A FESTIVAL QUILT by Monica Selway

Monica Selway, a founder member of the Branch, runs a patchwork and quilting group called  ‘Cavendish Quilters’ who meet in Warrington.  She reports on a competition quilt made by the group for the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in 2007.
Having visited the Knitting & Stitching Show in Harrogate the group decided they needed a project, so why not a competition quilt – after all they would have 7 months to make it, so why not have a go!
They were already working with a technique called ‘Turning Twenty Again’ – a quick method of cutting fat quarters to make blocks which give random, but effective, patterns, so decided on this to form the basis of the quilt and to add photographs of the areas where members lived to give a sense of identity.
These included the Manchester Ship Canal and the Town Hall gate posts amongst others in Warrington.  The cutwork design of the posts worked well as a version of Cathedral Patchwork diamonds which echoed the gate patterns and these formed the side panels.
Colour was influenced by the red brickwork of Warrington houses and the blue seen in the gates and the ship canal.
This quilt had to be made in a hurry to meet the closing deadline, which meant more frequent meetings and members taking work home to complete, until of course it all became too big.
They got some unexpected publicity when the steward at the community centre where they meet  brought a local Councillor to see the quilt and this led to the local Warrington Guardian showing pictures and a short article in their paper.  After the exhibition, they were invited to display it at the Gateway Centre - an apt venue as it was opposite the gates that inspired some of the work.
A slightly madcap adventure but enjoyed by all the members and as a footnote, and with the help of the members, the quilt is now to be raffled for the Warrington Carers Centre.  The draw takes place on the 8^th May and tickets are available via e.mail: cavendishquilters@hotmail.co.uk

The finished quilt.

 
The Town Hall gate – used as design source for the side panels.