The Quilt Exhibition - Birmingham UK

[Julie M.]

Just got home from Birmingham NEC - wow, what a day! So much to see and admire, beautiful work by so many people. Absolutely inspired, far too much to see in one day - next time it'll be an overnighter I think. I think I'll put all my work out with the rubbish next week!

[Julie M.]

Ricky is going to be posting more photos too. Is that the same show where Ricky is right now?

[Patti P.]

Jackie don't you dare! Especially since we haven't seen your work yet. These shows are meant to inspire you and show you paths to try. Yeah right, I know the feeling of unworthiness. But I wouldn't give up being able to share in the wealth of creativity. It's fun though to be thinking of you all over there having fun with a great show and meeting other TQS members.

[Judy M.]

Bonnie McCaffrey will most likely do a vidcast about the show--she did a wonderful one a year or two ago. I download her vidcasts onto my IPod. They're wonderful!

[Judy M.]

Yes, the festival where Ricky is at the moment - I did see his stand with all his work - wonderful - not sign of the man himself though! I was thinking that it would be a good idea if the quilts on show were photographed for the catalogue, so that all the visitors had a permanent reminder of all the work they had seen.

[Judy M.]

Yes, the festival where Ricky is at the moment - I did see his stand with all his work - wonderful - not sign of the man himself though! I was thinking that it would be a good idea if the quilts on show were photographed for the catalogue, so that all the visitors had a permanent reminder of all the work they had seen.

Did you see the award winning Rhapsody in person? There is a photo of it in the daily blog.

[Pam D.]

Like Jacky, I've just returned home form the Festival of Quilts at Birmingham. The first place I headed for when I arrived was Ricky's booth. Fortunately he was there. It was SOOO exciting. As I walked up the aisle towards his booth, the nearer I got my heart started thumping faster and faster and I felt more excited than I can remember feeling in a very long time. I saw the Great Man himself, got a hug and an autograph. Having read for so long everything all those of you who have met Ricky say about him, it was wonderful to meet him in person. To see his quilts for real rather than just pictures in a book or on the web, and to attend his concert was just incredible!!!!!!! Ricky, thank you so much for coming to England and sharing your talents and stories with us. We truly love you. I'm now off to start a convergence quilt!!

Pam

[Pam D.]

Judy - I did see the Rhapsody winning quilt. The photo in the daily blog goes nowhere near to doing it justice. It was staggering - the quilting was all done by hand, and so finely done. I heard the steward say it had taken four years to make. It was very unusual in colouring, sort of lilacy greys - really lovely. There were many beautiful quilts - as I said in my previous post, its a pity that there aren't any photos in the show catalogue - but maybe the entrants wouldn't want pictures of their work published. Some of the miniature quilts were also stunning.

[Pam D.]

I've got bad news for Ricky, there are no more flights back to the US, EVER! We're keeping him LOL. Last night I went to his concert and this afternoon I went to his Rhapsody lecture, words cannot describe how fantastic they both were. I feel truly inspired and I am so grateful Ricky could spare the time to come and see us in the UK. He is such a wonderfully warm and talented person and we are truly fortunate that he loves to share that with us. Thank you Ricky, from the bottom of my heart!

[Patti P.]

I'm just loving being transported to Birmingham this weekend!

[Patti P.]

I have just returned from the Festival of Quilts- - Lorchen/Hannelore were was your quilt??Was it not finished in time? I could not wait in front of it!!!so did not meet you--

Stayed all four days and am exhausted and footsore - got to talk to Ricky (more later)- catch up on news(more later) and man the stands - Quilt Study group, Traditional Quilts group and help out with Karins stall selling books. Met lots of people!! it is the biggest quilt show in Europe and there were so many nationalities there. More later...

Pippa

[Patti P.]

I looked for Lorchen's quilt as well - definitely walked the right row but didn't see it -

[Patti P.]

It's a long story, I will leave it to Lorchen to tell, but you weren't imagining it, the quilt wasn't there.

[Hannelore N.]

Sorry, girls, there was nothing I could do about it. When I arrived in Birmingham I found out that my three quilts were not there. After talking to the organizers we worked out that they had gone missing after I had dropped them off in person at the designated depot in the the North of England on time. They never arrived in Birmingham. The next couple of days were pretty stressful. I tried to do all the things I had planned to do (hugging Ricky was a priority) and also stay in touch with the organizers constantly. They were just as worried as I was and did everything they could. By Friday afternoon the quilts were found somewhere in the Depot in Leeds. They were then brought to Birmingham by special courier to the quilt show. As I was sitting with friends waiting for Ricky's evening to start I found out they they had arrived and were undamaged. The show organizers offered to hang them for the last two days of the show as a special exibit with an official apology. I told them that I didn't want this to become a 'big thing'. Mistakes do happen. It was just most unfortunately it had to be my quilts - and all three, even though they were in separate boxes (one quilt of another quilter had also gone missing from the same depot, and found together with mine). There had been enough 'Chinese Whispers' about what had happened, at the show and on the internet, and a lot of it very negative and not true. The show organizers will refund all my expenses, and I can enter the three quilts next year (if I want to) at no cost to myself. I must admit that the first two days were a nightmare, but I have nothing but respect for the way the situation was handled. And my friends and I enjoyed free wine during Ricky's wonderfully entertaining evening, curtesy of the show management. I bet in a couple of years I will not remember much about the quilts that went missing, but a lot about meeting Ricky. Ali is soooooo right. We nearly kept him. Despite all the vendors I only bought two pieces of fabric, one bright and one dark. I'll let you have one guess who dyed them.

Lorchen

[karen f.]

Oh Lorchen Thank goodness they found your quilts. It sounds like you handled the situation very peacefully and kindly. Sorry your quilts didn't get seen but maybe next year. I'm glad you had such a good time at the show in spite of the worries.
Karen