The Stitch Gathering - Part One

Yesterday was a big day that I had been looking forward to for quite a while. The Modern Quilt Exhibition in Edinburgh was one of hundreds of events held all over the city of Edinburgh during August, as part of an annual International Arts and Culture Festival.  Many people from all around the world have visited the Modern Quilt exhibition throughout the month at Avery Homestore and yesterday we got to meet many of the fabric artists over bubbly and canapes and to hear the winners of the the People's Choice as voted by the many visitors to the Edinburgh Festival.

Self embellished fabric tickets, one created by each attendee
 - they will be made into a quilt to be auctioned for charity in the future.

This quilt was voted as number one favourite by the visitors to the exhibition and it truly is stunning.  It was made by Katy from The Littlest Thistle as part of a block swap.  It is striking yet thoughtful and just beautiful.

Two other personal favourites

Here are some detailed snaps of a lovely Hexie quilt that I have often admired online and got to see up close and in person for the first time.  It is by Sheila at bluepatch quilter and I find it very inspiring. 

It was the bold, vibrant colours that drew me to this next quilt, a tumbling logs quilt.  I could happily stare and wonder at this quilt for hours.  It is by Jo at myBearpaw and is more dramatic than words can express.

 









However most of the day was spent participating in two workshops at:

The Stitch Gathering

When a group of women arrive from all over Scotland on an early Sunday morning, they of course need a cup of tea (or coffee) and a sit down.  We soon got to chatting with newly met people before we handed in our self-embellished fabric tickets (displayed altogether in the photo at the top of this post).
Then we had to find the person for whom we had created a nametag.  I made a nametag for Lorna Pascall - and it brought a little tear to her eye when she saw how personal it was, reminding her of a wonderful day she had had climbing the mountain Beinn a'Chlachair, which I had appliqued onto her nametag.  And this is the nametag that she made for me: I truly LOVE IT!!!!  A number of people throughout the day commented on just how beautiful it was.

My actual name

the detailed back - and the lanyard was a tape measure - so sweet.

Here are some close-up photos all of the embellished tickets displayed together.  It is beautiful to see such a variety of creative ideas all together - what an artistic collection of women!  I wonder which block you are most drawn towards?

 

This post has many photographs already, so I shall write another post about the lovely ladies I met, the workshops and the heaving goody bag that we received!
The next installment can be found here.