Autumn Quilt Festival, Malvern

I'm back home from Malvern today after a very easy and relaxing three days (for a quilt show LOL!) I was demonstrating and teaching one hour sashiko workshops, and the quilts from 'Japanese Quilt Inspirations' were on show again. For the first time, I was on the same side of the main hall as the entrance doors and it is quite a difference experience from being either in the marquee in May or further down the hall - the quilters reached me within a minute of the doors opening at 10 a.m.

My red and white 'Fanoe' quilt was on the end of the Fabrications magazine stand (photo above), just inside the entrance. It will be in the next issue. There were plenty of red and white fabrics for sale at the show, which would be ideal for this. One trader told me that quilters seem a bit reluctant to mix slightly different reds in a quilt, but I hope they notice that it is actually a feature in my quilt and the subtle changes in reds makes the design more lively. The longarm quilting is also in a shaded red thread, and was done by Pam Ablett at Quilter's Trading Post, Whitchurch. I saw Pam at the show and she told me that they are just about to move into their new premises, where she'll be able to have both Gamill machines up and running, and they are also going to start running workshops.

I found some interesting fabrics from several traders, including Tudor Rose, who were opposite me - they had some excellent taupe fat quarter bundles which would be ideal for a remake of the little grey lap quilt hanging up on the corner of the left of my demo stand (from 'Japanese Taupe Quilt Blocks'). I'm teaching there next year, with a freezer paper applique workshop based on my 'Sensu' (fans) quilt from 'Japanese Quilt Inspirations'.

We had the pumpkin trick or treat bag from '21 Sensational Patchwork Bags' on display of course, full of sweets (candies) as this has become a bit of a tradition at this show, which coincides with Halloween weekend annually (NB - Glyn is keeping his hands well away from the sweets in this photo - they are for the quilters!) This year we had traditional boiled sweets (mints, chocolate limes & Werther's Originals) and (luxuriously) chocolate eclairs... mmm.


The 'Japanese Quilt Inspirations' display -


I spotted several quilters walking around with versions of my patchwork bags, including a lovely Rice Sack Bag I spotted near the main entrance but unfortunately didn't catch up with its owner later on. This splendid sashiko bag, complete with Ainu ayus ('having a thorn') patterns up the sides, was the only one I managed to snap. The various sashiko designs are all from 'The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook' and this is an ultimate sashiko sampler bag.