South West Quilt Show at Exeter - "Japanese Sashiko Inspirations" launched!

Last weekend I was at the South West Quilt Show at the Westpoint Arena, Exeter, for the first time. On Thursday, before setting up, I had a planning meeting for my next bag book at David & Charles' HQ in Newton Abbot, so I collected several boxes of "Japanese Sashiko Inspirations" so I could launch it at the show. My friend Charlotte helped out, and we gave away dozens of promo postcards, cups of sake and green tea sweets during the show.

My entry for the "Land of the Rising Sun" challenge was on show again (I've deliberately smudged the quilts on either side in the photo). The smaller challenge quilts were displayed on grey boards, so they were hanging really well.

This is one of our younger visitors showing off her mum's (?) versions of "Yama" (mountain) one of my Euro Japan Links kits http://www.eurojapanlinks.com (I couldn't find the kit on the website, but it is still available). Apparently, these are "trial runs" for the foundation pieced centre sections using cotton fabrics, saving the silks from the kit for another version.

I had a great time - nice venue and the easiest get in and breakdown ever (the only place I've ever been able to drive the car into the building!) There were lots of lovely quilts on show - some of my favourites included "By the Sea" by Jean Croissant (lovely use of seaside view prints in a gothic stained glass window design), "West Country Welcome" by Juanita Wild (the wicker man giant near the M5, with a great patchwork border depicting the surrounding fields), and "Sweet Dreams" by Carol Archer (a golden dragon asleep, with his scales made from folded patchwork points). Some great quilt fabrics on sale too - I found some Kaffe Fassett ikat spots I've been after for a while and an interesting needlecord with abstract leaves printed on it. We managed to get everything back in the car - just!

Next weekend I'm teaching at the Region 10 area day for the Quilters' Guild, at Epperstone Village Hall, with a talk on Saturday afternoon, so it is time to change the car around and repack.