Skittl1321

Does anyone know what criteria AQS uses to judge their shows? Is the hanging sleeve judged?

My quilt is good- I mean, not best of show good, but maybe in the running for a 3rd place ribbon kind of good. (At least I think so.)

The thing is, it is a machine quilt. Every stitch of it is done on a machine.

I've never learned to hand sew. I just tried to follow youtube videos to put the hanging sleeve on (though I think I have more of a whip stitch than blind stitch) and I'm about 1/8 of the way through the sleeve (had to stop it hurts my wrist so badly) and well, it doesn't look great.

I used thread that hides pretty well, but if you look really closely, it is pretty awful.

Does this ruin any chance at all I have of a ribbon?

AQS doesn't do written feedback, so a ribbon is the only kind of feedback you get at all.

I'm over the moon just getting into the Grand Rapids show, but I'm wondering if this really means I have no chance at all of an award. (The fact that I'm a beginner and I'd only been quilting a year or so when I made this quilt kind of tells me I don't have much chance- but I'm wondering if I can just blame my hanging sleeve... seems like judging a painter on the nail they use to put up the canvas though.)

Hinterland

I've entered judged shows for many years, and never once seen a comment regarding the hanging sleeve. Just do the best you can, make sure the stitches don't show on the front, and don't worry about it. Good luck at the show!

Janet

EdieClay

Main thing is have fun! Don't think they judge the hanging sleeve.

Dina

I hated adding a sleeve on my quilts, but I don't think they are judged.... I rather resented having to have one to have my quilt judged. Just me. My quilts aren't to be hung, so that is probably my hangup. (Oh, that is a good pun!!!)

Dina

Skittl1321

Dina- my quilts are definitely hung, I just use triangle corners at my house
And since this one is hanging in a show, I understand the sleeve, but man it is a pain. Literally- I'm not 1/4 of the way through and need to stop for the night due to my wrist. Maybe I can pick up a bit more in an hour... My stitches are looking prettier and more even, but I still think I'm doing the wrong stitch. I also worry that because so little fabric is picked up, it is going to tear or something.

ghostrider

As long as it's straight, you put a pleat in it so the front hangs flat, and it's dropped down far enough below the binding so it doesn't show at the top when hung, you should be just fine. How the sleeve makes the quilt look (flat, square, and proud) is much more important than how the sleeve itself looks.