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The “Big 24” Quilts Exhibition 2024
Key details
When:
Date:
Time:
26th Apr
10:00 - 16:00
27th Apr
10:00 - 16:00
28th Apr
10:00 - 15:00
Where:
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Sat Nav: IP30 9HZ
Pricing:
Tickets
£5 Cash on the door only
Under 18s free
Exhibition of Quilts
Come and see this wonderful Big 24 Exhibition, a celebration of the fantastic work by quilters throughout East Anglia, including members of the Quilters Guild of the British Isles.
The exhibition will be officially opened by The Quilters Guild President, Sheila Evans, on Friday 26th April, with over 90 individual quilts being shown from members of Region 8 of The Quilters Guild and 19 of its Affiliated Groups within Essex and Suffolk.
Visitors have the opportunity to get involved and vote for their favourite quilt in the “Visitors’ Choice” competition and to enter a daily Sewing Themed Tombola, Handmade Bag Auction and Raffle, with tickets £1 each (cash only please).
The Exhibition Competition theme is “8” and has over 30 entries of A3 size quilts, which will be on display in the entrance area and will be judged by Sheila.
Special Exhibitions
There will also be a showcase of the work of former Region 8 committee member Helen Vivian: “A Lifetime in Quilting”, and a chance to see the wonderful Denman Quilt made by members of the Federation of Essex WIs depicting special places of Essex.
Don’t miss this chance to see such an amazing collection in one place.
Gallery
01/08
02/08
03/08
04/08
05/08
06/08
07/08
08/08
Traders & Designers
A wide variety of fabric shops and designers will be at The BIG 24 Exhibition
Traders
- Crafty Baba
- Crafty UK
- Daisy May Quilting
- Franklins
- Oliven
- Patch Fabrics
- Simply Haberdashery
- The Cosy Cabin
- The Fabric Fox
Designers
- Helen Howes (Helen Howes Textiles)
- Helen Butcher (Little Patch Pockets)
- Melanie Missin-Keating (Mellymade Designs)
Where to find us
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
There is plenty of free parking available.
Accessible parking is available near the entrance to the Café/Shop area.
Please Note: The car park closes when the Roots Café closes and the entrance gates are locked after this time.
Blackthorpe Barn is situated just south of Junction 45 of the A14, three miles east of Bury St Edmunds, in the village of Rougham.
Look out for the entrance gates to a long tree-lined avenue at the White House junction, with the Barn on the right of the avenue.
Blackthorpe Barn’s black and white signs direct visitors from local roads.
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We are thrilled to share that Rougham Estate has been named a finalist in the East Anglia Clean & Green Awards 2026 in the Sustainability Strategy category.
These awards celebrate businesses and organisations across East Anglia that are making a real impact on sustainability and environmental practice.
Being shortlisted is a reflection of the work we’ve been doing to look after our woodlands, encourage biodiversity and manage the Estate with long-term environmental care at heart.
It’s an honour to be recognised alongside other organisations committed to a greener future and all the finalists will be celebrated at the awards event on 26 March in Ipswich.
Thank you to everyone who supports what we do. Fingers crossed for the winners announcement and we’ll share more after the event.
#cleanandgreenawards2026 #sustainability #roughamestate
Are you an established artisan creating your own original pieces, not bought-in, not mass-produced? Then this invitation is for you!
We are seeking inspirational designer-makers with a deep respect for materials, process and craftsmanship, ready to exhibit within the beautiful setting of the Blackthorpe Barn at the Rougham Estate Arts & Crafts event this coming Christmas.
Our visitors come specifically to discover and buy beautifully-made work. They value authenticity, they appreciate the story behind each piece and they return year after year to meet the makers themselves.
If you are proud of what you create and ready to join an exceptional community of craftspeople, applications for 2026 are now open.
#CallForMakers #DesignerMaker #BritishCraft #Craftsmanship #ContemporaryCraft
We are already weeks into the rethatch and as you can see, the transformation into a golden barn is coming on nicely.
Plenty happened during week 3, with the @eadt24 press visiting to write a story about the rethatch.
Also, while inspecting the structure we sadly found some rot in the roof battens (on a small patch of the roof), which are the wooden strips that support the thatch. These are now being replaced to ensure the barn remains sturdy for years to come, though it will delay the project slightly.
In answer to some of the questions you have asked, the old thatch will go to compost and be reused on the Estate, most likely on the farm.
Regarding whether we will have a straw animal finial on the top, the current answer is no. As much as we love finial animals, the Estate feels this is not in keeping with the history and function of the barn.
#roughamestate #blackthorpebarn #rethatch
Why not join us at Rougham Estate for a Willow Weaving Workshop to make a giant flower?
With 2 workshops on 7th March, you can join @the__coddiwomplers for a hands-on creative workshop in our beautiful Meadow Room.
Guided by two experienced basket makers, you’ll learn traditional willow weaving skills and techniques while making an attractive piece for your home or garden.
The workshop focuses on weaving a willow flower using traditional basketry methods often employed when forming a basket base, making it an ideal introduction for anyone interested in basket weaving.
By the end of the session you’ll take home your large willow flower suitable for hanging on a wall or mounting on a stem for outdoor display.
The course is suitable for beginners and requires no prior experience.
The link is in the bio to book.
#workshops #artsandcrafts #roughamestate
We had a fab opportunity to host the local press for an educational tour of our rethatch recently.
They got to interview owner George Agnew and master thatcher Stuart from @dodsonbrosthatchers who was very impressive.
We took the chance to capture some of our own behind-the-scenes content and educational insights to share with you soon.
It was a cold morning, but we all walked away having learned something new!
Keep your eyes peeled for the feature in the East Anglian Daily Times. 👀
Get your taste buds ready for our new weekly special at Roots Café.
This dish has chicken, bacon, our homemade Caesar dressing, mini gem lettuce and beef tomato, all served in a toasted ciabatta.
It is available now but for this week only.
Whether you are local to Rougham or visiting the grounds for a walk, it makes for a perfect stop during your day.
Join us this week to try it for yourself before the menu rotates.
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafe #Suffolk #BritishFood #CafeSpecial
You may already know that all the coffee we serve here at Rougham Estate is supplied by the award-winning speciality coffee roasters @butterworths based locally in Bury St Edmunds.
Now we are pleased to say that Butterworth’s coffee is also used in all our coffee cakes too.
This one here is a delicious coffee and walnut cake (first pic) made by the fabulous @rudisbakin who makes many of our cakes.
We’re keen to support local businesses where possible.
Sunday is the perfect day for a trip out into the Suffolk countryside to have coffee and cake. You’ll find a range of sweet treats, cakes and scones here as well as a large selection of tasty drinks, hot, cold and alcoholic.
Come and enjoy!!
#supportlocal #suffolklife #suffolksfinest #burystedmunds #coffeeculture
Looking for something new this weekend?
How about trying the new Korean Buttermilk Fried Chicken dish on our Roots Café menu, with kimchi and spring onion salsa, a fried egg and gochujang BBQ sauce, all atop tasty focaccia. It’s a great breakfast to set you up for the day or as brunch, perhaps after a walk through the woods here - the snowdrops are wonderful right now.
Why not make a day of it with a browse through the Lifestyle and Garden Shop, full of delightful and desirable items to beautify your home and outdoor spaces.
Or, if you’re looking for something more refreshing, we’re pleased to have the Roaming Sauna with us all weekend. Bring your ‘cossie, a couple of towels and perhaps some friends, and enjoy the full hot and cold reset experience in the peace of the gorgeous Suffolk countryside (book directly with @the_roaming_sauna_ ).
Rougham Estate - the perfect place to relax and restore your energy at the weekend.
Roots Café open daily 9am - 4pm
Rougham Estate Shop open daily 10am - 4pm
2 minutes south of the A14, J45, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Plenty of free parking. All the details from our website.
#roughamestate #suffolkliving #suffolklife #suffolksfinest #daysoutsuffolk
Tag us @RoughamEstate
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