I love going to quilt shows and marvel at the talent ladies have. It inspires me to get busy.

Sorry, but I can't agree with you. I have been to dozens of quilt shows and love every single one of them. I learned to quilt from a really good teacher and she taught me some things that assure me that my quilts are going to turn out just fine. I think the most important thing is to sew those seams a scant 1/4 inch and then press them down. I decided right from the beginning to piece quilt tops that I knew I could do. Sure, I wanted to make a Drunkard's Path but decided that baby will have to wait until I get some basics down. Now I feel assured my quilts will look good when finished. I am not really a person who wants her quilts to be shown but I was just accepted into a show that will start later this month. One of the quilts I acquired and the lady who made it has long passed. But I admire her work and wanted others to see it. If I do the best I can in making a quilt, then that's good enough.

I, actually, do not feel that way at all. I'm not an award winning quilter, but I love what I do and am enthused to do it all the time. I love scrappy beautiful quilts - that's what makes me happy. I see some strange things at quilt shows and wonder "What were they thinking".
As long as I keep improving I'm happy.

I think that how one feels after a quilt show depends on whether one was an attendee or part of the group that put on the show. I know which I would rather be!

I love looking at quilts and fabrics and quilts and more fabric. Looking at beautiful quilts makes me happy.

I've only been to local shows, but we have some very talented quilters around here. I come away feeling warmed by the lovely colors and how they are put together. I don't buy much from the vendors - the prices are pretty much the same as the stores, but I do like the guild's fund raising table. Some real bargains there, including a Singer 404 for $5. I come away happy to have had the opportunity to see the quilts. I am not a fan of some of the art quilts, but that's a personal thing.

Think of a quilt show as a gallery of quilts-kinda like an art show only in textiles. Quilt shows are fun! Lots to look at.

I LOVE GOING TO SHOWS!!! and i feel inspired and happy when i leave!!!
i love to ooohhh & ahhhh over the beautiful quilts-
i love to dream that one day i will make something as beautiful
i get ideas and want to go right home & try new things i never thought of before.
i have (perma-grin) on my face for days after wandering through a wonderful big show! so happy to be part of such a wonderful art

This has been an interesting topic. My guild is putting on a quilt show next week, and I have volunteered to help, plus I put three quilts in, though I put them in the non-judged category. (I don't have a competitive bone in my body.) I am trying to analyze how going to a quilt show makes me feel...and I guess I really don't know. I have only been to two shows, and I wasn't a quilter when I went to the first one. I only went to the second one because our guild was putting it on, and I wanted to be supportive. I had been quilting about a year then.

Maybe it will be like I feel after "Show and Tell" at our meetings....that my quilts are so different, maybe I don't want to show them....but I always do.

At any rate, this thread has made me think. I will probably be second guessing myself next weekend....wondering how I feel?

Ha, none of this makes any sense, but I am going to post it anyway. I like reading how the shows inspire all of you. Maybe this one will inspire me too. Who knows, maybe next time I will enter mine in a category to be judged. :)

Dina

I love going to quilt show here! Love to see others beautiful work & I feel inspired! I quilt for me, but am always looking for new ideas & patterns & whatever, so what I see never bothers me. I don't compare myself to them, I just am in awe at times, & truly admire their work! Love it, love it, love it! Then, there are always a few quilts there, & no offense meant, but I wonder why they were even in the show. Maybe the quilter just wanted to show off her quilt too, & if that's the case, then I admire her for doing so! So, all things considered, I think you should come away from a show, inspired, & want to keep at it, doing what you enjoy!.... It's not a contest, it's a show, remember!...