EP45 Quilt Fever - Part 2 Festival of Quilts 2023

EP45 - Quilt Fever Part 2
Hello my lovelies, I can't quite believe it is nearly a whole week since I visited the International Quilt Show in Birmingham. This year was a very special anniversary for them and they celebrated 20 years of hosting this spectacular show.
As I couldn't fit you all in my suitcase I decided to film some of the show to share with you and we could be together in spirit. This year I was lucky to have my daughter-in-law for company and she is also making her first quilt. So what better partner to have with me to encourage and enable. We attended Saturday and Sunday, on the Saturday we were so inspired and amazed by all the lovely quilts I completely forgot to take out my camera. But boy did I remember on Sunday and hopefully you will enjoy the footage I captured for you. I am hoping it feels like we are side by side and taking as much as we can in and soaking up the atmosphere. I really enjoying seeing all the quilts, winners, runners up, first quilts, community quilts etc. Alongside all the lovely stalls many of which are independent businesses and are full of creativity
I was very lucky to see the wonderful Stuart Hillard and pick up his latest book on bag making. He was very pleased to learn some of the ladies in my quilt group had been making his bags and were raving about them. Hence my reason to stop buy and purchase a copy. He had however sold out of his scrap bags, which means I will have to go back next year!!!
I was proud as punch to meet up with Janie Crow and update her on my progress on the Mystical Lanterns blanket. When I spoke to her at Yarndale last year she was wearing the scarf and I confessed I only had 2 rows joined. I am determined to finish it before I move onto the Eastern Jewels which is a different colour way from the Persian Tiles blanket. She was showcasing her new blanket Sandalwood, which I was very tempted but I managed to resist. Jane did give me some good tips on how to approach the blanket and they are worth watching.
Lastly I managed to introduce myself to Emma of Vintage Sewing box and it was very quickly as I was participating in a class just opposite Emma. I admire her work tremendously and love the fact her business has grown to be offering workshops.
My darling daughter - in - law and I had the opportunity to attend a 3D Embroidery course which was amazing before we had to set off on our journey home. I hope you enjoy the footage I have captured for you to share xxx
#festivalofquilts #quiltsofinstagram #quilts #quiltingismytherapy #quilting

[@marjoleinclaessen1675]

Thank you for taking use with you. I enjoyed going with you in this quiltshow. Greetings from Holland

[@karenk380]

Thanks for taking us along to the quilt show. Really fabulous examples of how we can take fabric and thread and create stunning works of art. What I enjoy about quilting is that you can make pretty patterns with just squares or triangles, create a souvenir or a special event, make a personal statement to express yourself, or create a picture. There is something for everyone at that show. Looks like you had a fun time!

[@stitchesandjacks7692]

Karen that is so true, you have hit the nail on the head. My daughter-in-law was just so amazed by all the creativity she was surrounded by and wants to go next year and stay 2 nights!! Of course I said yes, happy to enable her xxx

[@emmajonesvintagesewingbox]

Was so lovely to meet you Karen! Glad you had a great time at the show 🌸

[@stitchesandjacks7692]

Lovely to meet you to Emma. Glad you enjoyed the show and were able to offer such amazing classes xx

[@suzannedavies7996]

Thank you so much for this video. So much inspiration here. I think I’ll need to watch it again.

[@stitchesandjacks7692]

Susanne you are more than welcome my dear. I am buzzing with inspiration and creativity xxx

[@glynisreynolds446]

Great to see your video showing the Cotton Orchard quilting frame 👍 I’ve had an 80 inch one for quite a few years now and I love it 🥰 For a while I put it together when I wanted to quilt a quilt then put it away, but now I’ve made space and I leave it ‘ready for action’ 👍 It’s easy to use, and takes all the tedious tacking/pinning your quilt sandwiches together - no more creeping about on the floor 🎉 Thanks for sharing 👏👏🇬🇧

[@stitchesandjacks7692]

Oh I fell in love with the frame, I am just saving up at the moment. Thank you for sharing your experience xxx

[@nathaliebourre3578]

What a lovely way to start my day! I so much enjoyed looking at all these magnificent quilts! Thank you for filming slowly and getting the info label for each one of them too! I am learning EPP and attended a fabulous course with Emma who inspires me endlessly and I am thinking about doing a block-as-you-go one based on seasons, my garden … I am following your progress with your Jennie Crow crochet blanket and got very excited when you chatted with her! Isn’t it marvellous to be able to say “See you at Yarndale”, I’ll never take that for granted again!

[@stitchesandjacks7692]

Nathalie, thank you for sharing your company with me and your lovely comments. The show was amazing and I tried to film a flavour of the beautiful quilts on show. Emma is amazing and I was so happy to meet her briefly and would have loved to be in her class. I agree totally she is amazing and so inspiring and super talented!!! I was made up to see Janie Crown and she is another lady who is so fabulous and super talented. I am so happy with my mystical lanterns blanket and am enjoying my progress xxx It was lovely to say 'see you at Yarndale', I am planning to take a photo and show her at Yarndale xxx

[@gingertea5006]

Thank you for sharing your visit to the show with us and compliments on your filming. I have watched some other postings of quilt shows and I get motion sick as they are spinning the camera around all over the place. I am a quilter but I also knit. I so enjoyed seeing some of the beautiful quilts at the show - good to see what people are making in the UK. I have never been to the Birmingham show but have been to the quilt shows in Houston and Paducah which are really spectacular too. Best wishes from the USA - new subscriber here 🙂

[@stitchesandjacks7692]

Wow thank you so much for keeping me company and leaving me such a beautiful comment. I tried to imagine my viewers were with me and we were all looking at the same quilt etc. I would love to attend a quilt show in the USA, they have such beautiful work. A new subscriber how wonderful, you are more than welcome to come and join the party xxx

[@carols_crafting_space]

Thank you for this Karen! I have never been to one of these shows either. None of my friends are into this kind of thing. I may be brave and go on my own one year 😬 So many talented people out there.

[@stitchesandjacks7692]

You are so welcome, Carol please be brave and just go, the atmosphere is amazing and people are so friendly. You will be able to strike up conversations as you will be surrounded by like minded people xx

[@franceshalcrow7428]

WhatsApp wonderful array of beautiful quilting Karen, thank you for taking us with you. It's lovely to hear the background to the orienteering ladies quilt, a great tribute to their hobby. It was great to see Emma , I have recently started following Emma, her eirk is beautiful. I've never tried English paper piecing but she makes it look so easy . Great to see Janie Crow too, her new blanket looks gorgeous , I might be tempted. Love the Mystical lanterns too. I've always fancied doing embroidery, my mother dud it and made some lovely tablecloths etc. I have arthritic hands so not sure but might give it a go. Thanks again for sharing, take care Xx

[@stitchesandjacks7692]

Frances welcome and thank you for your company and support. The orienteering ladies were fabulous and such an interesting story behind their quilt. Emma is super talented and so inspiring. I am totally addicted to watching her and have picked up a EPP project because of her. Janie Crow is another talented designer and so kind and generous. I have to finish my mystical lanterns first. Oh do have a go at some embroidery, I know your hands must be painful but a small project might work with limited time. One thing the crafting word has been wonderful at, and I know they want to make money, but it producing a gadget etc to help with hand/eyesight manipulation etc so might be worth a look xx

[@nathaliebourre3578]

And it’s Janie, not Jennie! This predictive text business can be SO infuriating!