How do you feel about entering quilts in to local fairs?
10-06-2012, 01:06 PM
#11
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 76
I LOVE looking at quilts in fairs and get a lot of inspiration from seeing what others do. If the judges (who see a lot of quilts) gave you a ribbon, be proud! As for the comments from the lady from the guild - not nice 
.
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10-06-2012, 01:31 PM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: West Texas
Posts: 2,073
I enjoy sharing my work with others, and the fair is a perfect venue for that. Making quilts for the fair encourages me to increase my skills, and I try to do my best work for my entries. Our fair has several categories and quite a few entries. The head of the "textiles" department is a member of the guild, and at least 2 of the people on her committe are also members. This year 2 members of the judging team were also guild members. In other words, our guild does not look down on the fair, but supports it and encourages our members to participate.
This year I am most proud of the 3rd place ribbon I won with my "Lucky Stars" quilt (shown a few months ago on the forum) in the machine quilting department. I struggle with machine quilting, but with the QAYG technique and the improvements I have made this year, I was able to make a quilt that I wasn't ashamed to enter in a class that has numerous entries.
Dayle
This year I am most proud of the 3rd place ribbon I won with my "Lucky Stars" quilt (shown a few months ago on the forum) in the machine quilting department. I struggle with machine quilting, but with the QAYG technique and the improvements I have made this year, I was able to make a quilt that I wasn't ashamed to enter in a class that has numerous entries.
Dayle
10-06-2012, 01:53 PM
#16
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,474
Some fairs are better than others - some judges are better than others - but the person that rained on your parade was a (won't insult the female canines here) party pooper.
A 'local' fair may have a so-so judge - or the person may be very good at the job - even if she was a farmer's wife. Probably one way to tell about the judging is to rate how the ribbons were awarded. Most of the 'farmers' wives' that I grew up around were extraordinarily accomplished people.
A 'local' fair may have a so-so judge - or the person may be very good at the job - even if she was a farmer's wife. Probably one way to tell about the judging is to rate how the ribbons were awarded. Most of the 'farmers' wives' that I grew up around were extraordinarily accomplished people.
10-06-2012, 01:58 PM
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
My guild runs the fair and I'm the chairman. I selected the judge. We only have one judge and whoever is chairman makes sure the judge is a good one. At least 90% of the entries in our fair are from guild members. We love to show off and compete with each other.
10-06-2012, 02:24 PM
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,789
i've been entering quilts in the fair for years- it is fun, i enjoy going in & looking at other entries (even vote for one once in a while) it is all in fun- not a juried show- and should not be looked down upon by anyone- our area has a huge guild & very few members would consider such a thing- but i grew up with 4-H and the spirit of the fair. it is pretty normal for almost all entries to win a ribbon of some sort- nothing wrong with that either- just ignore the *uppity* minded who think they are so far above that- it is sad people have to be so negative about things like this- what does it matter if the farmer's wife was the one *judging* passing out the ribbons?
the fair is a fun time.
the fair is a fun time.
the judges are usually from another county and have expertise in that category. The names on the entries are hidden until after the judging. The board and committee members put in a lot of long hours to make a fair a success.
10-06-2012, 02:35 PM
#19
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: western NY formerly MN, FL, NC, SC
Posts: 51,430
10-06-2012, 02:43 PM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Auburn, WA
Posts: 1,343
When you enter a quilt in a "quilt show", it will be judged and seen almost exclusively by other quilters so their standards will be more to do with the technical aspects.
At a "fair" your quilts will be seen by a larger variety of people may be more about first impressions, pretty colors and visual interest and don't care a hooey about how perfect the stitches are.
Like someone else said already, I enter contests to push myself. I put an art quilt in a recent fair and the judge's comment was that it wasn't evenly quilted over every area. True, it was not. True also, it wasn't a bed quilt and not very large and didn't need to be evenly quilted, but that was the judge's standard. Ok by me, it's a fun quilt to look at and I got lots of nice comments from people viewing it.
At a "fair" your quilts will be seen by a larger variety of people may be more about first impressions, pretty colors and visual interest and don't care a hooey about how perfect the stitches are.
Like someone else said already, I enter contests to push myself. I put an art quilt in a recent fair and the judge's comment was that it wasn't evenly quilted over every area. True, it was not. True also, it wasn't a bed quilt and not very large and didn't need to be evenly quilted, but that was the judge's standard. Ok by me, it's a fun quilt to look at and I got lots of nice comments from people viewing it.
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