The European Patchwork Meeting is held every year in the Val d’Argent valley in France.
Besides being home to the birth of the Amish culture, this region of France contains many
historic landmarks, churches, and community centers. These beautiful, historic places get
transformed into a showcase that feature both local and international quilters. This is, by far, the
largest patchwork show in Europe. Let’s take a look at some of the different aspects of the
festival that you will enjoy.
How many quilters experience the festival
Many quilters will partake in the festival as part of their longer trip to Europe. Many people arrive
directly in Paris, take a train from Paris to Strasbourg, and then drive for the remainder of the
trip to Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. While at the festival, many people will take a bus to the different
venues that are scattered among the villages within the valley. Many people will spend the
majority of the time at the festival tending to their own exhibit, with a little bit of time to walk
around and see other quilting artists.
Who are some of the artists that typically appear at the European Patchwork Meeting?
Every year, the exhibits and artists are different, but there are a few familiar quilters that you can
always expect to see:
Cindy Grisdela
Cindy Grisdela is a quilter from Reston, VA. In addition to producing art quilts, she is also a
teacher and a writer. Some of the most important forces in her quilting are color, texture, and
balance. One of her popular quilts at the 2022 European Patchwork Meeting was Aquarius. In
addition to creating beautiful quilts, she has authored Artful Improv Book and Adventures in
Improv Quilts.
Cecilia Koppmann
There are quilters from throughout the world at the European Patchwork Meeting. Koppmann is
a quilter who was born in Buenos Aires in 1961. Koppmann’s works always start with fragments
that are joined to a beautiful, organic whole. Working to achieve the ideal balance, working with
each piece of fabric as if it were a brush stroke on canvas.
Paola Machetta
Paola is a quilter and artist who likes to draw cityscapes and use photography to create abstract
compositions. In addition, she views patchwork as an extremely expressive medium. Her
patchwork art involves colors and bold shapes that utilize texture in great detail.
Carolina Oneto
Carolina Oneto also had a solo exhibition at the 2022 European Patchwork Meeting. An
analysis of her pieces for the festival describes her quilts as, “loaded with movement, that
interact spontaneously, improvised and at the same time, thought and structured in textile
patterns.” She has shown at this festival since 2018 and enjoys the positive interaction with
quilters from around the world.
How to experience the European Patchwork Meeting
If you are going to attend the European Patchwork Meeting, now is a good time to start getting
your plans laid out. You might want to try one of the many fine quilting workshops that are
available. You might run into a quilter you know. Your quilt might even be exhibited in the same
building as someone that you know. If you love color, patchwork, and history, take the
opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful areas of the world.
Note from the author:
Quilters from all over the world will be at the European Patchwork Meeting in 2023. The dates of
the festival will be from September 14 to 17. I look forward to seeing you there.