Matilda's Kisses

Maker:

Joe Bennison

Date:

2019

Contemporary quilt commissioned for The Forties Collection, a body of work representing contemporary quiltmaking across the U.K. in the 40th anniversary year of The Quilters' Guild.

After sewing her whole life in a utilitarian way, the maker discovered quilting just after turning 40 and suddenly felt the need to be more creative. As a result of lectures heard at Quiltcon, she decided to get a longarm machine and develop her machine quilting skills. In August 2016, her first granddaughter was born and the love affair between grandmother and grandchild began. Matilda laughs out loud when allowed to "drive" the longarm machine - surely a quilter of the future! This quilt is a tribute to her.


The Forties Collection quilts were made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles. The 18 regions of The Guild are represented, as well as the three age groups of Young Quilters. Each piece was a new work specially made by a Guild member not already represented in The Collection. The makers were asked to interpret the theme of 40 as creatively as possible. The rule was that the finished piece had to have one dimension of 40 inches and between 25 and 40 inches in the other dimension. These pieces were exhibited at the Festival of Quilts in 2019 in a gallery entitled ‘Spotlight@40’.

Commissioned by Region 6 (Berkshire, Oxfordshire)

40 inches (102cm) x 28 inches (71cm)