Question About Professional Long-ArmQuilting for Fair Entries
 

I hope I don't offend anyone because I think the quilts made on this forum are so beautiful and I love looking at the pictures everyday. Because my life is not my own anymore, this is my escape. With that said, my question is if you make a quilt for a fair entry, and you have a Professional Long-Arm Quilter finish it up for you, how is that YOUR quilt? What makes your entry a fair one for the people who make their quilt from start to finish? I'm just wondering because when I see these quilts posted from Quilt Shows, it is so intimidating that it has literally stopped me from doing something I enjoy. I will never be able to afford a professional quilter, nor will I ever be able to do that myself by hand or by my domestic machine so this is why I am asking. As I said earlier, I'm sorry if I have offended anyone.

It is a 'fair' entry if the rules allow it. Most contests require you list all stitchers on the quilt. I don't know if judges weight it differently if it was all done by one person or not, but it is generally disclosed. Perhaps you should look for shows that only allow single stitchers- they are out there.


For the record- the quilt that won Best of Show at the AQS show in Des Moines this weekend (a $10,000 prize) was quilted on a domestic machine. (And they have a special category of "Best Machine Worksmanship" that is for a domestic machine- it is a $5,000 prize.) You don't need to be able to longarm to make amazing quilts.

The last couple of shows I've entered have several categories for quilts professionally quilted, and they also have multiple categories for quilts made by more than one person, another had categories for machine quilted (not laq).

You have asked specifically about "fair" entries at Fairs.

I can't speak for your area, but can share from mine.

At the Fairs, the classes are clearly listed.
Some must be made only by one person. Some allow for a different quilter than piecer.
Some are specific to group efforts, perhaps a block swap or a group that has quilted it together.
Some will be specific to hand quilting. Some machine quilting, but not LA. Some machine quilting for both DSM and LA. Some even leave it open to any type of quilting whether it be hand, tied, LA, DSM, etc.
Some are specific to sizes, eg must be 48x60"
... and others have minimum or maximum sizes stated.
Some give no size requirements.

There are many more variables to the class possibilities. And many different combinations to the above.

What I find the hardest ... is reading the fair/show class info ... and interpreting some of the meanings of the classes.

So there's no reason why you need to feel intimidated. Just do the best job that you can, and with time your abilities will improve.

I will highly recommend to you (and others) ... get out there and show your quilts. It is so rewarding to go into a show and see yours hanging there .... if there's a ribbon, bonus! Many times you will receive feedback that can help you understand how to improve your future quilts. Good Luck!

My cousin in Florida quilted on her DSM for a good many years then finally got her long arm. She just took her time on her DSM. She had won many ribbons using her DSM. Longarming is her profession now since it is part of her supplemental income. It is "YOUR QUILT" because you helped create it. You designed it and piece it. Just because you may have had a "corroborator" doesn't mean it isn't yours. DO NOT LET THIS STOP WHAT YOU ENJOY! Just learn from it. I am by no means ever going to make a quilt like so many members on this board. I don't get intimidated by the board, I get inspired by the board. Even the professionals have their bad days and have had to rip out stitches and start over. We are all perfectly imperfect! I see nothing offensive about your words. I have about 8 quilts WIP that will not be going to a longarmer. Even though my cousin has offered to give me a discount it will still be costly when you figure in shipping back and forth for one quilt. No one on this board should take offense.

Why let someone else's work stop you from doing something you enjoy? There will always be someone better at something, and you don't get any better at it by quitting. Enjoy yourself and your pastime.

So then how do you finish your quilts? As someone else pointed out, there are lots of quilters who quilt on their DSM. The grand prize winner in Houston last year was quilted entirely on a 20 year old Bernina DSM. It is a gorgeous quilt, but you have to know that once upon a time she wasn't that skilled or confident. We all start from the beginning.

I think that is a shame. I hope in time you will be able to tell yourself to stop feeling intimidated, and instead find inspiration in these beautiful quilts.

I live in Illinois and all our fairs have different categories for quilts. If you quilt your quilt by hand, then it goes into that category not with the long arm quilted quilts.

Most fairs have categories they place their different quilts for the judging. When I first started quilting it was by hand and tie & tack, then I progressed to using my home sewing machine, now I own LA. At each new avenue I had a learning curve that took time to learn the new steps and some of them were not so good, but better done then perfect. I teach quilting and tell my students "how do you know you can't do it until you try". There will always be many better than you and many not as good. So what! Jump in and enjoy yourself, what do you have to lose?

I had a quilt in the fair and I listed myself as the maker and my LAQuilter as the person that quilted it!!