National Show Management
 

I was at the World of Quilts Show in Manchester, NH (Mancusco/Quilt Fest). Quite a few of us (the attendees) noticed that there were many quilts made from patterns/kits and books, yet not one person gave credit to the designer. (Nor where there many credits given to the people who longarm quilted the quilts). I spoke with David Mancusco and he basically blew me off with "we can't regulate what people write for their entry forms". Oh yes they can!

I've seen entry blanks for other shows that state clearly that the quilter MUST give credit to the designer. Many don't allow kit quilts to be entered. Others state that if the quilt pattern comes from a book or magazine, it must be listed as such. If the judges find out that the quilt is not original and no credit is given, it is disqualified from the show.

What do you think? Thanks!

I am surprised to hear of this. At our local quilt show, there are forms to fill out that ask the pattern name, if it is an original design, and who quilted it. I thought all quilt shows did that. I honestly had not thought of a quilter not giving credit to the designer...

Dina

Seems to me it was most of the quilters that entered weren't interested in listing the designer, pattern or who did the quilting. Many feel if they made the quilt that is all the matters. Each show has different rules. I go to a show to look at quilts and like you most of us can tell what designer or pattern was used, I don't need to look for the acknowledgment of it. Rarely are quilt shows limited to original designs only. I've see Bonnie Hunter pattern quilts at Paducah, quilts made from kit won Best in Show at one show I attended last year.

Was there a category for original quilts?

I definitely think that the longarmer and pattern designer should be recognized in the information about the quilt, and shame on Mancusco for not requiring that information. I'm iffy about quilts from kits, since they are generally just as much work to put together as quilts from stash (other than fabric selection, that is). I seldom look at the credits unless I'm particularly interested in a quilt, and then I want to know the name of the pattern, if there is one. If the quilting is exceptional then I also want to know who quilted it. They may have books, videos, or classes that I can learn from.

The largest shows I've attended have been in Lakeland, FL and Raleigh, NC so I wouldn't readily recognize many designers or even kits. However, as a former English teacher and current school media specialist plagarism and proper citing of sources is a constant part of my instructional time. I really don't understand someone being comfortable taking credit for someone else's work. It's not about just giving viewers the proper information; the real issue is honesty.

I was in a lot of competition with my quilts in the 90s and none of the entry forms every requested who the designer was.

I'm one of the "unwashed and uneducated ones" that would not know who the designer was or what pattern was used.

It's easy to spot most popular pattern designers, their works are all over the the quilt world, in magazines, tv quilt shows, you tube, emails from shops, blogs, forums, facebook, and books. It's rare not to know a few designers by their style and patterns. Eleanor Burns, Jenny Beyer, Bonnie Hunter? Now I'm seeing a lot of Jenny Doan's patterns from her tutorials at quilt shows. The last show I went to, everyone walked by and said Oh it's a Jenny Doan pattern! Hard not to know hers.