Quilt Show Entry Advise
 

I have been quilting for about 10 years. I have become confident in my skills and would like to enter my dresden plate quilt in an upcoming quilt show. I used 30's fabric for the quilt.

I have decided to incorporate various appliqued flowers on a 6-1/2" white border. I have never done applique before and decided to use fusible web in sewing my leaves, stems and flowers. I then turned them right side out and used invisible thread and used an appliqué stitch to stitch them to the white border.

Now I am wondering if I should be hand stitching them to the border. What will I be judged on and would this quilt be eligible for any type of ribbon doing the technique I am using. I think needle turn applique is beautiful on a wall type quilt. Is this technique used on a quilt that will be washed and used?

I really need some advise. Should I continue the technique I am presently using or start over by hand stitching the flowers to my border?

Any and all advise would be greatly appreciated.

I wouldn't know what they judge an entry on, but your quilt is lovely. Good luck. Mary

Your applique looks fine to me. It's a very sweet quilt that will appeal to many show attendees. :)
Is the show you wish to enter a judged show? Not all are, you know. And some that are, have categories that are NOT judged. You may be worried for no reason. :)

Yes I will be entering in a show where the quilts are judged. I plan on doing all of the quilting on my Handi Quilter Sweet 16.

I think you need to look at the categories for entries and the requirements for each category. This to me looks likes it might fit into a category I have seen called "mixed techniques". If your question is "Can machine applique ever win over hand applique?", I don't know the answer to that. Perhaps some of the people on the board who judge at shows can comment.

It is a beautiful quilt!

Maybe have the applique technique be consistent with the Dresden plates and the border?

I really don't know the answer to your question.

I agree that the show's rules and categories should be considered. Well done hand applique does hold up to machine washing. I think that in general the judges look for a technique that is well done, rather than for a specific technique. However, if you hand stitched the dresden plates to the top, it might seem a little out of place to machine stitch the applique. It looks like you're going to have a beautiful quilt.

I don't know the answer to your question since it will likely be determined by the show categories/rules, but I want to say your Dresden Quilt is lovely. I especially like the yellow cornerstones. You did a great job.

Beautiful quilt, but haven't a clue about the judging part. Good luck!

I don't know the answer to your question, but your quilt is just beautiful!!! It certainly looks like a winner to me.

(Well, I do know that you need to read the different categories in the quilt show you are entering. For example, our guild really changed the categories this year. Every quilter who enters needs to read them carefully so they know which is the best category to enter. I, personally, am delighted because my quilts which are machined by me on my domestic machine won't be competing with quilts that are quilted by long arm professionals.)

Dina

Ditto what Dunster said ... it's more about perfecting a technique than it is about which technique was chosen. But I would stick to a single technique throughout the whole quilt.

Look at the categories and look at last years winners. Not that you want to do the same, the judges may be different, but u will see what a winner looks like in each category.

What a lovely quilt. Looks happy.

I think it depends on the show. If you are entering a national show, like the one in Houston, the rules are more stringent. Our local guild show is judged but has more options for the general quilter. We are competing against each other and not against national prize-winning quilters. Also, like the others said, look closely at the categories and make sure you are in the right one.

At least 10 years ago when I was in completion, judges do look at the quality of work and usually hand applique will win the big awards. I was lucky with my quilt. There are probably separation between machine quilting and hand quilting in categories then there are sub categories for the size of the quilt. I would suggest that you do the same technique that you did in making your Dresden plates. I would also advise you to hand sew the binding to the back. That just looks much neater. Good Luck.

If your goal is to win a prize, then I would find out who is judging the show, research how they have judged differnt quilt techniques in the past and make your quilt to suit them. ( I hope you can tell I'm kidding!!) Make the quilt you like to the best of your ability, enter it and learn from the experience. I have seen lots and lots of shows, and have entered several. Some shows, I can tell why the winners were chosen - others, I have no idea why the judge passed over one quilt for another. Don't worry too much about entering. If we all only entered to win a prize, there would be precious few quilts in a show for us to admire.