Grand Winners at Festival of Quilts 2010

What you've all been waiting for - the grand winners at the Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, England, 2010.

The Best of Show was also the Winner in the Miniatures Section.

Kumiko Frydl lives in Houston, Texas, USA.  In my conversation with her I think she told me she was married to a Czech and has lived in USA for quite some time even though she is originally from Japan.  I asked her how many times she had won First Prize and she proudly answered "Oh, every time I enter".  Now, you can be the judge yourself and see exactly why she deserves such a place too.

Kumiko explained that her masterpiece is machine pieced with a little reverse applique done by hand and the beading in the corners also done by hand.  She sews on a Brother 1500 industrial straight stitching sewing machine.

The Judges' comment was:  "Stunning, Precision personified.  Wonderful detail."

In the Traditional Section, the winner was Pauline Ineson.  Words cannot describe the magnificent quilt you're viewing here.  Images simply don't show enough of this superb masterpiece.  Refer to the judges' comments.

Many quilts in the show are hanging with distortion that I had wondered if it was the way they were displayed or whatever, but this quilt would have to be as close to perfection as any.  I also took closeups of the bindings thinking that the piping inside the binding may help to hold such a weighty quilt evenly too.  Note the hand work on the piping and also the detail in the sashings between the blocks.

Judges' Comment says it all: "Beautiful in every way, design execution, variety of techniques, fabric choices, use of colour.  We could continue for a long time.  This Quilt is as near to a perfect traditional quilt that you could hope to see.  A very well deserved First Place."

Last night we attended a very special dinner sponsored by Handi-Quilter in conjunction with The Cotton Patch who is their Distributor in the UK.  We were invited as special guests since Sandra Chandler whom we are with, is also a Guest from USA on their booth.  An amazing night with scrumptious food, excellent company, great dinner conversation and the chance to meet Kaffe Fassett, Amy Butler and Lisa Lam, all guests on their stand too.   We were all introduced and because it was mentioned that I was from near Wagga Wagga in Australia, Kaffe and Brendon, his work colleague, chatted to me at the end of the evening re Wagga and Wagga Quilts.  Kaffe gave a wonderful talk and slide presentation which allowed me to understand his work with so much more appreciation.  Sorry for the colour of the image as it was in dulled lighting and flashes didn't help much.

Kaffe presenting his talk.    Amy and Lisa, both "bag" book authors and Amy having numerous other attributes such as beautiful fabrics.  What a thrill!!

Thought you may like to see the actual venue and the entrance. 

More each day, so keep coming back.  Tomorrow we travel by train to Edinburgh, Scotland.