If you’re anything like us, you’re already sitting on the edge of your seat in anticipation of the biggest quilting event of the year! With so much to see and do at The Festival of Quilts, how can you make sure you don’t miss any of the great things we have on offer? Relax, we’ve got you covered, here’s your complete run down of The Guild at FOQ 2022.

We have fabulous goody bags (RRP £45) generously supplied by EQS available at the main Guild stand at D10 for NEW members signing up at the festival. Contents include three coordinating Liberty Fat Quarters, a Mettler pack of 8 threads which contains an individually packed kit of 2 spools Silk Finished Cotton weight 40, 2 spools Silk Finished Cotton weight 50 and 4 spools from the Seracycle range which is made completely out of plastic bottles, a Sewline Marking pencil in Pink, a small hand sanitiser and a pack of Sew Simple Needle Threaders which threads up to size 12 quilting needles. With membership priced at only £48 (less than £1 week) it’s a steal! 

And we haven’t forgotten Young Quilters either – YQ membership is totally free! Sign up your little one and book them onto one of the 2 hour Young Quilter workshops at the festival. Priced at only £8, not only will they have a great time learning new skills, but they will walk away with their own goody bag, too!

Fancy giving yourself a break, or need somewhere to eat your lunch? Pop in to our new and exclusive members seating area at D11 adjoining our main stand, and be greeted by a friendly smile as you sit and watch the quilting world go by.

 

The Collection exhibition at The Festival this year has sprung from a very special collaboration. In honour of the 20th anniversary of Contemporary Quilt, a Special Interest Group of The Guild, guest curator and Contemporary Quilt member Judy Fairless was invited to curate the exhibition. The theme is ‘Text and Context: Quilts and the Written Word’ (stand TG5), and it was conceived to complement the Contemporary Quilt Spotlight Gallery, ‘Uncharted’ (stand TG7), which features a significant number of quilts including text or paper. And if you are visiting The Festival on Friday 19 August, our curator Heather Audin will be giving a one hour talk entitled ‘Text & Context in Quilts’, which will explore the theme of historic and contemporary quilts that feature words and text from The Quilters’ Guild Museum Collection (1pm, Suite 20, Concourse).

We are delighted to share this year’s Festival of Quilts badge design which is inspired by Sara Impey’s quilt ‘Context’, which forms part of The Quilters’ Guild Museum Collection. You can buy the souvenir festival badge from our QShop stall at stand D9, and Sara’s wonderful quilt can be viewed in our exhibition ‘Text and Context: Quilts and the Written Word’ on stand TG5.

QShop will be selling a selection of unique products in person at the show on Stand D9, located within The Quilters’ Guild Collection Gallery TG5. Browse through a stunning range of kits, patterns, fabric, sewing sundries, homeware, books and stationery. Every purchase directly supports The Quilters’ Guild.

Don’t miss the chance to see Contemporary Quilt’s Gallery, ‘CQ@20’ at stand TG7, celebrating the 20th anniversary of this Special Interest Group from The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles. The theme is ‘Pushing the Boundaries’ and this juried exhibition features innovative banner-like quilts from the 20th anniversary ‘Uncharted’ collection, many of which use text and paper and explore the latest media and techniques. Also exhibited will be inventive Journal Quilts which combine to make a greater whole, and selected items from CQ’s ‘On The Road’ travelling Suitcase Collection.

The ever-popular Quilters’ Guild Tombola will be back at The Festival, manned by Region 11 and featuring wonderful key fobs and lanyards. Why not drop by stand B116 in Hall 8 to see if you can take home something nice, whilst helping The Guild with their fundraising to promote and preserve the art of quilting?

Did you know that The Quilters’ Guild offer bursaries? Visit Hall 8 to see the amazing developing talent in our City & Guilds (C7G 1-4) and Graduate BA bursary showcases, sponsored by Immediate Media (GS 1-9). 

Generously sponsored by Bernina, the Quilters’ Guild Challenge theme for 2022 is ‘The world we share’. Visit the galleries at The Festival to appreciate these wonderful entries from Quilters’ Guild members and members of Guilds who form a part of the European Quilting Association.

Inspired by the Commonwealth Games hosted in Birmingham this summer and generously sponsored by Brother, the theme for the Festival of Quilts Young Quilter/Embroiderer Challenge for 2022 is ‘Going for Gold’. Don’t forget to visit the Young Quilter and schools and groups exhibitions in Hall 9 to see how our amazing young people have interpreted this challenge!

The Covid Commemorative Quilt which has been organised by Bernina and the Quilters’ Guild will go on display for the first time at this year’s festival. The range of contributions extend from those seeking to capture a moment in time to those looking to remember a loved one lost. Although the designs are all individual, the use of a common fabric throughout each contribution binds the quilts together as a single-themed piece of work. The quilts will be accompanied by a guide to each square, recording the name of the contributor and in many cases the story – often very moving – behind their design.

With so much on offer from us and the wider festival this year, we are really looking forward to welcoming you to the NEC and sharing in your festival experience. Please do come and say hello to us, we will be delighted to meet both old friends and new!

The Festival of Quilts will be held at the NEC in Birmingham, 18 – 21 August 2022.