The Blogger’s Quilt Festival starts today. This fun event allows quilters everywhere to showcase their work in a wide range of categories. Clicking on the button below will take you through to the website where all the entries will be showcased, and you can vote for your favourites, but voting doesn’t open for 4 days, so you’ll have to wait a little, to give people enough time to enter.
I’m entering The Cloths of Heaven as an Original Design Quilt. It’s not some-thing I’d normally do, but enough of you said I should that I’m going to do it! Entry requires an entire new post about the finished quilt, and as many of my more recent followers are not familiar with either the quilt or its story, here goes.
A bit of background. My brother’s eldest daughter was getting married and was delighted to be offered a large quilt as a wedding gift. We created a Pinterest board together, using colour, imagery, texture and ideas for embellishment as inspiration for the finished thing. I had in mind a piece of poetry, one of my all-time favourites, and it seemed a perfect starting point. The poem is WB Yeats’ He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven, a tender offer of hopes and dreams to the beloved.
Over the course of many months, the idea evolved and gestated. I did a lot of experimentation, since this was to be a wedding gift and I was not prepared to let errors sneak through. Section by section it was assembled, embellished with hand-written calligraphy for the poem, 3D leaves, spangled star constellations, both hand and machine quilting and a purpose-made label to commemorate the happy event.
And here it is, the finished thing. It now graces their bed in England, and she and her husband lie snug under a covering into which I have sewn hope, love, faith and my best wishes for their continued happiness, health and love for each other.
There was so much love in that quilt the couple can’t help but have a happy life and wonderfilled marriage. I’m wishing you everything grand on this contest. I’ll vote for yours hands down.
There’s some problem with my entry, which isn’t showing yet. I’ve emailed Amy to ask what needs to be done, and she’s looking into it. Thank you for the vote of confidence!
I looked and didn’t see it so was wondering what happened. Was going to look again tomorrow. I’ve been away so catching up.
beautiful
It´s very very beatiful!
Thank you very much!
Thank you, it was a true labour of love.
This is so gorgeous!
It was so much better in real life, you miss the dimension and texture in photos, and the colours were a bit more subtle. I think it’s my best piece yet.
where’s that voting button?…
OK, it’s fixed now. Click on the square Blogger’s Quilt Festival button in gold and white. Then click on the Original Quilt category, and you’ll see it there.
Oh, and voting doesn’t start for a few days, to give people a chance to get their entries up. I’ll post a quick reminder when voting’s open 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you, it was a huge project but I learned such a lot, and it’s given me confidence to try all sorts of things I wouldn’t have touched before 🙂
That’s why ‘easy’ isn’t the way to go. Best of luck with the Quilt Festival. 😉
🙂
Stunning
Thank you 🙂
It’s beautiful!!!
I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to make a quilt for my niece which exactly matched and even exceeded her own vision. Pinterest and the world of blogging have made it all possible, which is why I think this festival is such a good idea.
I think it is your best that I have seen, but then I remember your wonderful bookshelf one! The quilt exhibition is a great idea, and I will be voting ~ but please post a reminder when we can vote 🙂
And as you’ll have seen by now, the Bookcase Quilt is also entered! Thank you for the reminder 🙂
I found your blog when you started the quilt and stayed just to see how it was going to turn out – I was mesmerized! Glad you entered it in the show and I will be sure to vote. Your work is always amazing!
Thank you, that’s so kind! After some prompting I’ve decided to enter an earlier quilt too, the Bookcase Quilt I made for another niece in the Small Quilts category. Post coming soon.
I really enjoyed seeing you work on this, and appreciate all the thought and love that went into it.
I enjoyed myself a lot with this one, and particularly that my niece had contributed good information about what she liked and loved for it. The design process became really focussed.
VERY very beautiful! WOW was the first thought I had.
Linda
All those days of trial, error and experimentation did not go to waste. It’s my best piece of work, I think…
It is amazing, Kate!
As I said, one of my better works…
It’s so nice to see this again. It’s more impressive than I remembered! Glad you’re participating in the festival; doubtful that I’ll take part this time around.
It’s a first for me!
I may be late to reading this, Kate, but I will not be late to vote! It really is a fantastic quilt.
Thank you, Marie, and for the future vote 🙂
It’s lovely kate, so personal
I’m so glad you like it! I almost never make quilts without a recipient in mind, which means they tend to reflect the preferences of their new owners. My niece loves purple. I used not to like purple much, but after this quilt I have a new attitude. It’s never too late to learn new things…
It’s beautiful! Thank you for sharing your quilt and its story.
My pleasure! I’m so glad you like it 🙂
And i still love it! ❤
Thanks 🙂
[…] remind you that all the entries are in and voting is now open, so if you’d like to vote for The Cloths of Heaven quilt I posted about 5 days ago, and the Bookcase Quilt 4 days ago, now’s your […]