Another HMQS Question! :)

[Betty J.]

For those of you who have entered in the past - or are just very experienced with shows...when does the judging usually take place? I cannot find anything online - maybe I am searching in the wrong places. Tomorrow is the deadline for the quilts arrival...I have received the notification that my little quilt is there...and now I'm on pins and needles. I am very excited and curious about this entire process!

Thank you!

[Betty J.]

Hi there. It's a little different per show, but in general it takes place a few days before the show. You won't know the results until the first day of the show, but should you win a ribbon, you may get a phone call from the curator, who will probably not tell you what ribbon you won. It helps, if you can't go yourself, to have a friend going to the show who can go and hunt down your quilt to take pics and report back on ribbons. Try not to be stressed about it. Just having it in the show is enjoyable.

[Betty J.]

Thank you!! I am not holding my breath for any phone calls but I sure am curious as to what the judges will say!!! I can't say I'm not a little stressed...I've never put my work out for judging so I'm almost a little embarassed because I know some of the other quilts in my category that are OVER THE MOON fantastic. But I am excited still to know that my quilt will be there!!!

[Nancy R.]

There's nothing to be stressed about in the actual judging. The judge's comments are just for your eyes and usually accompany your quilt when it is returned. At least that's how they did it in the one show that I've entered so far and I can't imagine how else they would do it. The judges will try to give you the best constructive criticism and complements that they can in the short amount of time that they have to look at the quilt. Some comments will be useful, some might not be, just depending on that judge's/show's slant. What you get from the judges are their educated opinions of your work, but these opinions will be different that what you would get from other judges because of the objective nature of what we do. The feedback is very useful to help you improve your work, but nothing to get embarrassed about. And if your work isn't appreciated in this show, that's no reason to not put it in another show. They are all different and each show will have a different collection of quilts in it. Even people like Sharon Schamber will have quilts that win best of show in one show, but no prizes at all in other shows.

[Nancy R.]

Thank you Nancy!

[Janet S.]

Congratulations for just entering a show! So many quilters are afraid to enter their work, but if we didn't enter, there would be no quilt shows! ....and the anticipation is the best part! :lol:

[Janet S.]

Thank you Janet!! Yes - this is part of my motivation - I love the whole idea and concept of shows. I first fell in love with quilting after visiting a local quilt show about ten years ago - Lake Farmpark Quilts in Kirtland, Ohio. At the time I had only known quilts in the way most people who don't follow the quilting world know quilts - big poofy blue 1980's mauve quilts with blue geese on them!!! Well - you know I loved those quilts when they were "in" - but when I went to Farmpark I started to see this artform in a new light. So I'm thrilled and excited to finally be a part of one myself!! (...and I intend to enter something in that local show this coming winter!)

[Lois B.]

I am interested in following your experience. Did you get to see your quilt hanging in the show? Did someone send you a picture of it hanging in the show? I'd love to see a picture of your quilt. What have you learned from the experience?

[Lois B.]

Hi Lois! I would love to share - I only decided to enter something because so many others have shared and inspired me!! The big fancy show quilts that I'd love to quilt when I grow up are what make my heart and soul sing!

The show is May 8-10th so by Betty Jo's estimation that judging usually happens shortly before the show - I'd say I won't know about who wins what until towards the end of this week or next week. Not that I'm holding my breath to win anything (though who wouldn't want to win something?!) but I do try to look closely at quilts who have received awards or recognition to see what I can do to make my own quilts better.

I do have a pal who is going to the show and volunteered to take photos for me! For that I am thankful! I just have a small quilt in the show but I do feel it was some of my best work. I'm heading off for the day with the family but will try to post some photos when I can steal away a little time.

[Lois B.]

I forgot to come back here and update about my HMQS experience for Lois and anyone else reading! I haven't received my quilt back yet but I have to say it was an exciting experience none the less. I am looking forward to the judges critiques and it was super exciting to see photographs of my quilt hanging in the show. I didn't send my most spectacular quilt as my goal was to gain experience more than anything, but I'm pretty sure even if I had I wouldn't have had a flying chance in you know what!!! LOL!!! But that's ok, it was fun just to have my quilt there!! LOL The quilts I saw from photographs were amazing and gave me so much inspiration.


DSCN4981 by Valerie/Pumpkin Patch Quilter, on Flickr


1520756_779173105429278_8350930427309390095_n by Valerie/Pumpkin Patch Quilter, on Flickr

I learned a couple of valuable lessons through the experience...one being - there is a fine art to choosing categories. You really need to understand the entries of the category you enter and how it pertains to your quilt for each show. I also noticed many entries were entered into several categories...so I am thinking if your quilt fits in more than one category - might not be a bad idea to have it entered into whatever it fits into because while one category may have stiff competition with blue ribbon winning quilts from previous shows in it - another category may not and chances of winning something are higher. The real gamble of it all is that you don't know what categories the big show stoppers will be in.

Not that my only interest is in winning something - though I think anyone and everyone would love to be recognized for their hard work and skill in their art form! I have a small long arming business and clients in that region so it was great to have my work out there to be viewed - and I did get a lot of positive feedback from friends and friends of friends who went to the show.

Above are a few pictures of my little quilt that was there. I have a couple more projects in the works and hopefully one of them will make it to MQX Midwest. I also have pieces that will be in several local shows and exhibits.

I will share more when I get the judges feedback - I have a feeling they will touch on my binding, some of the womplyness in the center circle and monogram, and recommend that I added more intricate quilting designs to fill out the portion that is all wine glass/continuous curves.

So for those curious those are my thoughts so far! I'm really glad I did it - I have been hemming and hawing over entering my work somewhere and I felt like I outta just DO IT and get the first one out of the way so future entries are painless and without fear. I figured if I already have a huge national show under my belt - failure or success it's done and I can only grow from there. (Plus I'm from Ohio and nobody local can laugh at my entry - so if you're shy about your work that's a bonus!!!) LOL!!

[Beverly C.]

I think your piece is gorgeous!

[Lois B.]

I agree. Your piece is very, very nice. I love it. Thanks for all your thoughts.

[Lois B.]

Oh thank you both very much - I truly appreciate that!! I really liked my entry and in terms of execution I think it is some of my best work. I think it needed more visual impact and design elements - it just wasn't enough for the wall hangings or whole cloths at HMQS at least. I think it will be a good quilt to put out at some of the local shows though - but I don't think I'll enter it again into a big show. Though I don't regret entering it at all. I noticed visual impact was a serious factor to the quilts that performed well so that is something to chew on a bit!

[Janet S.]

Congratulations for entering your quilt in the show! It's beautiful! The competition at that show was incredible. I would encourage you to enter NQA, as they have one of the best judging systems. And in case you ever need to find a home for that quilt, that "S" would fit in quite nicely at my house!

[Norma H.]

I like your quilt very much. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Some of mine while reading were: you have to make quilts you like yourself and not try to accommodate what you really don't know.I mean some people like quilt patterns like you've done here, others like a lot of variation in the same piece. You don't know what the judge happen to like the most. By the way I love the color too