Creating for shows:

Entering quilt shows is still something new to me.

It has been just a year on that journey. I feel so SO SO blessed, humbled and surprised to get juried into some; The Modern Quilt Show and the Mancuso World Quilt Show. Pictured is Florida Barn from the Mancuso show. 

Making a quilt intended for show is only a bit more work than any other quilt.  I do a little more seam and quilt ripping if I make an obvious error, but I’m not a big fan of re-quilting so my quilts usually end up with the same flaws as any other. It’s the extra prep work of submitting that’s a bit time consuming and mentally challenging for me. Taking the picture is always a heart-wrenching day.  I gotta shout out to the Apple phone for coming through, my camera phone is all I use. Early morning is the best time, getting the right amount of diffused sunlight and not the full strength of the Florida sun.

Getting your quilt to appear perfectly square in a photo is not an easy task.  Usually it involves a very tall ladder, family members for assistance and about 100 photos.  Our dog Bear can be very helpful, actually the truth, focussing on a light or dark background with the camera changes the appearance/coloring the photo takes.

I’m always up for an adventure and new ideas, so the last photo session I even attempted using a drone. Don’t try it, I did not anticipate the wind those propellers make and really got the (white) quilt dirty. 

Neither do I recommend taping it to your garage, especially if you have a garage opener (nough said).  The better photo’s always happen if I can lay the quilt on the ground and take a picture from above.  Occasionally quilts are too large for that. I have a sweet friend who owns a portable quilt hanging rod so was able to borrow it one time. (The advantages of belonging to a guild).

 I have to say that even though quilting for shows IS more work and occasionally stressful, what it really does is improve my work overall and keeps a goal ahead of me.  The desire to quilt my best at all times helps me grow, both in the craft in the joy I find in quilting.

What about you, do you have any tips for quilters entering for show?

Post by Debra: Debra lives in Central Florida. She has two kiddos: her oldest son is 24 and will be getting married next year and her daughter is 17, a beautiful Senior in High School. She is on a mission to ONLY design and piece quilts of her own imagination! Visit her at Made of Honor Quilts