Awards

The Audrey Dean Award
SWQ Traditional Quilt Award
Chairman's Challenge
Christmas Challenge

The Audrey Dean Award

The award of a silver thimble is given each Spring Meeting with AGM in the name of Audrey Dean, for a first quilt made during the previous 2 years. The quilter needs to enter her quilt for this award when completing the proforma for attendance at the meeting. Alternatively the member can send the quilt with another member. The judging, for the thimble, will be done by all the members present. The quilt will need to have a 3” hanging sleeve stitched on to the back. Stands will be provided to hang the quilts. Please encourage new quilters to enter this category.

Winners of the Audrey Dean Award

AGM Meeting 2008
Maggie Marlow won the Audrey Dean award in 2008 for her quilt (pictured).

AGM Meeting 2007
Winner of the Audrey Dean award for 2007 given at the AGM, was Wendy Gosney a Taw Valley Quilter, for her beautifully executed and understated quilt, which was much admired.

AGM Meeting 2006
For new members first quilt and the recipient of the silver thimble chosen by ‘visitors choice’ – was Denise Powell (a pupil of Kathleen Hughes of Sidmouth) with her sampler quilt (see photo to right).

 

 

 

 

 

SWQ Traditional Quilt Award

This award is given annually at the Malvern Quilt Show, Quilts UK. The choice for the best Traditional Quilt is made by independent judges . South West Quilters then gives a silver platter engraved with the winner's name (returned yearly) and a voucher for fabric for £50.

2008 Winner

The winning quilt for the SWQ trophy at Quilts UK Malvern - entitled "the Heirloom Quilt" by Pauline Ineson - "This quilt incorporates over 30 sewing machine techniques. Silk, satin, linen and calico plus embellishments have been used. The design inspiration is from Venetian architecture."

Click here to read Pauline's letter about her winning quilt.

2007 Winner

Winner of the South West Quilters award for Traditional Quilt at Quilts UK (Malvern) 2007 was Frances Meredith of Chepstow Monmouthshire with ‘Butterflies on the Move’. Made on the move travelling USA, Holland, France, England and Wales, but mainly Chepstow. In memory of Di Gunn, Bristol.

2006 Winner

LETTER FROM THE WINNER OF THE SWQ TRADITIONAL QUILT AWARD 2006

Dear Elaine,

What a lovely surprise I had when your letter arrived the other day, and what a treat to have a voucher to spend on even more fabrics. I’d like to thank you all at South West Quilters for your generosity, rarely are such awards made. I have won this award previously in 1997 with Liberty Bear, a cot quilt made out of Liberty fabrics, which now hangs on my grandson’s nursery wall.

I started quilting following a visit to a sampler quilt exhibition 14 years ago, I was instantly hooked. I have turned my hand to many crafts that I’m sure most of you have also done, but now patchwork and quilting has taken over my life. From a farmers wife who stayed at home and did what farmers wives do, I am now off on my travels to all sorts of places. It has opened a whole new world to me and given me so many new friends.

I have attempted many aspects of patchwork including the contemporary but prefer the traditional. I have no desire to reproduce replicas of old quilts, preferring to make them my own by giving them a slight modern twist. My ambition is always to make a better quilt next time, which of course doesn’t always happen. I have been to Houston three times and admire the quality of the quilts; I strive to achieve this quality.

East Meets West was the result of a challenge. On my last visit to Houston my sister had asked me to choose a pack of Primrose Gradation Fabrics for her, I liked this pack called Brazilian Gems so much I bought one for myself as did my friend Doris. On the long journey home I decided we needed a challenge to use them, we decided on a quilt made with any one of the blocks from the log cabin family. Sensibly Doris and my sister Anwen made small quilts but I don’t do small and ended up with this double sized quilt. I also included two Ikat fabrics that my son and daughter in law had brought home from Thailand which didn’t seem to want to go with any other fabrics I had; hence the name East Meet West. The blocks were foundation pieced over squared paper, which dictated the size. The dark side is colour controlled but for the light side I just dipped into my stash.

I invariably hand quilt larger quilts, which gives me great satisfaction. I don’t care how long it takes as long as it looks good at the end. Quilting in the ditch would have been the easiest option for this quilt but I would have found it very boring. After a visit to the American Museum in Bath to see an exhibition comparing Welsh and American quilts I decided to use Welsh Quilting patterns. This did take a bit of doing as the seams were thick in places and I had to do a bit of stab stitching. From afar you can’t see the quilting but it adds interest when viewed close up. Surprisingly due to the light, the quilting shows up beautifully on the bed in my spare room.

I was persuaded to teach several years ago, I thought that these ladies would have had enough tuition after a couple of years but 10 years on the majority of the three regular classes I have still come-I can’t get rid of them!

I have been fortunate enough over the years to win several awards with my quilts here in the UK and abroad. I enjoy the challenge of competing as it makes me try harder to improve my work.

Gwenfai Rees Griffiths

Chairman's Challenge

2008/9 Challenge Application Form

Click here to download the application form for the 2008/9 Chairman's Challenge.

‘From Starvation to Liberation’ - to recognise the 100th anniversary of the imprisonment of the women of the Suffragette movement.

"Welcome to the Westcountry" at the Spring Quilt Festival Exeter - March 2008

Winner of the challenge was Marlene Chaffey with "Are we there yet Dad?"

...and some other entrants...

Christmas Challenge

2007 Carol

The Challenge was to illustrate the following lines from a Christmas carol:
‘star of silver sweep across the skies, show where Jesus in a manger lies’

1st - Jennifer Grierson

2nd - Pauline Lilley

3rd - Glenda Symons

2006 Christmas Stockings

In first position was Kathleen Hughes, who will now set and judge next year’s challenge.

 

 

 

In both second and third position was Jean Stetson! They were all lovely stockings and gave a festive air to the meeting.

 

Junior Stitchers Monster competition

The Monster Competition run in conjunction with the Quilters Guild has been a huge success with 70 entries. Needless to say it was very difficult choosing the top three entries in each age category but with the help of Jo Colwill at Cowslip and Brenda Bonner, Chairperson for the Guild in our area the decisions were made. Jo has kindly given the prizes of WH Smith vouchers for the winners. There were so many good entries that special prizes will also be awarded as well as viewers choice.


Photographs : 11 and under and 12 and over Winners