The Festival of Quilts is held in the National Exhibition Center in Birmingham, England.
It is the largest quilt show in Europe and has been in existence for 17 years. Due to the pandemic, the show was canceled in 2020 but with many precautions they were able to have a safe and successful event this August.
There are 17 different categories in the Festival of Quilts including categories for Modern, Contemporary, and Art quilts, all of which cater in different ways to modern quilters. Over 800 quilts were on display, and we wanted to share some of our favorites that we saw while stalking the show on social media.We thank all the makers of the quilts for providing photos of their quilts so that we could share them here with you.
Avocado Bush by Ludmila Badaeva @lusy_badaeva
Badaeva began this quilt in a virtual class taught by Sheila Frampton Cooper. We love the movement and soothing colors ofAvocado Bush. The machine quilting complements the design perfectly and adds to its wavey movement.
Threads That Bind by Caitlin Lisle @caitlisledesigns
One week before the submission deadline for Festival of Quilts, Lisle realized that her quilt was too small to meet the competition guidelines. In a last-minute, “Hail Mary” effort she made another identical quilt but double the size. The intersecting lines keep the eye traveling across the quilts and we love how the oranges are thoughtfully used to create symmetrical balance.
The Fractured Earth Beneath Sheena Stone @auburnstitches
The design of this quilt was inspired by geological cross-sections. Stone used delicious Oakshott fabrics to bring her design to life. The colors used add to the organic feeling of the quilt. We love how Stone honored the natural shape of her design and the embroidery stitches she used to add texture and depth to the quilt.
Dandelion Clock by Jo Avery @joaverystitch
We love the burst of color and happiness that emanates from Avery’s Dandelion Clock. Avery’s machine quilting within the negative space of the quilt is fantastic. Some of it intricately mirrors the pieced, colorful dandelions. This quilt received a Judges’ Choice Award.
Urban Sprawl by Annie Folkard @anniefolkard
Folkard began this quilt in a workshop taught by Tara Faughnan called ‘Give and Take.’ The color palette used is striking. We love the use of the striped print fabric Folkard used to break up the blocks of solid color and feel it added a dimension of cohesion to the overall design of the quilt.
Perpetual Emotions by Paula Steel @paulasteel.quilts
This quilt has special meaning to Steel as it was the last quilt she showed her 96-year-old grandmother before she passed. Steel’s grandmother inspired her love of quilting and creativity and she was always a great cheerleader for Steel. She found out the quilt had won third place in the Modern Quilt category while she was at her grandmother’s wake. This quilt has such a fun, carefree vibe. The colors are playful and we love the exaggerated size of the curves.
You can find a plethora of modern quilt inspiration in the physical copies of Curated Quilts as well as visiting our blog and Instagram account.
By Brittany Bowen Burton