th May – it is near Milton Keynes and has quilting, knitting & card making craft supplies, so a great day out with something to suit everyone.  Cost of £25 to include all refreshments & lunch & demonstrations leaving SQ at 8.30am and returning at c.5.30pm – only 24 places available. 

           Julia has arranged a UFO Day on Saturday 28^th January which will be held at Threadbear from 10am – 4pm at a cost of £15 a head which includes refreshments and lunch.  A great chance for six people to spend a day finishing off quilting projects without feeling guilty. Please ring Julia if you are interested asap

            A Shirley Quilters Ideas Bank was launched – if you have any ideas, suggestions or just general feedback for the Committee please make a note & pop it in the “bank” so the Committee can continue to ensure that our meetings and workshops & activities reflect your interests and the diversity of all our members 

The 2012 Challenges were introduced and a leaflet handed out which provided additional information on each of them:

            Exhibition Quilt.   South East Cancer Care Christmas Fair Raffle Quilt.      Exhibition Challenge – mini Diamond Jubilee Quilt.     Monthly Block Raffle.   And also Accessory Makes for our exhibition Tombola (ongoing).

      For our February meeting meeting please bring along a notebook and pen, some cash and any “show & tell” items..............especially if they would support our “Laying the Table” evening.

 

2012 has started with a bang - it’s going to be a fun and action packed year so needles & thread in hand and get cracking!

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I have just been on my first visit to the annual Farnham Maltings quilt exhibition and sale. What a treat!

In a maze of halls and smaller rooms there were exhibits from several different quilt groups. There was a great variety of styles on display, from large traditional quilts to art quilts, City and Guilds pieces and Olympic pennants. To tempt one into a new hobby, there were also embroiderers, beadworkers and lacemakers.

The busiest areas however were the large halls with traders’ stalls. There were so many different fabrics on offer at bargain prices that it was difficult to stay focussed and not get carried away with buying just because the fabric was too lovely to ignore.

It was a really good day out and I shall look out for the date for next year and make sure it’s in my diary.

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