Good thing I found this out before ever entering anything. I would be so embarrassed to do it wrong! Is this somewhere in the requirements for entry or are we just supposed to "know" these things? Maybe I won't ever enter anything, I'm afraid these little things might damage my LA reputation because people would expect me to know things like this.

It seems the first question for the "quilt police" then is "Where is that stated in the rules?" If it's not, they don't have any basis for hassling anyone about that.

The rules can vary by show, but you're never supposed to 'just know them'. Lower left back corner is the "usual" spot for an entry label (not to be confused with a personal label), but that doesn't mean a show committee can't request something different. All you have to do is ask the person in charge what the specifics are and you can find that person's contact info where you find out things like the entry deadline, etc. It's really quite simple and nothing to worry about. Most definitely not a reason to not enter shows.

County Fairs don't usually do exacting judging because there were no rules given for such things as labels, sizes, subject matter, etc. I don't know why she was so stuck on the label. I do understand the rules that are given for a specific show, but not for county fairs...I have entered quilts in our fair in the past, (not recently), and no one made any comment at all except for thanking me for entering. And, of course, it really doesn't matter what the person who hangs them thinks...it's the judging that counts, and as far as I'm concerned even that depends on the judge, what he/she likes, her preferences, etc. No two judges will think alike. It's your quilt, if you love it enough to enter it in the county fair, don't let a frazzled quilt hanger get your goat!

ghostrider, thanks for clearing that up. It makes sense that your personal label should be anything you want it to be and wherever you want it to be, but for entry in a show, a special entry label with perhaps more information (so you hopefully get your quilt back) would be expected to be attached and in a consistent place. If I was entering a contest (never have so far), then I would try to find out everything I could before I got there ready to show.

I'm sorry ladies, but the comments about not following any rules sounds like petulant teenagers. You don't have to give up your creativity to cooperate with the requirements of a given show.

Entered my quilt tonight. No quilt police and no rules as to where the label should be.

Yes, it does make sense, but really!! Common sense would have been in order here. As the quilter said, if you can read the label, you can figure out where the top is. And then, if it's a portrait....come on. [A little compassion would have been nice and a good learning/teaching experience.] I suppose it takes all kinds to make the world go round.

Me too. I never knew there was a right or wrong way. I just thought I was doing good to get some information on them. Lol

Good Luck - hopefully your quilts will be hung correctly and blue ribbons will be with them!

OOPS! Me too. I have been putting mine on the lower right corner so when I flip it back to the right side, the label is on the left. Guess that is where I got confused.

And despite this quilt having the label on the top - I got a 3rd place ribbon!

Wonderful job! Such a nice quilt! Congratulations!

Same here, now I know, but will probably forget and do it wrong again.

You did better than I would have. I'd have asked for someone else to check in my quilts.

To that I would have to reply, the quilts were NOT made for the judges. They were made for the quilter's family and friends.

If there were "rules" why was gramma not informed ahead of time. Preferring how something is done is not a rule.

If I did labels, they'd be in the lower right of the back.

Do people consider local fairs to be consistent with a "contest"? The way I see it, the fair is community, a contest is another body altogether.

I didn't take this question to be about entry labels, which someone at the fair ought to be taking care of, not the maker.

Yep, what Iclang said-------100%

Something just came to mind! Why is the judge reading any label, with any name or any other info? Aren't they supposed to be impartial?

If a fair entry label with judging category is required, it ought to be in the front, easily visible by everyone.

I have had to stop reading comments as I am getting confused! I always place mine labels on the lower right of the back.....and I never intend to enter a show or fair. My own satisfaction is enough for now.

And the OP was asked to clarify whether it was the entry label or the personal one.
She has yet to do so.
At the Fair's I've entered, it is MY responsibility to ensure the entry tag is on the quilt, in the proper place and properly attached as per the prize list instructions.

Well Said!!!!!!

Ghostie gave you some good info. I'll add ... entry info is often somewhat ambiguous, not by intention, just that it's volunteers putting it together, and it's clear to them! I have found there is no set order it will be in the book, and can be somewhat jumbled.

So I just sit down with a cup of tea, my favourite highlighter and mark what I need to know. And hopefully get it all sorted out. In Fair season last year, I got totally confused, as what was required at one Fair was not be at another, or it may be was but with a slightly different twist! The funny part was that they all belong to the same Provincial
Fair Assoc, so they have the Prov. rules to follow, but then can add in their own local ones ... oh the complications.

And when one gets totally lost ... get on the PHONE and ASK the person in charge! :)

About the personal label ... it needs to be covered to hide your identifying information.
About the entry label ... here we have cards that you complete, and a flap folds over your identifying info, with the class info, remaining in site.

Good luck and wow is all I can say ..

I have some questions now -

Can one put on one's permanent label wherever one wants to - and then make a 'temporary' one for any given show and just 'lightly' sew it on? Would one have to cover the permanent one for the show?

Would one need to baste a piece of muslin or something over the permanent label?

Do judges look at the label(s) and evaluate the 'quality' of them? Occasionally people do put labels over boo-boos to hide/camouflage them.

Yep and you are lucky it was a county fair, think of the issues with a profession juried quilt show. I have heard nightmare stories about you can't have any space in the binding edge, label locations, thread count, etc.

I really hope you win a ribbon. Good luck.

I put the name of a quilt ( if there is one - I generally don't name my quilts). Mine usually say something like this: Made with love for Grandma Smith for her 80th birthday, July 17, 2012. Pieced and quilted by Ima Quilter, Smalltown, PA. Sometimes if I am doing the quilt for a class I'm giving, I'll reference the book or pattern I've used and this is generally where I do use a name. For example -"This quilt is called Surprise Star from Jane Doe's book Lotsa Stars." You can add anything else you want. Generally I include what I would want quilt documenters in 100 years to know about the quilt.

This whole label issue hasn't been an issue when I have entered.

Permanent labels are to be covered. It's quite acceptable to use a piece of fabric and pin it on with safety pins.
Likewise, some shows/fairs require a hanging sleeve, some not. The sleeve may be permanent or it is acceptable for it to be pinned in place.
Entry tags are cardstock cards provided for us to complete to be pinned on. Only class info is shown for judging, then the personal info is unfolded to show afterwards.
And all the above mentioned pins MUST be safety pins, for obvious reasons!

And to note this is what I have found with the Fairs I have entered. As stated earlier, it's important to READ carefully before taking in one's entries, and make sure all meets the requirements. And then READ again, to see what one has missed!!!!

Quilt police in action again..lol That is one reason I would never put one of my quilts in a fair. Also at our fair many quilts have been stolen, so don't want to go there.

At our fair they hang a few then the rest are folded to about 1/3 of the quilt and hung over a railing behind a rail...now you just cannot see the quilt this way. so not so fun to look at. I want to see the whole thing!

when you are entering a show, county fair or other competition, it is YOUR responsiblity to read the rules and enter you item correctly. the time to ask ?? is before you get there, not in line to check in.

Our fair has different categories under each class, it's easy to enter wrong. I know. i' ve done it. You're DQ'd. Aggravating,disappointing, but no one to blame but myself.

So,
the label is on the right hand side if looking at the front of the quilt and on the left if looking at the back?
K

This is going to be the first year I don't put a quilt in the fair in the six years I have lived here. The judges know where the quilts come from (who) and often they are there when they take them in. This is a small town area. There is a political aspect to it I do believe. The part that gripes me the most is competing against a quilt that has been computer quilted--and every space on that quilt is filled and they ohhhhhhhhh and ahhhhhhhhh blue ribbons over the quilting rather than the quilt itself. They take the fun out of quilting; many quilters in the area will not put anything in because of this. Then they wonder why the entry number of quilts keeps falling.

Our classes for the most part are segregated ... hand quilting, DSM and LAQ.
Many classes are only for quilts that have been pieced and quilted by the same person.
A few classes will let you enter one that you had quilted by someone else.

All back to reading all the fine details and unique twists in the entry book.

I'm still reading the responses to this post. So far as I can see, not one of you comes from Brooklyn. I do. I don't object to this officious person explaining to the quilter that the label should have been placed in the lower left. What I object is the lecture. She had no right to "lecture" you, as if you had done some "wrong". You didn't do anything wrong. You just did something that you didn't know was not acceptable and didn't follow this show's regulations-- which are by no means uniform throughout the quilt world. Just remember, this was an inconsequential person, with a poor self image, who needed to prove how important her little life was. I pity such people; and sometimes, when I meet them in many circumstances when I'm not in a better mood, I let them have it--verbally that is. I'm too old to deal with these self-important people. There are nice ways of teaching and nice ways of explaining. She was not doing either of these in a nice way.

Thanks for a good laugh....I like your sense of humor!

Best comment so far "Your can tell how to hang it by where I put the hanging sleeve." Unsaid : add "Stupid" to the previous sentence.

One reason I don't like to enter shows and the 2nd reason (at our fair in the adult division); they actually do NOT judge anything, they just walk around and stick ribbons on everything (quilts, photographs, canning, etc, etc). Guess it just adds to the 'country fair' charm to see all the items w/ribbons

Our county fair (Jefferson County, Tennessee) actually does judge things. They're a bit more lenient in the 4-H division, but in the adults, judges can be very picky. I work with the fair and see those things that the public doesn't always see - and hear some of the judges remarks. They don't just give away ribbons in our fair.

I always thought it was lower left from the front so it would be in the lower righ on the back. OH well, just call me dislessic (sp) :)