We’re Heading to The Festival of Quilts 2026!

Mark your calendars, because Sewing-sanctuary is going on the road! We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be exhibiting at The Festival of Quilts, held at the NEC, Birmingham, from Thursday 30th July to Sunday 2nd August 2026.

If you’ve never been before, The Festival of Quilts is Europe’s biggest patchwork and quilting event, and one of the highlights of the sewing calendar. Now in its third decade, it’s grown into the largest quilting show in Europe, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.

What to Expect at the Show

Whether you’re a lifelong quilter or just starting to dip your toes into patchwork, there’s something for everyone:

• 200+ brands to shop from, with all the fabric, notions, and tools you could wish for
• One of the world’s largest quilt competitions, with over 1,200 quilts on display across 16 categories
• Stunning Textile Galleries from internationally renowned artists, including Ricky Tims and Joe Cunningham this year
• Workshops and talks for all skill levels
• Demonstrations from experts across the quilting and patchwork world

It’s a full sensory celebration of everything we love about sewing, and we can’t wait to soak it all in.

Come and Say Hello!

We’ll have a stand at the show, and we’d love nothing more than to meet you in person! Come and browse our exclusive fabric prints, get hands-on with our newest ranges, and have a chat with the team. If you’ve been eyeing up one of our collections online, this is the perfect chance to see and feel the fabric for yourself before you buy.

We’ll also have some show-exclusive offers on the day, so it’s well worth popping by even if you’re just there to explore.

Getting to the NEC

The NEC in Birmingham is easy to reach whichever way you’re travelling:

• By train: Birmingham International station is just a short walk from the venue, with direct routes from London, Manchester, Liverpool, and beyond
• By air: Birmingham Airport sits right next door, connected by the free Air-Rail Link
• By car: Plenty of on-site parking is available

Planning Your Visit

The Festival runs from 30th July to 2nd August 2026, and ticket prices rise on 20th July, so it’s worth booking in advance if you can. Whether you’re planning a day trip or making a weekend of it, we’d recommend giving yourself plenty of time. There’s a lot to see, and you won’t want to rush it.

We’ll share more details closer to the time about exactly where to find us on the show floor, so keep an eye on our Instagram and newsletter for updates.

See you there!

The Sewing-sanctuary Team