Works (not) in Progress
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We interrupt this regularly scheduled Works in Progress post to share with you how my projects did in open class at the fair. (Mostly because it’s fair week so I’ve done ZERO sewing since my last update.) I entered 3 quilts in open class this year, one in each of the categories I had a quilt for: machine quilted by me, machine quilted by someone else, and tied.
For the machine quilted by me category, I entered my Half Moon Colorist quilt. It got 2nd place in the category with notes that I should have added some sort of quilting to the colored circles to help the quilt lay flat, and that I should hand stitch my binding.
The quilt I entered in the Machine Quilted by Someone Else category was my Fiery Labyrinth quilt. Unfortunately, it didn’t place, but there were a lot of nice quilts in that category and I still love my quilt.
The final category I entered was the tied quilt category. That’s where I entered my Steampunk Crazy Quilt. I’m happy to say that it got 1st place in the category and the only major note was that I should have done my binding differently to keep it from being so wavy. Perhaps I should take these binding notes to heart and get over my impatience and hand finish my bindings.
With the helpful notes, I hope to do even better next year, though I doubt my work will match that of the Best of Show. This year’s best of show was amazing. It was a hand appliqued and hand quilted piece done in batiks that had the best points I’ve ever seen on an applique quilt.
Have you ever entered your quilts in a show? How did they do? Did you find the judges criticism to be helpful?
Sharing over at: WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
I am just about to enter quilts into a fair for the first time, and I am really curious about how it will go. Congrats on placing with 2 of your 3 quilts!
Thanks so much! I hope that you do well with your quilts too.
I’m always impressed with these perfectly shaped large circles. And love your crazy Steam Punk.
Do you block your quilts when you finish them? It helps waving bindings.
I’m always impressed with perfectly shaped large circles. And love your crazy Steam Punk quilt.
Do you block your finished quilts? It helps wavy bindings.
I’ve never blocked a quilt before, but this one was wavy more because of the technique I used to bind it. I had some double fold bias tape that I used for the binding was prefolded, so I tried to sew it on all at once with a decorative blanket stitch, so there are just places where it doesn’t cover quite as much of the edge as it does in other places.
Congrats on placing! I love that circle quilt. That binding is a lovely fabric.
Thanks so much Rachel! The binding matches the back of the quilt.
I entered two primitive coordinating quilts in a local quilt show once and they displayed them on opposite ends in separate rooms. It was very disappointing. It also seems like a popularity contest in my town. I had a much nicer experience with entering quilts in my local fair and they even wanted one of them entered into the state fair. I decided I quilt for myself and have not entered any quilts since these experiences!
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience entering your quilts in shows. One thing I liked about this show is that the names are not available to the judges during the time of judging, which means a fair shot for everyone. I’m just glad to have a “professional” look at my quilts and tell me what I can approve. Not that I don’t love all of the nice comments I get on the blog, but sometimes you just want a little truthful feedback, and this seemed like a good way to get it.
I’ve only entered quilts in a non juried show. There was a judge in training who gave comments for all my quilts. I found the comments really helpful! I really love your circle quilt.
Thanks Lisa! It was fun to make. It’s the Colorist quilt pattern by Lizzy House.
Congratulations on ALL of your entries, Andrea! Each of your quilts is beautiful! This is just my opinion… But I would not change how I do my binding. No hand sewing for me!
Thanks Lorna! It was really nice to get some feedback on my quilts.