Thread: Quilt Guards

I believe the ones who want to touch are children and those who aren't quiltmakers. I fully understand the "no touching" rule,can you imagine how the quilt would look if at a big show everyone who came along wanted to run their hands down the quilt surface? Shudder!

I was at a quilt show last year with a friend who brought her friend who was a quilter; there was a small square of paper on the edge of quilt so you could turn and look at the back of the quilt. It even said to "hold here to turn". The woman kept grabbing quilts and turning the back without using the paper even as the quilt guild kept announcing over the PA system to please "only handle the quilts using the paper", I was so embarrassed that she just didn't seem to understand even after I and my friend kept pointing out the paper to her. And yes there were people walking around the show with food in hand and children with dirty fingers who also were touching the quilts. I like to be able to see the quilt backs and the quilting as it gives me inspiration and ideas but I would never touch a quilt without gloves or some other protection, I kept wondering how would she feel if one of her quilts was on display and hundreds of people kept touching it and by the end of the show it was soiled. The rules are there for a reason - to protect someone's hard work.

You might think of these people as "Guards", between you and a quilt you would like to touch. But these people (because I have seen men doing this "Thankless" job too), are keeping people who do thoughtless things from doing them. I have seen people not thinking - "pulling in different directions on a quilt to see how well it was sewn" - "cut out a bit of fabric out of a quilt to see if they could match it". Some people only think in the moment and not about the fact that these quilts "belong" to someone. So if you must think of the "white gloves" as guards, remember these are the people you want to be around if you show a quilt.

It is always wise to post a very large sign saying, "No food or drink allowed in the quilt show area". Saves a lot of dirty looks and hurt feelings and most people try to comply.

Sometimes I like to see what the backing looks like - or how the binding is sewn down.

I think the reverse side of some quilts are more attractive than the displayed side.

Just to be clear - I do appreciate the "white glove" ladies - or the plastic gloves - at quilt shows.

I should have called them "guardians" instead of "guards."