Festival of quilts

[Ruby Slippers]

This weekend is the Festival of quilts at the NEC in Birmingham, which started on Thursday and finishes tomorrow (Sunday). I haven't managed to get there yet but lots of the members of my quilting groups have and are posting lots of photos. This was voted the Best in Show and is for sale, which I thought might interest you.

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[Ruby Slippers]

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Sorry folks. I made a mistake! THIS won Best in Show.

[Grandad]

I actually like the first one best RS. The workmanship seems much more skillful to my untrained eye. However at £4,500 I don't think so. What do you actually do with them. They are works of art, do you hang them on the wall?
You will gather I know nothing about quilting but can appreciate the many skillful hours that goes into making such objects, and I can certainly see beauty in them as artistic creations.

[Ruby Slippers]

You're not alone in your preference, Grandad. Sometimes the judging at shows leaves me somewhat nonplussed as to what they actually saw in a piece of work! I honestly don't know what other quilters do with their finished work but mine usually end up stacked up on the spare bed, unless they are made for a particular person.

[LovelyLadyLux]

WOW!!! Both are beautiful but I'd of voted for #1. The colours, context, visual etc appeal to me lots more. Gorgeous!!

AND the price - YIKES!!!! But probably very realistic if you actually count in all the thinking, planning, purchasing, cutting, sewing and again thinking as you go to say nothing of the actual manual moving around & positioning of a huge piece of material.

They're both works of art though and 'yes' what do you do with umpteen quilts and particularly when they're not all that 'highly talented' meaning mine are extemely basic (however getting better as I go).

Wonder how many 'hours' actually went into each quilt? Particularly if you count all the planning, cutting, measuring etc. time.

[Horus]

I reckon Grandad said it all for me, I know less than nothing about the art, but I can appreciate talent when I see it. Again number 1 got my vote it was so beautifully complex, I am afraid that the winner you posted would have had my mind churning if I slept under that, very dark in more than one way.

[Kiya]

Wow!...It's No 1 for me too, the pattern and colours go so well together, it's beautiful but, at that price it would need to be framed and with glass so hanging is possible, I'd still be in second thoughts about the price

[Ruby Slippers]

This one was the Visitors Choice.

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[Grandad]

This one was the Visitors Choice.

@Ruby Slippers
That one is beautiful RS and would get my vote too.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@Ruby Slippers - LOVE "Visitor's Choice" as well. Can't even begin to think how long it must've taken to come up with the idea, find all the fabrics, and then decide on the patterning and piecing and then how to show it to the max via the actual quilting. The man hours must be phenomenal. This isn't a Sunday afternoon one-off.

[Horus]

Truly a fantastic achievement

[Kiya]

Visitor Choice is beautiful

[Grandad]

@Ruby Slippers
Been looking at those pictures again RS. I am so impressed with the first picture, every little detail a separate piece of fabric I assume ? And the highlight in the centre, is that created in the quilt or just a fluke from a camera flash?
I feel the inspiration must have come from a microscope image of body cells such as cancer cells, that is what it reminds me of.

The public's favourite is again a masterpiece of fabric selection and image construction. It must be a scene in India. I don't recognise that particular building, there are so many that are very similar. Could be Amber Palace at Jaipur maybe???

[Ruby Slippers]

I really can't say about the first one, Grandad. Not being there, I didn't see the conditions under which it was photographed, but I imagine it was the camera flash. The second one could well be in India but once again, I don't know. Personally, just going by the crescent moon on the top, I would have said Turkey or one of the Islamic countries.

[LovelyLadyLux]

The Visitors quilt reminded me of one of the Islamic countries as well vs India.

[FABlux]

I particularly love the first one, the deign and colour combinations are wonderful. I can't imagine having the skill (or patience) to do anything like that

[Ruby Slippers]

I'm not renowned for my patience either, Fablux, but somehow I find some with quilting! The only thing I lose patience with is small things. My quilts are usually made with a purpose, e.g. they have to be useful as well as decorative. I don't make a quilt smaller than a single bed size usually, although I have made cot quilts occasionally. Most of my quilts measure approx. 100" x 100" which is a double bed size.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@RS - since you mentioned it I don't actually like making small fiddly quilts either. I actually make single bed size as that seems to be the most worthwhile size (for me to make).

[FABlux]

RS I do cross stitch so I suppose that is similar from the point of view of patience but I don't have to design them!

[Ruby Slippers]

Fablux, I don't design a lot of the quilts I make either. Occasionally, but not always. There are so many beautiful patterns available. I used to do crosstitch many years ago, but soon developed joint troubles s I turned to sewing. I do dressmaking, tailoring, upholstery, soft furnishings and now - quilting. You should try it sometime.