I don't think I will enter any quilt shows after hearing this. My binding is terrible. I love the piecing part and my quilting stitches are very even and perfect but my binding....not so much. I guess my quilts are meant to be loved and used but not entered in shows.

But shows and fairs aren't about the judges! They're for the public to see what quilts are all about! The viewing public will never notice your binding but will just see the beauty of your quilt.

Very sorry but you are not alone. Judging is often the personal opinion of the judges and has little to do with the quilts themselves. There are instances when the best of show really is the best of show.
Don't quit entering, just think of all the people with whom you share your loved art.

I have always gotten positive feedback. Even when they told me what to do better next time they did it in a positive manner and in a way that was helpful not hurtful. I'm so sorry you had a bad experience. We would love to see your quilts.

Honey do not worry about it and if it was constructive critiscm
sometimes that helps. Check out what they told you and check your binding out and see if there is improvement to be made. Do not worry about what others say if you are happy with it that is all that counts and don't let this discourage you.
Happy Quilting

I am fairly new to quilting, but I do not ever plan on entering a contest over them. Just as I feel about not entering competition for my karate. I do it for myself, not others. As long as my karate instructers are happy with me, ( i have a black belt now) and the folks I give my quilts to are happy, I do not need any one elses opinion. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

The local quilt shop owner urged me to enter a couple of my quilts in the County Fair. I thought about it & declined. I did go see the quilts & other crafts & was glad I hadn't entered. One quilt (that I didn't think was that great) had won a blue ribbon. The label said "hand quilted". It was NOT hand quilted. It was clearly machine quilted. I spoke later to a neighbor about it & she said the winners were already picked before they were even judged. It is a small community & it seems to be who you know rather than how good your entry is. I enjoy my quilts & get many compliments on them so do not need to be shot down by the local politics. Sorry you had that experience. Don't be too bummed out about it. Just enjoy your own work, listen to constructive criticism then take it or leave it.

Haven't entered a quilt show yet, but I have my own dog show stories.

When Dash was campaigning, he was entered in several consecutive specialties - so we have the benefit of a written critique a few months later (as an aside, I'd love to see more judges have to write the critiques of the dogs, but understand that it would be horribly time consuming). At Specialty "A" the comment for the judge was that he was lacking in his chest - which is actually one of his better features. A few weeks later at Specialty "B", our breeder/handler was chatting with the judge from Specialty "A" who happened to be watching ringside, and the judge told our breeder that he would have placed this class they were watching much differently... that the dog placed 2nd had a much stronger chest... yep... Dash (someone else was handling him at Specialty "B")... So much in judging is a matter of taste. Dash did finish his Championship shortly before turning 2, and is happy at home.

Cheers, K

I never enter anything hat is going to be judged. The judges always have favorite people that receive ribbons. We had one lady win a ribbon and then they took it away! They never said why! She does some of the most beautiful quilting you have ever seen. You do need to be one of the "in" crowd.

Don't take it too seriously. One year, I entered a quilt in our guild quilt show. The NQA judge could not find one thing wrong with it and all her comments were wonderful. The following year, I entered again, a different judge (I don't know id she was NQA certified) told me how awful my binding was. Shocked me completely since another quilt I TAPE BASTED THE BINDING DOWN was given high marks for the perfect binding. Go Figure :p