What would you do????
 

I'm trying to make a Christmas table runner and 4 placemats to put in the fair, and there not coming out like I would like then to...my piecing is good and they looked really good when I was done with that part. but,the quilting is not so good, I'm not real good at FMQ but I tried my best. would you still put them in the fair if you thought they didn't look the greatest?...

I think I need to stop sewing and try again tomorrow... makes me so mad that they are not coming out the way I want then to..

You know, if I didn't have time or inclination to re-do the quilting, I would just enter it. Why not? It is not like they are going to make you pay a fine if the quilting isn't perfect. Besides, the experience would be good and you may get some helpful feedback. What do you have to lose? :)

Enter them! A couple of years ago I made a family portrait wall hanging (came up with my own design), my first FMQ and I did so many "wrong" things. My LQS people had me enter it. So while I did that I also made a cake and entered it (Never use buttercream icing in August!!) I got ribbons on all my entries and some great pointers on the judges feedback. I still don't do the best FMQ but I do have fun. I also learned that I was more critical than the fair judges were. So, enter your best effort and let the world see what you do rather than the millions of other hobbies out there. While you're at it take a good look at the other entries and pick up some ideas for yourself.

WilliP

I agree-enter them.You may still win a place-sometimes there is no competition in the category.

Step away for a day. When I get frustrated with my quilting, I stop and when I come back the next day it always looks much better than I thought.

quilters are notoriously harder on themselves than anybody else is.
they will always look much better to others than they will ever look to you.

i've made more than one thing that i thought was barf-inducing-butt-ugly.
most went to a cat shelter. cats don't care about perfect seams or quilting.

a few of them went to people who asked to buy them.

go figure. LOL

Sure, put them in the fair! Yes, we are hard on ourselves.
When I made a baby quilt for my hairdresser and then a hooded baby towel, she went crazy for my stuff. She says I'm a real artist and says it's like "folk art." I hadn't thought of it that way; I only saw that it didn't look like it came from a factory.
She talked me into selling some of my stuff in her shop! I'm loving it. And although I can't sew a straight line (really), it works now, at least in MY mind. And it is an original.

I think it depends on the fair. I have been to some where the quilts have been good, but still amateur. I have been to others where they seem to rival the Houston Quilt Show. If your fair is the hyper-competitive type, I don't think I'd put in anything that wasn't 100% my best. But if your fair is "residents showing off their work", then I think it would be okay.

I would enter them. I have a few things I'm going to enter that aren't perfect. I'm not entering to win. I just want to see what the judges have to say about my work. I'm also entering for one big reason: The fair seems to be shrinking each year, with fewer & fewer sewing entries. I figure my quilts & sewn items will help those parts of the fair. They will at least give people something to look at.

I agree, enter them, nothing to lose, everything to gain. You may be too hard on yourself....

Thank you everyone... I did stop sewing and went to bed and this morning my placemats and table runner look pretty good..LOL go figure,I guess we all pick our things we make apart and look for mistakes ...I'm now going to bind them and then I will be done. Our fair is a fairly big one but I really don't know if they are real picky about things. I'll give it a try and see what happens ...I think it will be fun even if I don't get a ribbon...Thanks so much

[QUOTE= I'm also entering for one big reason: The fair seems to be shrinking each year, with fewer & fewer sewing entries. I figure my quilts & sewn items will help those parts of the fair. They will at least give people something to look at.[/QUOTE]

I agree so with this thought. Our fair judges don't give feedback which I wish they would. But, the more that is entered the more there is for others to look at and get ideas to go home and make!

Just happened to me yesterday - I made a Memorial quilt for a scholarship fund raiser and two friends told me - absolutely enter it - so, after I show it to the friends I made it for I'll ask if they mind if I enter it. Looked better after I hadn't seen it for a few days than it did the night I finished the binding............

Other people may not notice how "terrible" they are if you are being too tough on yourself and expect them to be perfect. Put them in the show and the worst you can hear will be no worse than you have said yourself.

Enter them it should be a great experience for you and all the fair goers. Give someone the opportunity to appreciate your hard work and maybe be inspired to pick up quilting as well. Best wishes and good luck!

Go ahead and enter them. I don't know about you,but I am my worst critic and when I think something is wrong, everyone else tells me what a great job I did. Relax and have fun.

Enter em! I bet they look a lot better than you think they do!

Everyone's encouraging remarks make me want to enter my stuff in some kind of competition. I have only done two quilts, but they are all by hand and I can see considerable improvement in the 2nd one. My confidence level is getting better, so I may just get up enough nerve one of these days.