Festival of Quilts 2014

It's August so it means it's Quilt Festival time!

This one really rolled round quickly, I can still remember the fabric I bought last year and still haven't used!

My Mum and I visited on the Sunday, driving through torrential rain and feeling miffed at being charged TEN pounds for parking, I really resent this, as if spending money on tickets wasn't enough.

We looked at the workshops still on offer when we arrived but honestly for £13 nothing really caught our fancy. I also noticed that they had a new theatre venue, but you needed to pay MORE money just to get in! You can guess that we didn't! We did however by chance get a free sample of batting, it's the insulated type so I hope to make some quick new oven gloves.

I got bamboozled by all the shopping I'll admit, way too much to see and so many tempting fabrics. I stuck to my budget and list mostly though.

I also think that I enjoyed the shopping rather than the quilts this year, there were only a handful I really liked, each year can be so different. I did really enjoy seeing the junior sections, so much good group work and ideas.

Raptured Star, Trudi Wood

Wheels of Colour, Anita Gogerty

My Happy Quilt, Sylvester

God Bless America, Jannat Messenger

Jardin des Fleurs, Eileen Swart

My Love for Liberty, Tracy Aplin

Fish at Sea, Pam Stanier & Quilter's Trading Post

Stack, Mandy Munroe & Rachael Dorr

Rural Prospects, Mary Palmer & Anne Kiely

In the Orchard, Dorothea Shaw

3rd Prize Winner Young Quilter/Embroiderer 9-11

The Artists Palette, Janet Northing 

Miniature Quilt

Apologies, I didn't get the number for this one

Read All About It, kit available from Stuart Hillard/Cotton Patch

Apologies, again no information for this one

War Horses, Emily Booth

Miniature Quilt

Sadly my camera ran out of battery around here, so there were a few quilts I couldn't capture!

I saw some nice fabric that I want to remember

This was a demo piece on Lady Sew and Sew and it caught my eye as my Mum got me the FQ's of this for my birthday this year, so now I know what to use them for!

I've already found the pattern only.

So what did I buy?

Two different cream solids, so that I can finish off my ABC quilt and then start/finish another Moda charm pack I have-Applejack.

Some proper quilting needles - they're so small!

My free sample!

My prize from the quilters tombola!

Some more lino printing supplies

Lovely Liberty from Alice Caroline, scraps were £1 each and the cushion kit was £10.

And I saw this paper pieced quilt on the Sew Enchanting stand and had to have the pattern, I'm thinking Liberty scraps, maybe some linen?

Pattern was £8, I forgot to get the template plastic though, can I just use any old plastic, like office wallets?!

Got the paper templates from my list but non-essentials fell into my bag, the coasters are from the Quilt Museum and then I loved the colors in the new Moda Sphere range so to appease my longing I got one of those mini charm packs. Although I'm not sure what to make with it yet, may have to trawl Pinterest for some ideas!

I was absolutely shattered when I got back, I must be getting older, now I see the attraction of a two day stay!
I'd love to know your thoughts if you went. I tried to catch people's thoughts via Twitter and have been reading various blogs, which have been good for putting across other people's perspectives and showing quilts that I completely missed!
I really liked 'SewLittleToSay's three parter, I would love to be up to her standard to manage an academy class, I'll put it on my life 'to do' plan!