Instructions On Getting Your Quilt To Us
Delivery Of Your Quilt
ALL quilts need to arrive between Monday 10th July – Sunday 23rd July 2023. (Quilts cannot be accepted after this date).
Instructions and labels for your quilt will be provided by email the last week in June. In this email you will receive your unique entry number, which will be printed on the label along with your name and category. The Entry Number will only be available once the hanging plan is complete (late June at the earliest).
Please make sure each quilt is packaged properly and clearly labelled with your name and contact details.
Please note that the labels we provide are for administrative purposes once the quilt arrives at the show. We do not provide postage labels – you will need to create these yourself.
Please choose one of the following options to get your quilt to us:
- Option 1 – DELIVER BY HAND to BBEL
Please deliver your quilt by hand to:
Bill Bowden Event Logistics
Bill Bowden Event Logistics Ltd
4 Dickens Close
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1SE
Tel: +44 (0) 203 475 2700
If delivering the quilt personally by hand, you MUST do so between Monday 10th July – Sunday 23rd July. Delivery times Monday – Friday are between 8.00am and 8.00pm and at weekends between 9.00am and 5.00pm.
The cost for using the BBEL delivery point is £8.00.
- Option 2 – POST YOUR QUILT
If you wish to post your quilt, it must be posted to our shippers Bill Bowden Event Logistics in West Sussex at the following address:
Bill Bowden Event Logistics Ltd
4 Dickens Close
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1SE
Tel: +44 (0) 203 475 2700
The cost of postage will depend on the courier or service you choose. Please create your own postage label (the labels we send you are for our internal administrative use only).
Under no circumstances should you post to any other address than Bill Bowden Event Logistics in West Sussex. Posting elsewhere puts your quilt at risk of getting lost or stolen and we cannot accept any responsibility in such circumstances.
- Option 3 – DELIVER BY HAND to NEC
Alternatively you can hand deliver your quilt to the NEC, Birmingham on Monday 31st July between 10.00am and 4.00pm ONLY.
Deliver to:
Hall 9 at The NEC
North Avenue
Marston Green
Birmingham
B40 1NT
Please drop off your quilt quilt at the entrance to Hall 9.
The cost for using the NEC delivery point is £8.00.
Sending from Overseas
If you are posting your quilt from overseas please refer to our advice below.
Please note any customs duty or charges must be covered by the entrant and will not be paid by the show organisers or by Bill Bowden Freight Logistics.
Advice on How to Package your Quilt
Packaging the quilt is ultimately the responsibility of the maker, but we advise the following methods if possible:
- If posting / sending by courier, we advise you to send your quilt folded and in a box to minimise cost.
- Fold your quilt into as small a parcel as possible (with acid-free tissue paper inserted to avoid creases) and package it first in bubble wrap (to protect from moisture) then put into a suitably sized cardboard box.
- Alternatively, roll your quilt face-out around a cylindrical tube (cardboard if possible) putting acid-free tissue paper between each roll if possible. If choosing this option, please note that once rolled, it should be wrapped in bubble wrap first and then cardboard (couriers no longer accept paper wrapped covers)
- Please note that all quilts should be wrapped in bubble wrap or plastic covering to avoid damage, but paper wrap for the external layer is no longer accepted by courier companies
- Once packaged, please attach an address label AND the label we provide to help us identify your piece upon arrival.
- It's a good idea to attach a ‘From’ label but make sure it's clear which is the ‘From’ and ‘To’ address. If your address labels are hand-written, please write clearly in BLOCK capitals.
- If you are entering a 3D item or wearable art piece, please make sure you provide adequate protection for your work.
Your Labels
Instructions for how to label your quilt will be provided the last week in June. We will provide two different labels, one for the back of the quilt and another for the outside of the package. These need to be printed on normal white paper and then cut out and attached.
If you are entering more than one quilt, please ensure that the correct labels are placed with the appropriate entry.
You will need a label for the following:
- The first label is to be fixed to the back of the quilt (detailing the maker's name, entry number and category). Please sew a flap of fabric on the back of the quilt to cover this label, to ensure anonymity during the judging.
- The second label should go on the outside of the packaging (which will not reveal the detail of the contents).
- Labels for Young Quilter / Embroiderer will be written in the name of the adult / carer who has entered for them. Please be assured that the child’s name will appear in the catalogue.
*Please note that although we do our best to return your packaging after the show, we cannot guarantee it.
Sending Multiple Quilts In One Parcel
We will permit more than one quilt to be sent within one parcel but only when:
- The quilts all come from the same person
- Care is taken to ensure the weight limits are not exceeded (see the entry form)
- You tape the external packaging labels for ALL the enclosed quilts to the outside of your parcel so our ‘Quilt Angels’ know what has arrived.
- Please note, if you choose to send multiple quilts in one package, this will not be covered by the insurance, please see our insurance instructions here for further information.
Thank you for entering this year’s Festival of Quilts Competition. We can’t wait to see all your entries!
