Generally I tend to veer towards more contemporary quilts so I surprised myself by liking many of the quilts in the Traditional Quilts category at the 2025 Festival of Quilts show. I assumed that I wouldn’t have many photos of the quilts in this category, but I was wrong as I discovered when I was editing my photos this week!
Let’s start with the winner in this category, which after a second visit to the Chateau of Villandry while in France recently I have a new found admiration for, let alone the skill required to make even one of these blocks let alone put them together to form a cohesive design, which is aptly named Parterre.
PARTERRE, SONIA HIGGS
This second one has a more ‘folk’ feel to it for me, and it’s none the worse for that. The images it prompts in my head are entirely different to the others in this post, isn’t it strange how a single image can provoke such thoughts?
THINKING OF SUMMER, HELEN STAMP
I loved the detail on this next quilt, and have included a section of the corner so you too can appreciate the piecing - how many small pieces just in this section?
LADY IN RED (MRS BILLINGS), MEGAN ARNOLD
I think the detail is missed when looking at the whole quilt, but I’d hope whomever this one keeps warm notices the detail as they snuggle up in.
LADY IN RED (MRS BILLINGS), MEGAN ARNOLD
It wouldn’t be a quilt show would it if there weren’t any Liberty fabric quilts, and this one is a joy. It uses a traditional quilt block and as well as the fabric choices, I love how the patterns draw your eye around the quilt.
LIBERTY STARS IN HEXAGONS, DOROTHY HILL
Similarly quilters do like a rainbow, and this is a whopping one that I think would look great anywhere.
THE RAINBOW QUILT, FLOWER CHILD
There’s a more structured approach to the blocks and colours used here, and while I love all the circles in the centre of the quilt it’s the border, and especially the corners, that I love most on this one. And those hearts on the green border.
CHELTENHAM, SONIA HIGGS AND SUSAN CAMPBELL
Another quilt with a great name, and an even better look. The quilting on this one ‘plays’ with the diamond shapes and I think also contribute to the overall effect of the quilt, along with the colours used.
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, MAGGIE BREAKSPEAR
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, MAGGIE BREAKSPEAR
It’s another one that uses many small pieces, this time hexagons and I can’t even begin to imagine planning this one.
LADY TULIP VARIATION, SALLY FEATHERSTONE
This final quilt has many of the traditional quilt blocks that have rightly lasted for generations, and some of which are in my mystery block of the month and the charity quilts I made from my test blocks. While it’s traditional, I think the colours give it a more modern look, but overall I think this category goes to prove that there’s no such thing as a bad quilt!