Hever Castle Celebrates 25 Years of Hosting Quilt Show

quilt show
August 25 2016 | What's on
quilt show

The 2015 quilt show

25th anniversary of Annual Quilt Show

Join us on 2 – 4 September for Handmade & Homegrown Festival, incorporating the 25th anniversary of The Quilters’ Guild – Kent, Surrey and Sussex quilt show.

Originally held in the Hever Village Hall by The Village Quilters, a small group of six local quilters raising money for the Brasted church, the event proved to be a great success raising £2000 for a new church roof.

This achievement attracted the interest of the Hever Castle management, who proposed the idea of hosting the quilt show in the grounds of the Castle. In order to organise such a large event, The Village Quilters sought help from Jennie Lewis of the Kent, Surrey and Sussex branch of The Quilters’ Guild (Region 2).

With the help of the Region 2 members the quilt show grew from strength to strength and has remained an annual event ever since, hosted at Hever Castle.

quilt show

The Village Quilters – founders of the annual quilt show

This year’s organiser Debra Stock described the 2016 event as “celebratory” as it marks 25 years of Hever hosting the Region 2 guild quilt show. Appropriately, this year’s Region 2 members’ quilt challenge is entitled 25 Years of Quilting at Hever.

When asked about how she got into quilting, Debra replied, “I decided to make a quilt for my granddaughter before she was born. I booked to go on a day workshop with a friend and from then on was hooked!

“I’ve been quilting for 5 years, which is not long compared to many in my group with some quilting for 35 years. I have a lot to learn and would like to make a quilt for each member of my family over time.”

At this year’s 25th anniversary quilt show, visitors can enjoy over 150 quilts, outside quilts, challenge quilts, demonstrations, guest quilters, young quilters and sit and sew, as well as a raffle and tombola.

When asked her top quilting tip, Debra advised “finish one quilt before you start on another, or you will never get it finished.”

Handmade & Homegrown Festival takes place on Friday 2 September – Sunday 4 September at Hever Castle & Gardens. Normal entry fees apply on the day, with entry to the exhibition included in ticket prices. There will also be a wide variety of stallholders selling local wares.

quilt show

Some of the quilts in the 2015 show