Who needs a reason to shop, not normally me, but due to current and past events over the last few years, having a reason helps. I mean, we will need more fabric right? For once I have a good reason. I have been after a new bathmat and I have not found the right colours and the right price. So when I got offered the chance to test a product out I was really excited. As the product allows you to make fabric tubes, which in turn you can turn into bathmats. I think it is a good enough reason to shop for the right colours and more fabric, a win in my book.

Normally when I receive a product to test, I have the items on hand to use. I received the Clover Fabric Tube Maker; the product review will be a separate blog, so please keep an eye out. This time it was no different, I had the fabric and some batting I could use. However I was off to the Festival of Quilts so I thought I would just have a wonder to see what I could find.

I attended the show on Saturday 19th August 2022. This was the first time attending such a large show since Covid-19 and it was steady but not crowed. I am also not sure if there were fewer people due to the train strike, or the cost of living crisis, or it looked like fewer people because the stands were spread out and there was so much more room. Motor scooters/ wheelchairs could move with so much more ease. As a person with limited mobility, this was a great relief as I was not pushed and shoved, which often happens at large events /venues. There were also more places to sit and rest. I will be leaving a comment to the hosts praising them for this. However, I digress.

First port of call the toilets followed by entry and a show guide purchase, this year it came with a free book. Stitchscapes by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn, both of whom have written books, and I own a few of them and I like their work. This was a real bonus for me.

Once in, I head to the Brother stall, I own brother products and sometimes see brother staff, which I have had the pleasure of learning with or have spoken to about my own issues and products. I am very cheeky and ask for any freebies. Normally it’s a brother bag, tape measure and a pen. I think this year I caught them on the hop. They did have some but the lady seemed a little sad as she said, they only had just a bag. It was a nice strong bag, just what you need to help carry things around the rest of the show. My friend and I were very grateful. So thank you Brother https://sewingcraft.brother.eu/en# .

I normally ask at the Janome site for freebies, but they appeared busy, so I would not be greedy this year. Besides the machine I would like, keeps taunting me and well out of my price range.

However, I had a query about the functioning of my Baby lock Coverstich and needed to check it out. I also wanted to view the new Coverstich machine and while there I asked for freebies. I received a lovely paper bag with a note book and pen, a magnetic pin tray and a trolley coin in the shape of a dress. I gave both the tray and the coin dress to my friend as I already had them from a previous purchase from Baby lock. https://www.babylock.co.uk/

I often ask for freebies at the big machine stands, but to be fair, I only ask at the ones whose products I already own.

Another freebie, a Maderia pen, advertising their new Sensa Green range of thread made from Lyocell. The outer body of these pens are made from thread. Yes you read it correctly, thread. They are heat bonded and contain strands of thread. The history and product and what it was made of inspired me.

Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0uLo1aaHxI. How cool is that.

I was also curious to see what would happen if I asked how Clarence was. I had seen a post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1606490889677738 on the UKQU Social page, that if I asked for Clarence from the https://crafty-uk.co.uk/ stand they were giving away freebies. Yes I am a freebie hunter. A very nice man Andy was giving out acrylic trolley coins.

When we asked after Clarence he showed us the bear and said he was well and produced a box and said we could take an item from it for free. I asked why he did this and he said so that we would remember him if we needed an acrylic template making. Good marketing and I am one for supporting home grown companies. https://www.facebook.com/Crafty-uk-559020517543029/

Another place that will often give freebies is https://www.coolcrafting.co.uk/ the Luna Lapin stand, if you bring a Luna to see them. Which my friend did, and Sarah Peel is holding Rosie’s Luna in her arms.

Sarah is the designer of the Luna Lapin and co owner of Coolcrafting.

I was pleased to see a lot of smaller businesses there this year selling lots of different fabrics, colour ranges and such like.

Stores such as:

The Quilted Bear https://www.quiltedbear.co.uk/

Barnyarns https://www.barnyarns.co.uk/en/

and Japan Crafts https://www.japancrafts.co.uk/#/ to name but a few.

I was after fabric that popped out at me, for the bathmat. So I was focusing on Jelly rolls or fabric I could make 2.5 inch strips with. At one stall £47 price tag was over my price range. However once we had seen every stand, we found some stands selling them for £30 per jelly roll. Not sure if they were the same make. But it is advisable to look round every stand first and then go back to get it. So the hunt continued. Several stands later we came across a stand selling on a roll 2.5 inch cotton. This was the right fabric to test the Clover Fabric Tube Maker and the right colours for my bathmat. https://www.craftyourselfsilly.com/on-a-roll—pains/on-a-roll-solo-25-inch-reel-quilting-cotton-fabric. They also had a pack of mini strips. They had an offer on -buy three get the cheapest half price – so that also helped. Batting and fabric now purchased, I had all the items I needed to test the product over the next week or so. Thank you to: www.craftyourselfsilly.com

My friend had made a jacket out of recycled jeans and it would be a shame not to mention her on this blog. A few people stopped to comment on her jacket and I joked we would put her in the quilt show.

So here – Rosie Brunt – is showing off her wonderful jacket. I even gave her a number for fun.

I had in fact not set off to create a blog about the Festival of Quilts; otherwise I think I would have taken more photos of the quilts. Instead I had an enjoyable day out with a friend which led to me writing about it.

Of course no visit to the Festival of Quilts would be complete without looking at the quilts. I did not take many photos, due to time and effort if I am honest. However I did take a few of some favourites.

My top three quilts of the show:

My number one choice of the show is: NV18 Fiona Radley, Beeston ,UK. Entitled Burning Pain Means I won’t Finish Th

Fiona states she is a sufferer of CRPS. Although I do not have this medical condition this quilt moved me to tears.

My second choice of the show is: PT32 Lea McComas, Superior, USA. Entitled The long Goodbye.

My third choice and my friends number one choice of the show is: PT54 Fiona Jones, Derby, UK. Entitled My Crafting Journey.

This quilt had over 6500 half inch squares which were English paper pieced together. Close up it was stunning to look at.

I am now looking forward to Harrogate Stitch and Knit show next.

PLEASE NOTE: Other than a blogger for UKQU I am not associated with any of the companies I have endorsed or mentioned within this blog. I have endorsed though my own personal interactions and not been given payment or otherwise to do so.