Quilt shows
 

Have you ever gone to a quilt show and seen a very simple traditional quilt like most of us can do, or are all show quilts over the top?

I've seen just about everything at quilt shows. Antique, traditional, modern, artsy. It's all there depending on the requirements for entering the show.

I have only been to one, but it's the big one in Paducah. I found myself paying attention to those quilts that I thought that I had the skill to make - there definitely were some. The difference, however, is their use of color - that is what makes the quilt spectacular and a real work of art in my opinion.

In a national show the quilts are juried in. You send photos, the judges look at the photos and as I understand it on the first go through each quilt gets about 30 seconds because they have so very many to look at.
From that first keep discard the photos go again and they spend time looking at close ups etc.
From there they narrow it down to the best of the best and let the quilter know when to ship.
Once the show is hung the judges come through with the check list and give credit and critiques for each quilt.
the points = 100 and cover over all impression, technical skill etc. Cat hairs and smells and loose threads really hurt the points :)

For local guilds, they are generally looking for all they can get from the local area.
Many are not judged at all other than Viewers Favorites.
A simple well made quilt is a thing of beauty, just keep working on your skills!

Sometimes guilds don't accept quilts except from members of the guild in highly populated areas.

Quilts like any other item are a matter of personal taste. I can admire the workmanship on a quilt and not care at all for the choice of color or pattern. I have seen quilts that I thought were beautiful that were poorly constructed and quilted. I learned a long time ago to make what pleases me and forget about the rest of the world. I have done a few commissions, usually T-shirt quilts and I do hand quilting for those who are willing to pay me. Very often I don't care for the finished product because of the fabrics or designs. It is just a way to make a little money to finance my own projects. It is OK to try and perfect your technical skills but respect your efforts. Rome wasn't built in a day. Even less than perfect quilts can keep you warm. You will learn something everytime you start a new project.

Having been to the big quilt show in Paducah the past 3 years, I can say that I probably could not make at least 95% of the quilts on display. If that is the kind of quilt that you want to look at, then go to a big quilt show. I found a little quilt show at a church a few years ago that the people of the church brought in old quilts made by their ancestors and I was absolutely amazed at how intricate that some of them were - and they were all hand made - not a machine quilted quilt in the bunch. I am "on Pinterest" and I have a board called "Quilts that I could never make" - which means that I admire such quilts but could never make them - way beyond my abilities. I also have another board called simply "Quilts" and those are simpler quilts that I might be able to make.

I go to a lot of the big quilt shows. I have never seen a nine patch or a scrap quilt win a ribbon.

It really depends on the show. The local "big" quilt show is put on by the 3 local guilds and spans a huge range of skill and type. They have a "historical" area for older quilts too, where they hang and display antique quilts that were made by the guild member's family members and I love that area even though some of the oldest quilts are pretty damaged. So far the biggest quilt show I have been to is the PQIF in Santa Clara and those were more on the 'professional' side, I think, although there were quilts there that were "easy" enough I could probably make them. And some I will probably never, ever be skilled enough to make.

Personally, I have never yet met a quilt I did not like in some fashion or another. Easy, hard, simple, complicated, modern, antique...I love them all.

I also have seen some beautiful quilts and some I was surprised that made it to be shown.

Every show I have been to has a wide variety of talent shown.

This weekend there is a show in Somerset NJ. I have gone three years in a row and never been disappointed. From simple Irish chains and 4Ps to the over the top professional and award winning stunners. There is something for everyone.

Does everyone know of Kaffe Fasset I saw his quilts in a show and if you didn't know it was a kaffe quilt, you might think it was one of mine:D . His work focuses on the color and pattern and texture and not so much on the skill of piecing and quilting.

A lot of his work has a very open and spaced big stitch, random quilting. Enough to hold it together which is proof to me, the visual feel of his work is more important than the quilting. Put his work next to a few top quilters in the field today and they look very, very different. He has a very free feel to his work, and others are very controlled and precise. All are masters.

Go to any show you can and enjoy all the creativity.
peace

If you know where to look you can see 'regular' quilts in almost all the shows.

Even at the Houston we saw some quilts we could do. When in Paducah there were more than just the quilt show quilts. Quilts were everywhere, literally. And then Eleanor Burns had the Fair Grounds and all her tents.

My favorites are really the two main quilt shows in the state: Arizona Quilter's Guild and the Tucson quilt festival, then I also add the many local quilt shows.

When I go to a quilt show I hope to see some of everything. And I learn something new every time I check out those "impossible" quilts.

I agree with Ubequilting on the Somerset show. I find they have quite a range of style of quilts including hand quilted. The last time I was at the Lancaster show, I did not see many of of those, certainly, there. But still a nice range of piecing/patterns. Have not been to any other shows so can't really make any other comparisons.

I agree, the over the top quilts do seem to take precedence at the shows. I think a really good show will have all styles not just "professional grade" quilts. But then everyone puts in their "best" so that's often over the top.

I went to Paducah once, about 16 years ago and loved it, but mostly I go to local guild shows which have all kinds of quilts. Also, sometimes the vendors have interesting quilts to show. Most of the time they want to sell you a pattern or fabric, so I think they are quite do-able. Looking forward to the Rutland, Vermont guild show coming up in early April. Small, but enjoyable, good vendors and often quilts by people I know which is fun. Sometimes I get ideas from a quilt I would not make myself, but have interesting quilting or nice use of colors. Also, I think you might want to say you see quilts you could not make YET. If you keep trying, build your skills and confidence, eventually you will be able to do lots more than you might think.

The first time i went to the Houston show, i left feeling like i'd never made a "real" quilt in my life. i had just been cutting fabrics into pieces and putting them back together as things that were "ok," but nothing to brag about.

The second time i went to the Houston show, i found many quilts on display that i knew i could make, too. It was inspiring and affirming. I took this as a sign that I was improving - and that I should keep going in this wonderful art. It also drove home the very important point that there is beauty and value in any quilt that has been made with care - whether seemingly simple or so complicated it boggles the mortal mind.

it's all good. :)

This is the absolute truth. Find a pattern with good bones and put spectacular fabric in it. I have been lucky to have done that once or twice in my lifetime.

Lancaster, Pa. is next week. Look at the good ones, but there are mistakes in most all. I was very disappointed in some of the judging in the last two shows I went to. Points were off, even one star point was going the wrong way.
Who hires and pays these judges? I know but even our local show, I question the way the judging is done. But I go
with my friends and we always have a good time. And I spend too much money at the vendors' booths.