Originally Posted by
Skittl1321
You know, many of the extremely heavily quilted show quilts are not done on longarms, but are done on full size domestics (as opposed to the 3/4 size machines many occasional sewers have.) Then a number are done on large harp space domestics, which are still fairly affordable compared to long arms.
And of those long armed, very few show quilts are computer quilted. Computer quilting is actually more common for home use quilts, because it is fast and efficient. Custom quilting is generally hand guided.
Excellent points Skittl. The quilt that swept the show circuit in 2011 was "America, Let it shine" by Sherry Reynolds. This quilt was pieced and quilted on a 20YO domestic Bernina and designed on graph paper, as opposed to using a design software like EQ. Here is an excellent blog detailing all about that spectacular quilt:
http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2011...by-sherry.html
Stitch, I think it is premature of you to so confidently say you won't be accepted at a major show. It is more than quilting that makes a show quilt. Original piecing design, complexity of pieced design (it is doubtful a YBR, BQ or Warm Wishes will make the cut in a juried show, no matter how spectacularly quilted) precision in workmanship, use of color and value, all of these things combined and more are what make an award winning quilt in a juried national show. If it was just heavy elaborate quilting that counted then nothing but wholecloths would be winning.
An interesting point about computer assisted quilting, recently AQS changed the classification of machine quilting in only two categories. Either the quilting was computer assisted or not. Unfortunately AQS decided stitch regulation falls under computer assisted. As Skittl mentioned most of the winners so far are hand guided but they were forced to enter in the computer assisted category because the quilting was stitch regulated. I think that is very sad. I wish they had made the category computer guided instead of computer assisted.