One of my long term goals is to enter a quilt show but right now all my quilts seem to be for someone else. I'm thinking the Conventional Tulip quilt that belonged to my husband's step-grandmother that I plan to replicate will be one I will submit.

It's been years since I have entered my quilts into shows but I did find the process very beneficial. I simply wanted the goal and discipline of meeting a deadline and taking the time to focus on every aspect of quiltmaking...from design to piecing, quilting and then binding. Often I find I am only under the Christmas or gift deadline or sample for a teaching a class and I am just trying to get the thing done. I miss taking time with the process.

As far as competition goes, I really am not too intimidated. I learn from each process and my main competition is with myself. I found that I improved more each entry because I took the time with each step.

Judging from all the great quilts in the TQS Gallery, shows will probably get better and better!

LinJoa wrote:
That's exactly why us mere mortals need to make the effort to put our stuff out there "with the big girls"!!! The ribbon winners are not usually a quilter's first effort!!

thanks for all the info ladies. I have never entered a show other that locally a couple of times and find this very interesting. Maybe I will get up my nerve sometime to do so. I have to admit though, that all the beautiful award winning quilts make it rather intimidating!
Linda

Margo,
Thanks for your comments. I was co-chair for our last two shows. There were several people in my guild that I talked to who would not enter a quilt. Two years ago we had over 500 members and hung around 380 quilts. This year the member numbers were a little higher and we hung just over 400 quilts. Our show is judged/non-judged. One of the biggest boosts to my confidence when I started quilting was seeing some quilts in shows that weren't quite perfect. I thought, "I can do that, I can make that pattern." So I agree with you, and I enter things even if they aren't perfect. My miniature almost didn't make it in the show, I wasn't happy with it, but it got some good remarks from the judge and some of the suggestions she made were things I already wished I had done better.

If you aren't comfortable shipping your quilt off for a show, try some smaller, local venues. Is there a local guild, museum or church hosting a quilt show that you could enter? If you ask at your local quilt shop, they will probably know about the local shows. Find out what the "rules" for that particular show are and follow them!
If it's a judged show, do NOT let the judge's comments get to you! Whether good or bad, the comments are one person's opinion on one day, and another judge might think differently...good or bad. It can be a wonderful learning tool if there are written critiques that help you grow as a quiltmaker.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: It's not fair if you don't share! Your quilt may be just the thing to inspire someone to learn to make their own quilts, and if only the award-winners were ever entered, beginners would be so intimidated that they would never start! Please share your quilts so we can enjoy them, too!

Thanks, Mary! That is helpful information! Something to think about!

Best regards,
Mary Kay

Here is what I have learned entering contests. This is from my experience, but I think it will cover some general questions.

* How do you find out about different opportunities to submit quilts to a show?
The major quilt magazines usually list upcoming shows and contain contact information. Many larger quilt guilds who have a website will list local/regional shows. Also the 'biggies' have websites with contest information.
Mancuso Quilt Shows = http://www.quiltfest.com (PIQF and others)
American Quilt Society =www.AmericanQuilter.com (Paducah show)
International Quilt Association = http://www.quilts.org (Houston show)
Road to California = http://www.road2ca.com
AQS, IQA, and Mancuso have other shows throughout the year.
Those were just a few. There are many, many more.

* How recent does a quilt need to be made to be submitted in a show? If a quilt is a couple of years old, can it be submitted for an upcoming show?
All shows are different. Some have a made in the last three years restriction and others do not. The website will have a contest application which will spell out EVERYTHING including date made cutoff.

* Do quilters tend to focus in on submitting quilts for a certain contest?
Sometimes they do. Most fabric companies have on going contests which feature their fabric (google company names). AQS does a quilt contest featuring a specific quilt block. All the big business names (including Mr. Ricky Tims) help sponsor catagory awards at the major shows. There is a catagory for just about every type of quilting. These catagories help you narrow down, or define, what type of quilt to make or where to enter your quilt.

As for shipping them....
Shows rely on their reputation for safe handling of quilts sent to them...both for competitions and exhibits. A bad handling of a quilt will mean that contestants most likely won't enter that show again.
It is worrisome enough to send 'our babies' out without the insult of having them arrive back in a beat up box in a sloppy wrapping job. Sloppy shipping practices are not the norm.

Hope this helps with the basic questions.
Mary Schroeder

Having never submitted a quilt for a show, I am wondering....

* How do you find out about different opportunities to submit quilts to a show? I realize this is a broad question, but other than the quilt show in the local park, I really don't know what I am looking for, or what the opportunities are? :

* How recent does a quilt need to be made to be submitted in a show? If a quilt is a couple of years old, can it be submitted for an upcoming show? :

* Do quilters tend to focus in on submitting quilts for a certain contest? (I notice that every year, Husquvarna sponsors a major competition the sits "up front" at the Houston quilt Festival).... do some quilt makers focus in on creating and submitting quilts for that contest (as an example)? :

I am very interested in learning more about the whole submitting quilts for shows, but really have no clue how the whole "show world" works.

Thanks for your thoughts on this subject!

Mary Kay

I know from talking to other quilters that some of you are not entering your work into shows because you are worried about how your 'baby' will be handled when you are not around to look after it. So I thought you might be interested in my recent experience:

I live in the UK and entered a small quilt into Houston in 2007. My quilt was exhibited at the Houston show and then in Chicago and Long Beach. So it was moved, packed, hung, taken down, etc. three times.

Well, my quilt arrived back home today. It was extremely carefully wrapped in acid free tissue paper. It's in perfect condition, and the organizers even included catalogues of all three shows.

So, all I can say is: Let your quilts travel! There are people at the other end who appreciate how precious our work is and handle it in a professional way and with great care!

Lorchen