Lst night I met the Quilt Police!
 

Last night I (for the first time) turned in quilts to the local county fair.

The woman checking in the quilts gave me this big lecture about the location of my labels. She said it had to be in the lower left corner, so the judges would know which way was up when they hung the quilt.

The label that was on a diagonal really threw her for a loop! I laughed and told her I like to mix things up!

She again explained how if the lable isn't in the lower left corner, they may not know how to hang it up. Now, I was thinking, if they could read the label it should give them a clue (only the 1out of 3 was on a diagonal, the rest were strictly horizontal).

Finally, I just said "well, they are all portraits, so if the kids are standing on their heads, you have it upside down!"

It was pretty funny! This lady is from my guild (I am sure she didn't recognize me), and seemed to be sort of overwhelmed by it all. It took about 25-30 minutes to check in 3 quilts.

In defense.........judges do prefer the labels to be on the lower left of the back. diagonal or otherwise is not important. It is just easier to flip the quilt and find the number or other identification if they are all consistent.

Whew! You handled that better than I would have!! :eek:

Your answer to her was a good one. But it makes sense that they have some rules.

Wow. That is an ordeal! I hope you take a ribbon!!

So, is it the lower left when looking at the quilt from the front or the back? I have never shown anything but on the two I've finished, I've put it on the lower left when looking at the back of the quilt.

Good luck - hope you win something.

Yes, it is the lower left of the back. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it was funny she just kept telling me. If that is what they like, they should list it in the rules. The quilts all had the check in info attached in the lower left corner, not necessarily where the label was. It just tickeled me.

Contests and any kind of judging have rules about sizes, labels, etc.

Oops, I've been doing it wrong. I have put the labels on the few quilts I've made in the lower right hand corner.

I really don't care what the rules are - I have no problem following them - but it would be nice to know what they are if I am expected to abide by them! LOL

Was this for the entry tag label?

Or for your personal label?

For our fairs, there are no instructions regarding either ... though it is very clearly noted that labels MUST be covered to hide any identifying info. I pin on a piece of fabric, slightly larger than the label, either the same as the backing, or a coordinating fabric.

Another lesson would be that you make your quilts for your own enjoyment--and who cares where the labels are? I get that they want to make it "easier" but isn't quilting about individual taste?

Really???? I have never turned in a quilt to be judged but I have always put my label on the lower right of the back. Of course if you have the front of the quilt and you turn the lower left, you would see the label.

She was probably just overwhelmed and had maybe never done this before.

I am in charge of getting the quilts for the local fair registered and hung every year. The judges don't hang the quilts and should never know the name of the quilter before judging the quilts anyway and the quilts aren't hung until after judging. I guess every fair is different but the one in charge of the quilt display is in charge not the judges. This woman should learn to not be so rule oriented when it comes to fair quilts. A prize winning quilt will win no matter about the hanging or label guidelines are met or not. LOL

Another good reason why I would never enter any of my quilts in any kind of a show/fair, etc.
I quilt only for my own pleasure.

That makes sense - they only have to peek at one corner. the intake person made no sense not knowing which way is up! What a hoot!

Know what? It all kind of makes me want to put it in the middle! (lol)

Anal! In need of some Xanax, I think. Do quilt police have badges?

SittingPretty, you are a rebel!

So what did the written rules say? Enforcing the rules of a contest does not make her quilt police.

I think placement of the label should be entirely up to the quilter. It is their quilt and they are not making it JUST for a county fair. If the quilt is being made solely to be judged in a juried show and the rules (given plenty of time in advance) state that a label has to be affixed to a certain location, I can understand that. However, like a member previously stated... judges are not supposed to know who did the work because that might impact the scoring.

So now I'm curious, did they hang them right side up?

Ladies, that is a HOOT! LOL.

Jeanette Frantz

Once you have been behind the scenes at a local fair for quilting. You soon realize the ribbons impress non quilters very much. Quilters not so much. LOL

Too funny! Hard to believe something like that would throw her for a loop. I love your answers. Good for you!

I didn't know that there was a general preference for them being in any particular place... It does seem that if there is a strong preference - or rule - they should say that.

I'd have asked to see her entry so that you could see an example. Oh, what, no entry??? Well, maybe next year!

Good answer, portraits heads UP! But judges do need to have consistancy, that's why the left hand corner rule

Didn't you have to put a hanging sleeve on the back? If so, how could they hang it incorrectly?

Without knowing what the rules/guidelines are - - - -

Or if any were stated - - -

Me too. But if you look at it from the back it's on the lower left hand corner. Or is it just cause I'm sick??

I usually lable my quilts on the binding. When I actually use a lable I always put it on the lower right corner of the back, just like signing a letter. Just seems logical to me. Who came up with the lower left corner rule, I wonder!



peace

Then label location should be stated in the rules.

I've always put my labels on the lower right hand corner. Maybe because I'm left handed--everything is backwards for me. :D

Yes, but when a lower left corner placed label is viewed by a judge from the front of the quilt (or even as it lies on a bed at home), it IS in the lower right corner like a signature. It's also much easier to read at a downward slant (head tilted to the right) than at an upward slant (head tilted to the left) as it would be on the other side.

And perhaps it was ... I don't believe the OP has responded to the earlier inquiries about just that.

Haha, I love your answer!

I bet if we started listing all of the quilting "rules" we could hit 1000 in under a day.

Yes, the local equivalent of the quilt police appear this time of year. As long as your quilt meets the published criteria for entry, I wouldn't sweat the label info --they can attach the entry stuff to the lower left corner and as they go through the process it will be there. In the fair i entered a few years ago they asked you to temporarily cover personal info on the quilt label so that judging was on the merits of the project rather than the reputation of the quilter. That was why I had to really keep track of the entry stub for retrieval of my projects. Have fun and enjoy the critiques and comments from the judges.

Rules, schmules....life is too short to follow rules! :)

I put my labels on the back where ever I want them. What a crazy discussion to have.

I'm following this post...it "sounds" like they mean lower left as viewed from the back, which makes it lower right as viewed from the front, but can someone please verify?

After that ordeal - you should get CHOCOLATE!!!! and a LOT of it!! Some people like to follow rules that way they "Do Not Have To THINK" This may be a rule and I know we have to have some rules, but people also need to know how to handle things like this. May be this was the first time she has worked the check in at the fair, so she just wanted to follow ALL of the rules very strictly. With out think of the fact that some people (quilters being a group), are FREE THINKERS. All she had to do was NOT LECTURE and say "next time we would like you to put the label in the lower left corner for quilts that are being judged", she didn't need to make a federal case of it - it sounds like she forgot the three most important things - 1. QUILTING SHOULD BE FUN! 2. FAIRS SHOULD BE FUN!! 3. LIFE IS TOO SHORT - HAVE FUN!!!!! Hope you win!!

You & me both! The older I get, the crankier I get... LOL!