Originally Posted by
bearisgray
I do wonder how shows can keep up with enough categories to accommodate all the different ways of how a quilt can be made and how to 'have a level playing field' for the various entries.
They don't. You just can't enter them all.
I had a quilt that I thought would fit perfectly in a themed show, but then I read that the rules require all original work, and I used a pattern. So I couldn't submit it.
Another show allows NO tied quilts, so anyone who does those is out. Some shows only allow quilts that are 3 layers sewn together- yo-yo quilts, crazy quilts, cathedral windows don't qualify.
The show I recently entered allows patterns, but only a single stitcher. People who send their quilts out don't qualify, luckily for me- I did all the work on this one (and I attributed the pattern and gained designer permission.)
I really wanted to enter my state fair but the only two categories are pieced quilts or applique quilts. My quilt is shadow trapunto, which looks like applique, but is not. There is no way the quilt would be judged well because it doesn't fit either category. So I passed.
Haven't read all the posts but anyone who thinks machine quilting is 'cheating' just hasn't tried to do it. It's waaaaaaaaay beyond my abilities.
That wasn't what the thread was about. It was about whether entering work that is not entirely your own in a show is cheating.