Annual Challenges
The 2016 Challenge
The Annual Challenge was entitled “Only Two” and our members were challenged to make a Neonatal quilt, which was to be given to Salisbury Hospital for use in the Neonatal Unit.
The quilts were to be about the size of a tea-towel (20” x 24”) and washable. Only 2 colours and 2 shapes could be used. Jan Hiles's quilt was the winner.
22 quilts were made and this photograph shows our chairperson, Moira, handing over Jan's quilt (with the others) in February 2017. They were very much appreciated by the staff and we are sure that the parents of future infant patients will also enjoy seeing them.
The 2015 challenge
To celebrate our 10th anniversary this year's challenge was entitled "TEN" and members were free to design anything relating to it. Many different interpretions resulted, with a wide variety of shapes and sizes. One members made a quilt illustrating ten skittles; another made ten children's play blocks. One imaginative piece was entitled "ten-ts" and featured ten appliqued tents in a field. All of the entrants were very well executed. Gill Cartwright's was voted the winner for her extraordinary, three dimensional, fabric, decagon toy box, containing ten different toys and games, all hand-made:
One ball.
Two dolls.
A story board featuring 3 little pigs.
Four face masks.
Five little monkey finger puppets.
A memory game of six shapes and colours.
Seven flowers in a vase.
Eight picnic items.
Nine cakes in a shop.
Ten menu items in a cafe.
The 2014 challenge
Our members were challenged to produce a piece of work within a space of 12" x 12", entitled "Seasons". They were free to interpret this as covering one or more or all of the seasons. As usual, the response was interesting, including a book cover, a 3D mobile, an a 2D representation of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. It was pleasing to see three of our newest members entered the challenge. The winning entry was made by Chris Holloway; an excellent piece of work showing leaves throughout the year, made in different fabrics, some of which were attached only at their bases, giving the work a lovely 3D effect. She was a very worthy winner.
The 2013 challenge
Our members were challenged to make something to do with swans. No constraints this time - the products could be of any style and any size, any colours, flat or three dimensional. Sadly, the number of entries was not great. The winning entry, voted by the members at our AGM in January, was made by Liz Bonser. Her entry was magnificent: a 3D swan made up of 450 separate pieces of fabric. It can be seen in our display in the window of Salisbury Library during February 2014.
THE ANNUAL CHALLENGE 2012
The theme for the challenge was introduced at our October meeting: members were each given an identical amount of Hoffman fabric that was to be included in a finished square of 15.5 inches, "traditional with a twist". The squares were judged by the members at the AGM in January 2013.
Jean Burke's beautiful square was the winner and she now holds our Challenge Trophy:
The group intends to incorporate the squares in one or two quilts to benefit our charity - SWAN Advocacy.
ANNUAL CHALLENGE 2011
We issued a challenge to our members to make bags to raise money for our charity of the year. Members brought their home-stitched bags for judging at November’s meeting. The members voted Liz Bonser as winner of the challenge cup for her beautiful bag. Liz also won last year’s challenge; so congratulations and well done Liz.
