RULES

 

 Participants should have a competent knowledge of sewing techniques and patchwork and quilting. 

There is NO tutoring on this day.  

The idea is complete a quilt from the first cut through piecing, quilting and binding to sewing on the label

in the 7 hours that the show is open.

 

Teams

• You may have up to 6 members on your team but no more than 4 on the stand at any one time.

• Members of the teams will be issued with passes for the day that their team is participating.

 

Equipment provided

• Each team will have two sewing machines to use.  They will be Bernina sewing machines.

• Cutting equipment (rotary cutters, rulers and cutting mats) are provided.

• Batting will be provided for your quilt - provided by The Warm Company.

• Wonderfil Threads will provide any thread you need to complete your quilt.

• John James will be providing hand and machine needles.

• Ironing boards and irons will be provided.

 

Teams must provide:

• Your quilt design.

• The fabric needed to complete their quilt.  We suggest you approach your local patchwork shop to see if they will either sponsor your quilt or offer a discount.  Or maybe you can raid your stash or your friends' stashes!

• The fabric must be brought to the event ready to cut - no pre-cutting is allowed.

• Any embellishments - lace, rickrack, ribbon, applique, etc.

• Any surface embellishment (painting, stencilling, stamping) may be done before the day.

• Basic sewing equipments - pins, scissors, etc.

• If you bring any of your own equipment you will be responsible for it.  Own sewing machines are not permitted because of Health and Safety regulations.

 

The quilts

• Your quilt must measure between 48" and 60" (1.20 and 1.50 metres) in any direction.  It may be square or recatangular. This is a snuggle quilt for a child.

• It must be designed for a child.

• It must be practical - it must be robust enough to be washed.

• Any style, technique and material may be used (baring in mind the practical side).

• The fabric choices and colours are entirely that of the individual teams.  This is your team’s chance to show off its skills and talents!

• When your team has been accepted you will be advised of the block that must be included in your quilt design.  It is up to you to decide how and how many of these blocks you include.

• The block to be included in the quilt top construction will change each day but the teams participating on each day will be working with the same one as each other.  This will allow the public to see how individual choices make a big difference.

 

On the day

• The event will be staged in the open so that members of the public can follow the progress through the day.  They will be able to ask questions of the teams.  The idea is that this will be an educational event for the public as well as a fun one for everyone.

• This is NOT a competition or a race against other teams. 

• There are no prizes - just the enormous satisfaction of having participated in the event.  Your team will have created a very special quilt for a very special person in Birmingham Children's Hospital.

 

Registering your interest in participating

• Please use the Application form here to let us have your details.  

• If you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact either Jan or Hilary via the Contact form.

• Obviously if we are overwhelmed with teams wanting to participate (and we don’t see why you wouldn’t) then there will have to be some sort of selection process.

• You will be asked to state which day/s you are available and this may be the way around selection. 

• If your team is offered a place you will be informed as soon as possible after your acceptance of a place and you will be sent the details of the block so that you can start planning, designing and gathering your supplies.