Last Saturday I travelled to Lampeter with Vivienne Wells, my friend and publisher, to visit the Welsh Quilt Centre and their new annual exhibition! We picked a wonderful day to travel through the Welsh countryside, the sun was shining and it did really feel as if Spring had come at last!
The Centre never disappoints and this visit was no exception. This year's exhibits have a folk art theme to chime with the lovely pieces made by Janet Bolton which are exhibited alongside the quilts and I was delighted to see a few of my favourite quilts, some of which I haven't seen for a very long time.
This is the Sennybridge quilt which was featured in our book Making Welsh Quilts. I last saw it eleven years ago when it was photographed in my house, so it was great to see it again in gallery conditions, beautifully hung and lit so that it could be examined at leisure -
Vivienne and I stood in front of it for quite a while trying to work out how the blocks were assembled! Were they sewn together in strips, vertically or horizontally? We couldn't see how it was done as there were so many inconsistencies - it was really puzzling! This all added to its charm as it has such presence and the quirks in its making enhance its appeal. Why are we so forgiving of irregularities in old quilts and yet so determined to get everything matching up when we make things ourselves?
Another old friend was the Cow Quilt -
which again I haven't seen for a while and which was looking very fresh and just as charming as I remember! I have done a version of this quilt so I feel that I know it well, but it was lovely to see it again as studying pictures can't compare with standing in front of an actual quilt!
There were so many delights in this exhibition. It was Vivienne's first visit and she was bowled over by it even though she had heard me singing its praises for years now! She was particularly pleased to see quilts on beds there in the gallery, after all that's where they are meant to be!
After a tasty lunch in the Deli Cafe adjoining the Centre we travelled the few miles to Jen's cottage/quilt shop in Llanybydder. When I walked in I immediately spotted the Welsh Blanket I have always dreamt of owning and so, well what would you have done? Here it is looking quite at home in my living room -
A day to remember indeed!
The Centre never disappoints and this visit was no exception. This year's exhibits have a folk art theme to chime with the lovely pieces made by Janet Bolton which are exhibited alongside the quilts and I was delighted to see a few of my favourite quilts, some of which I haven't seen for a very long time.
This is the Sennybridge quilt which was featured in our book Making Welsh Quilts. I last saw it eleven years ago when it was photographed in my house, so it was great to see it again in gallery conditions, beautifully hung and lit so that it could be examined at leisure -
Vivienne and I stood in front of it for quite a while trying to work out how the blocks were assembled! Were they sewn together in strips, vertically or horizontally? We couldn't see how it was done as there were so many inconsistencies - it was really puzzling! This all added to its charm as it has such presence and the quirks in its making enhance its appeal. Why are we so forgiving of irregularities in old quilts and yet so determined to get everything matching up when we make things ourselves?
Another old friend was the Cow Quilt -
which again I haven't seen for a while and which was looking very fresh and just as charming as I remember! I have done a version of this quilt so I feel that I know it well, but it was lovely to see it again as studying pictures can't compare with standing in front of an actual quilt!
There were so many delights in this exhibition. It was Vivienne's first visit and she was bowled over by it even though she had heard me singing its praises for years now! She was particularly pleased to see quilts on beds there in the gallery, after all that's where they are meant to be!
After a tasty lunch in the Deli Cafe adjoining the Centre we travelled the few miles to Jen's cottage/quilt shop in Llanybydder. When I walked in I immediately spotted the Welsh Blanket I have always dreamt of owning and so, well what would you have done? Here it is looking quite at home in my living room -
A day to remember indeed!
3 comments:
Wonderful! Thank you!
So happy for you that you found just the right blanket! It is beautiful, as are the quilts in the exhibit. Wouldn't it be fun to piece a quilt inspired by the blanket?! If only my list of quilts I want to make was not already so very long...
So nice you have found that right blanket at last. It looks perfect on your chair.
I shall look forward to my annual visit to Lampeter having now seen those gorgeous quilts on the bed.
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