2016 Sandown Quilt Show
Sandown - by Jackie S
I went to Sandown on Sunday expecting it to be quite busy but, arriving at about 11.00 a.m. ish found it to be very quiet. I whizzed round very easily and was away by 1.00 (usually I can spend at least another hour re-looking but I felt I had done it!) Even the Fabrics Galore stand was empty - usually the counter can't be seen for most of the time, hidden by avid buyers. I did buy just a little piece from their rummage box to satisfy my need, though. All the other usual traders were there but, again, business was very slow and not many people appeared to be buying.
Now, the quilts. I thought the competition quilts were very good and varied in colours and style. Lots of large bed quilts. The overall winner was an appliqued piece - bright coloured flowers on a black background - not a "quilt" to be used on a bed and about the size of a small cot quilt. Beautifully made but not my thing so I didn't take too much interest and I'm afraid I didn't note the maker's name and details.
The most interesting group of quilts for me was by Gretchen Danckwardt. She had made a series of large quilts on the theme of an English garden over a year - 12 in all. All the quilts were made of 1.5cm hexagons, mainly from recycled fabrics and using 2oz or 4oz wadding, with buttons used periodically for "quilting", and everything was hand-sewn,including the edging. I thought they were fantastic.
There were several other interesting feature displays by well-known quilters, all showcasing their different styles.
All-in-all, though a nice few hours spent with others who enjoy patchwork and quilting.