biscuit: The Festival Quilts 2016

Saturday, August 20, 2016

The Festival Quilts 2016

Well The Royal Festival of Quilts was epic once again. We decided to go Thursday/Friday this year as we have never done that before. I was so excited! The biggest change this year was that the second hall had really filled up and didn't feel like the forgotten about add on hall. It actually felt nicer to be in and more spacious. I reckon it has become the better hall.

It was pretty jam-packed on the Thursday, a bit less so on the Friday so not there's not much difference people wise from weekday to weekend. But it felt good being there on the first day when everyone was fresh and you knew you were seeing everything first.

There were loads of offers and cool things. I felt a bit overwhelmed at the start. We just wondered around wide-eyed. I wish I had got the Lucy Boston special from Paper Pieces... maybe next year. It was amazing just to be able to look at everything properly rather then be shopping online. More about what I bought later.

And look at these great bundles from The Contented Cat. It's so hard. I am tempted by everything. I see some people who just buy one thing or just go to look at the quilts and I am awed by their restraint. I just want everything! I usually prefer the quilts on display at the stalls because then I know it is within my grasp to make them so I have a lot of pictures of those. Many stall holders don't like it. I guess they are selling the patterns for these quilts and don't want people to copy them, but I love to look back and remember them and look up the various stall holder's shops and rack up another potential project image on Pinterest.

As for quilts. I always like to check out the miniature quilts. Look! They are so tiny! I was trying to note down people's names so I could credit them, but, well... I just can't sort it all out, so it's just pictures of nice things that caught my eye.

Look at these beautiful fabrics. They look so delicate and oldy worldy. And they are mostly fussy cut which I wasn't going to do with my Smitten quilt as I sometimes feel it gives off a fractal appearance which messes with my mind but this is just lovely. It makes me eager to get started.

I love the little donuts and the warm colour palette. I just think this could be really nice in shot cotton solids. It's a Monkey Buttons pattern called Sunset.

There was a great plastic piecing stall. The pieces were ridiculously tiny; I love the samples on the walls – so pretty.

But back to the exhibition quilts. They were mega. Look at this! It was huge. It's just so much work. I am always awed.

These were all the antique quilts which always catch my eye. They are wonky and threadbare and just beautiful. I love the old fabrics, they work so well.

So pretty. I love the pink stripe in the centre.

I love the mix of purples, pinks and peaches.

And there were a few Farmer's Wife quilts. Look at this one all in yellow! It is so well done. Mine looks like it was made by a monkey in comparison.

I love the colours here. They are so sophisticated and mellow. I seem to always make rainbow car crashes when really all I want to do is make tasteful quilts. This looks so soft! I think this was my favourite quilt!

I loved all the sampler quilts that were cropping up. I spent a long time looking at individual blocks and working out which were my favourites. It's great to see them in the flesh. All in all a great show.

On a more modern note...