Is it me, or what?

I visited Sandown yesterday, going up from Poole on a minibus with some of the Bourne Quilters.  Good journey up there and back with the motorways flowing well through the just over two hour trips each way and nice company.

The Sandown quilt show is titled "The National Quilt Championships" and this has been running several years and I've been visiting this at its various locations - Ascot, Olympia and Sandown - over the years and have felt this year has been really disappointing. Over time this exhibition has shrunk from 2 floors to just 1 and this year's competition entries took up just over 2 rows of stands. The rest were quilt collections from experienced quilters/quilt artists.  Yes it was good to see those 'in the flesh' so to speak and be fascinated by their work, but some have been seen before.

I think that quilters entering competitions seem to go for Quilts Uk in Malvern (just the month before) of for Festival of Quilts (in August) so maybe this competition doesn't seem relevant now, I don't know. All I do know is that you can get around seeing the quilts and taking photos in an hour or less. This is a shame as its a really good venue, a good location.

I didn't do much shopping either. I bought some paper hexagons 3/8ths of an inch, yes it is tiny, for one of the Splendid Sampler blocks as I didn't relish the thought of drawing and cutting out hexies of that size. I also bought a holly wreath kit with already cut hexies, which I can take on holiday with me, a Micro Stitch tacking gun, Best Press and 5 fat quarters and came home with quite a bit more cash than I bargained for and the credit/debit cards didn't see the light of day.

Anyway, enough of my moaning over, now for some photos

This was the Champion Quilt, by Sue Davies

Fabulous applique quilt called Florentine Fantasy

One that won four rosettes, completely hand sewn but Sandie Lush, called Roses are Red, sorry about the shadow. There is a close up of the centre, below

A wholecloth cot sized quilt with owls took my fancy too. By Joe 

And this Baltimore quilt. This was From Perth to Eternity by Nicole Allison

I liked this collection of an art quilt and small quilts based on a group of dancers in St Pauls Carnival I. Bristol.

I also was amazed by the work of Juanita Buchan, who did really detailed thead painting mostly of her family, this is just one of her pictures.  

And the detail, after I recognised the Poole Pottery plates on the dresser. I've got some of those sponge ware plates!

 I took this photo because I liked the texture. This was from a purple themed collection by Cabot Quilters and this one was made by Lynne Cooke.

I also liked this pansy one too...

And a close up

Lastly, my meagre purchases from yesterday.