As you probably all know by now, this year is our 40th Birthday and we have lots of exciting things to roll out to you over the year. Because we want you all to enjoy the party, we have decided to give away a birthday present to one of our newsletter readers each quarter. Each gift will have a connection to a piece from The Guild Collection, collected during one of the four decades of our existence.

Our birthday gift for the first quarter is the wonderful book Patchwork & Quilting: A Maker’s Guide, published by Thames & Hudson in association with the Victoria & Albert Museum. The book features 15 techniques illustrated by beautifully shot images of V&A collection items, as well as a project for each technique.

This lovely gift has a connection to a pair of Shadow Quilted baby slippers which were collected during our first decade, and which date from the 1930s. These delicate slippers have been made using Shadow Quilting, a style that was particularly popular in the 1930s. The design is stitched using an opaque or semi-transparent top fabric, and stuffed with colourful wool, producing a muted pastel shade. The tops of the slippers feature a pretty floral design, whilst the sole design emulates a ‘grip’ pattern using a basket weave effect.

Delicate Shadow Quilted baby slippers, c.1930. The Quilters’ Guild Collection.

Linking with this Collection piece, in the book you can try your hand at a Trapunto lampshade wrap project which is closely related to the Shadow Quilting techniques of stuffing and padding, and uses fabric translucency to great effect.

We will randomly select a newsletter subscriber who is the recipient of this birthday present at the end of March. Happy Birthday to the lucky winner – we will contact you soon.

If it isn’t you, perhaps you will win one the other three birthday gifts? If you’re curious, check out our Collection story on the Jubilee quilt this issue for a sneak peek of the next pressie!