I have a question to all of you in US who like to visit quilt shows. I know you have shows especially for machine quilters like the HMQS in Utah or the MQS in Kansas.

Is there an event like this specialized on hand work for hand quilting and hand sewing?

Not that I know of. I suspect the reason for the other types of shows are to sell machines. :wink:

I just went to a quilt show in Kansas yesterday and I only saw three that were hand quilted and they were mixed in with the machine quilts. I just think it is big business to sell big machines and there aren't too many hand quilters out there or at least they don't put their works on display. There could have been more hand quilts at this shows that I missed. I tried joining a quilt group but almost every one machine quilted and on the days we got together they brought their little machines and worked sewing on machines. There just wasn't much point in being there. I don't mean to say that the women weren't nice and including or anything like that ; it was just a difference in interest.

I am not aware of any either. Even at the bigger shows where there is hand work the majority of the quilts displayed are all machine quilted. Doesn't seem right that there are shows devoted exclusively to machine quilting like the MQX but there is nothing exclusively for handwork. I think it is dependent on interest as well as business. Even here on the QB there are many hand quilters but many more machine quilters. It is a numbers game and there just aren't as many handquilters. I love hand work but I don't do it exclusively either. So when I go to a show I look forward to seeing both. Speaking of shows, have you heard back on your latest quilt for the show in New Hampshire?

I wish there were, but no.

There are shows that have hand work categories. The International Quilting Association show at Houston is one - they have a category for hand quilting, and for handmade quilts. The American Quilters Society show in Paducah has hand quilting categories, but their other shows do not.

Some shows do sponsor ribbons for hand work or hand quilting. The Vermont Quilt Festival is one, as are the Mancuso shows that you've entered. So does Quilt Odyssey in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Most local quilt shows will have a ribbon for hand quilting, too.

While it's sad not to see many hand quilted entries, it does make it easier to win. :)

Janet

There usually are not enough quilts entered to justify a separate category. Only the really big shows that attract 100's of quilts can separate them. It is the trend of the times we live in. That is the reason many shows set aside a ribbon for "best hand quilting etc", to give recognition to hand work

....but hand quilting is not a dying art. Every class I teach in hand quilting is full.

No, not yet. The deadline for entries is on May 15th and we will be informed about acceptance around June 15th. I have to be patient a few weeks!
Today I received the entering forms for The Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, UK, in August! I will send it soon back to them and I hope everything will work with shipping the quilt.

Thank you all for your answers!
To be honest, that is what I expected and I can understand the reasons for it. But it encourages me to keep my plans entering in a big show in US.

Holice - it is really wonderful to hear that your workshops are fully booked!

like the quilting in your avatar