Quilters display huge variety of colour and design at show

Helen Batchelor stands by her winning Self-Quilting Quilt which was started in 2014 and recently completed.

It was wall-to-wall quilts when Cottage Quilters put on their display at the Super Weekend for the Dannevirke Spring Festival.

Visitors to the Produce Hall at the A&P showgrounds last month were amazed by the sheer size and vibrant colours of some of the largest quilts which also hugely impressed the judges.

Most are made for family members and can take a while to produce, some like Helen Batchelor’s being started in 2014 then put away until completed this year. The judges commented it “was a lot of sewing for such a large quilt – every line sewed by Helen on her machine”.

'Wildlife Australia' made by Barbara Christian.

Cynthia Irwin next to her quilt 'Moonglow', made for her sister’s 80th birthday and which was a popular vote winner.

Jose Small won the supreme prize in the Large Quilt Pieced competition for her “Deco Beauty” made because she “loved the pattern and combination of tan and black”. So did the judges.

There was a large range of medium quilts placed strategically around the walls of the hall, every one a response to a challenge and each uniquely different.

Champion Quilt Pieced 'Deco Beauty' made by Jose Small described as '“Immaculately joined and with great colour control' by the judges.

Foster Hope quilts (on the tables) ready to be given away with examples of a One Block Challenge on the wall – quilts made from the same material.

Contributions of tiny quilt squares with the theme of a nursery rhyme like the one in the centre based on last year’s theme Under The Sea.

The club issues its members a theme to “pick up and run with” whether it be a particular material or theme. This has resulted in a multitude of quilts for individual users like young people away from home, newborn babies at the maternity annexe, and retirement homes.

Visitors had two votes: one for the large quilts and one for the best nursery rhyme.

Cynthia Irwin won the large quilt for ‘Moonglow’, with Heather Timmins second for her cats. Felicity Ellison won the best nursery rhyme (Owl and the Pussy Cat) and Barbara Christian was second for Five Little Speckled Frogs.