HettyB

Just an interesting talking point…

Our large-ish quilt group has decided to stop arranging coach/bus trips to the major quilt shows. We discussed why many didn’t want to go and/or have stopped going to quilt shows altogether.

1. Cost of entry ticket plus coach ticket too expensive. Cheaper to go alone or carpool; timings (too long on a bus; can’t attend any workshops, stay too long, leave too early)
2. Shows are too crowded
3. Not enough places to sit down and overpriced refreshments
4. Can’t see the quilts through the stalls and crowds
5. Long queues to pay for items
6. Too many computerised/digital/longarm “Show” and “Art” quilts done by professionals or those with huge budgets (This is another discussion altogether!)

But the overall reason, which astonished me, was… there is nothing I need to buy. It was also added, that after taking into account transport costs, entry ticket etc., it was cheaper to buy things on the internet.

I will be going to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham this year and parking, entry and fuel for a 200 mile round trip is going to be over £50. So, going to a major quilt show is expensive.

There are a couple of shows I no longer go to… too many vendors, too few quilts. I rarely buy anything because scrappy and re-purposed fabric is my thing; however, I had to agree with others that too many stalls were selling the same thing, especially notions and fabric lines.

There was a survey done recently (Google 2017 Quilter’s Survey) and I do hope the outcome is made available. Perhaps those of us who belong to Quilt Groups and Guilds should contact the shows and give feedback to the organisers.

HettyB

QuiltnNan

I agree with a lot of what you've said, but I still love to go and see the quilts. The large shows have awesome quilts that I could never even dream to make... the smaller shows have lots of my kind of quilts.

MaryKatherine

I agree with a lot of what was said. I have bought nothing at shows for several years.....but I do like looking at the quilts that are so far outside my expertise.

dunster

MaryKatherine, your quilts belong in those big shows!

I understand the points made, but I still love the big shows. I get my creative batteries re-charged by looking at the great quilts and taking classes and I get ideas from the vendor displays. I don't buy much, and I agree that many of the vendors have the same thing, all of which can usually be purchased for less money online. I'm not as interested in the art quilts as in the traditional bed quilts, but I really appreciate seeing the beautiful longarm quilting. Sometimes the refreshments are ridiculously over-priced, and I agree that it's cheaper to carpool than to go on a bus, plus I prefer to choose my own hours.

I'm also astonished by the main reason your group cited for not going - not needing to buy anything. Does that mean that the main attraction for those people is the vendors, not the quilts? And yet another point was that there are too many vendors and not enough quilts. I guess this difference in opinion shows why it is impossible for the quilt show coordinators to please everyone.

cashs_mom

I got to Houston Quilt Festival every year. Since I live here, it's relatively cheap for me to go. I save money all year out of my weekly cash so that when I go I can buy what I want. I've done this every since I started going back when I was much younger and much poorer. lol I love to look at the quilts and still go back and look at all the pictures I took of them. I just enjoy the time away from the "real world", too. Although I'm not good with crowds, I do find that you meet some very nice people standing in lines and sitting at the big round tables for lunch.

I could probably find lots of negatives to going, but I prefer to look at all the positives and think about how much I enjoy quilt shows and hope they are well attended and around for a very long time.

tessagin

I missed the last quilt show in our area. The one before that I spent money I really wished I wouldn't have. Learned a lot and that is the main reason I go. Sat in on couple demos but was bored out of my mind with the instructor talking about all her accomplishments. After listening to the quilts she made but never displayed ( didn't bring them), a few of us got up and left. She also published a paperback and that's ok but no real demos. Another was like that also. I did get many ideas. it was not a lost cause. The quilts were stunning.

Doggramma

I get inspired from looking at quilts in shows. And I like to check out the vendors even if I don't buy anything.

Boston1954

The nearest medium sized city to me is Fort Smith, Arkansas. Their show is just only every other year. I would love to see a major show like Houston, but I doubt that it will ever happen. I love to look at the quilts. I do not have a car, and am stuck with what is close. The most I have ever paid to get in is just $5.00.

cjsews

I love the Paducah show. Lots of quilts and vendors. I don't usually buy much but, everything is there if I do need items. No shipping cost or waiting for the mail to arrive. It is just fun to see what is out there and get away from every day issues. I know they cannot please everyone all the time. So I do appreciate what the show brings for me and let others enjoy the rest.

maminstl

I've gone to Paducah every year for 5 years now, but will probably give it a miss next year. I love to see the quilts, and poke through the vendors to see what's new - but don't buy much from them as everything is full retail as far as I can tell. I like being in a place with so many people with a shared interest. It's always fun to talk to "strangers". I do most of my buying - if any - in town at some of the pop up shops. For some reason, this year seemed a little flat to me - lots of vendors that I am used to seeing were not there. I would love to go to Houston some time, and also the Modern Quilt show.