Matilda nets top prize fortea set made from scraps

Matilda Tate with her winning entry to the quilting awards, a quilted tea set

But a nine-year-old from Stubbington has triumphed in a national quilting competition.

Matilda Tate, who attends Meoncross School, entered the Under-10s challenge of the Quilters Guild of Great Britain Conference.

Inspired by a poetry lesson at school, and the conference which was held in the Devon seaside town of Torquay, she created a seaside-themed tea set, complete with tea cosy, cups and a tiny tea tray.

She belongs to the Scrap Happy Young Quilters group which meets once a month at Titchfield Parish Centre.

The chairwoman of the group, Jennifer Chalmers, was at the conference in Torquay when Matilda’s winning entry was revealed.

Jennifer said: ‘I was absolutely thrilled for her, just over the moon.

‘I immediately rang and left a long message with her mother who got back to me to say she was absolutely thrilled.’

The rules were to create a quilt no more than 24in big.

Matilda’s unique tea set, which she named Moor2Sea, also earned her the Doris Debney Memorial Prize.

The competition was judged by the guild’s president Margie Jenkins who awarded Matilda top marks in every category, and described her creation as ‘a creative use of traditional techniques in a contemporary way, with a novel use of 3D which would grace any table.’

Jennifer said quilting was becoming more popular with young people.

‘It helps them in so many ways. They get to meet other quilters, learn about colour, design and fabric and it uses a lot of maths.’

If you would like to join the Scrap Happy Young Quilters, contact Judy Murray on (023) 9255 1128..

Alternatively, e-mail [email protected].

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