Did you know we have over 400 Young Quilter members and 13 affiliated school groups in the UK? Find out more about Festival of Quilts through the eyes of our youngest members.
With a wonderful Family Ticket offer available for Festival of Quilts 2018, there’s never been a better time to take your little ones to enjoy all the fun on offer. Not only are there eight workshops running over four days for children, all children attending a workshop will get a goody bag and automatically receive a year’s free membership of Young Quilters at the Quilters’ Guild. Plus, children aged eight or above can attend the workshops unaccompanied, meaning you get a few free hours to browse at your leisure – what’s not to like?
With eight workshops over four days, Festival of Quilts is great for kids.
Membership of The Guild as a Young Quilter offers a host of benefits; a welcome gift including sewing guides and fabric, two issues of the Young Quilter newsletter in the spring and autumn, the chance to enter challenges and win exciting prizes, opportunities to attend workshops in the region where you live, the chance to attend special workshops for YQs at Quilters’ Guild events such as the Festival of Quilts, and access to a special Youngish Quilters group for children aged 14-18.
Using Vlieseline in projects.
We are very fortunate to that our generous sponsors Vlieseline, Brother and Lewis & Irene Fabrics support Young Quilters and help us in delivering our events each year. In 2017 almost 1500 children took part in 126 Young Quilter events across the UK. Find out more at the Young Quilters website, and see the Youngish Quilters blog, here.
Gilly Mac Designs Senior Sewing Group won 2nd prize in the Secondary School Category with their quilt Beach Hut Frenzy in 2016. “We designed this quilt based on each of our memories of trips to the seaside. We enjoyed piecing the background with all of our fabric we could find and then drawing out applique shapes. Adding in the people was the best bit. We hope you like it!”.
All children are encouraged to enter their quilts in the exhibition, the age categories are 5-9, 10-13, and 14-18 years old and any child who enters their quilt gets free admission to the show.
Fishergate Primary won 2nd prize in the competition ‘On the Beach’ with their quilt Seagulls on the Beach (looking for picnics!) in 2016. “We made this wall hanging in our after school sewing club. Two of us hadn’t used a sewing machine before and one of us had painted fabric. We have had great fun.”
School groups can also enter, with both a primary (5-11) and secondary (12-16) category. This year, in addition to the individual age categories, Young Quilters will feature their quilts in our ‘In the Spotlight’ exhibition (stand TG10). This exhibition focuses on a different area of the Guild each year and will show a range of work from Guild members aged 5 – 18. The quilts on display are made by individuals, schools and groups and cover a fantastic range of styles and subjects. Do come and see their amazing work on display in the gallery and help us to support the next generation of quilters and stitchers.
Blackminster Middle School created this fantastic 75th Anniversary Quilt. Every child in the school contributed towards this quilt, so over 350 students took part even if just a few stitches! This quilt will feature in ‘In the Spotlight’ Young Quilters Gallery.
The Quilters’ Guild will be running a raffle at Festival and all profits raised will be used in support of our educational work with Young Quilters. Tickets will only be on sale at the show, so you’ll need to be there to buy a ticket and have a chance of winning this beautiful quilt!
Raffle Prize, Singles, made by the Modern Quilt Group Guild members
The quilt was made by members of our Modern Quilt Group, a special interest group within The Quilters’ Guild. The group very generously donated it as a fundraiser in support of The Quilters’ Guild’s work with Young Quilters nationally.
Tickets will be on sale in the Young Quilters ‘In the Spotlight’ Gallery (TG10) and the draw will take place in the gallery on Sunday, 12th August 2018 at 4pm. All profits raised will be used in support of our educational work with Young Quilters.
With all this amazing fun on offer, it’s so easy make the most of Festival and Young Quilters!
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