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Blogger's Quilt Festival [Pembrokeshire]


Pembrokeshire is my favourite place in the whole wide world. As kids we would spend summer holidays in Tenby. When I was eighteen I spent a great week-long holiday with school friends camping in Manorbier - we had such a great time we went back the next year and I took my boyfriend with me too. Just a few weeks later I went back with my parents to Saundersfoot and just last year I finally got my now husband back again for a week back in Tenby. I have so so many happy memories of this beautiful area.
Tenby Harbour

I love the castles, the towns, the cathedral at St. Davids, but most of all I love the coast line. The sea is a magical colour blue and sparkles in the sunlight, and the grass is a luscious green - all framed by the grey of the cliffs and the pale blue sky (most of the time!). And it was that colour palette that inspired the quilt I'm going to share with you for my fourth Blogger's Quilt Festival.
Lydstep Head - my favourite bit of coastline -
but too sunny to show the real colour of the sea!

Back in the Autumn I took part in the Travellin' Stitch Pic and pulled out this photo of the Pembrokeshire coast near Porthgain and ran it through a palette builder.

The idea was to use the palette and do some English Paper Piecing. I picked the ferris wheel pattern and started putting it together during a few days in Budapest in October. 

Over the Winter I spent a total of seven weeks in Budapest for work and this was one of the projects I took with me - I pieced it by hand, appliqued it by hand, embroidered it by hand and quilted it by hand - the only thing I did by machine was attach the borders and the binding (but I hand stitched the binding to the back - I don't always). Hand sewing it meant I had loads of time to remember all of my favourite places.

The embroidery is place names that bring back great memories too - Pembroke - the best ruined castle in the world;

Carew - the prettiest ruined castle in the world (even when it isn't sunny);

 Upper Frog Street - the best street name ever....I could go on....and on....

It was so nice to be so far from home, but working on something that reminded me of the UK and my family and friends. I gave the finished quilt to my Mum as a birthday present to hang on the wall above her desk at work as Pembrokeshire is just as special to her.

I'm linking up with the Wall Hanging Category in the Bloggerss Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side! And now I'm heading off to check out of all of the other inspirational quilts!

AmysCreativeSide.com
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Comments

CitricSugar said…
Now THAT'S a travel scrapbook!
20 May 2013 at 07:43
Anonymous said…
What a lovely souvenir! You embroidery is amazing and I love seeing an appliqued quilt that is what I call "real" applique! And of course I am always a sucker for hand quilting! Beautiful project!
21 May 2013 at 01:22
Rachaeldaisy said…
I want to go there!! What a wonderful record of a favourite place. A truey special quilt.
28 May 2013 at 22:02
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