The 3rd annual Dumfries and Galloway Quilt Festival which is held at Shambellie House every year has been another huge success.
Over 1,000 visitors from far and wide came to enjoy over 340 quilts exhibited all around the house. Quilts featured were from individual members of the 10 quilt groups in Dumfries and Galloway along with quilts from Cumbria, northern England all over Scotland and as far away as Canada. Organising Committee member Elma Graham said “It is good to see the local quilt groups getting together to help put this on. This partnership has worked well over the past few years and we are planning to make it bigger and better. Shambellie House lends itself to the variety of exhibits we hang:”
Demonstrations on most days featured Chrystine Livingston from Lochgilphead showing us how to paint fabric to include in quilted pieces, Margaret Attwood from Ruthwell displayed and taught visitors to do lacework, Claudia Chisholm from Newton Stewart showed off her expert skills in hand quilting and the Quilters of Shambellie House encouraged visitors to try quilting perhaps for the first time.
Volunteers helped out ‘front of house’ as well as many providing delicious home bakes which accompanied those made by the young adults from Cloverglen. Ann Hill, BEM and Vice Chair of Shambellie House Trust said “Our partnership with Cloverglen allows us to give these service users the opportunity of baking, serving in the tea room during events such as the quilt show. They absolutely love it and lend another dimension to what is happening at Shambellie House. We have had so much fun and they enjoy talking to the visitors and showing them the quilted pieces they have been making with the quilters here at the house”.
The quilt challenge this year was ‘Features from Shambellie House” and many unique pieces were on show. (both wallhangings by Ann Hill, Quilter)
The 2024 challenge has been set as “Flora and Fauna” – 18” x 24” in portrait.
The first of five raffle prizes went to Irene Charfadi from Dumfries who won a Liberty fabric hand made bed quilt. Other prizes included another bed quilt, cushion, wallhanging and a beautiful sewing carrier case.
Elaine Milven, representing the Quilters Guild along with quilt groups in the region said “We used to have four quilt shows in Scotland and then we were down to one – The Scottish Quilt Championships which are held in Glasgow in March. We decided the year before Covid to set one up in southern Scotland and Shambellie House very kindly gave us use of the house. It has now become an annual event with Trustee’s and volunteers enjoying helping with all the duties involved in hanging, welcoming visitors, baking, story telling etc.”
The organising committee met up this week for a round up talk and an opportunity to enjoy tea and cakes themselves, something they said they never really got time to enjoy during the 20 days of the Festival.
Quilt classes continue at Shambellie House throughout the year and information can be found on the website at Shambelliehouse.org “Quilt Fling” dates are 11th to 19th May 2024 and the 2024 Dumfries and Galloway Quilt Festival will run from 20th September to 6th October.
