QuiltCon quilts are home! Having my quilts make it through the shipping process and arrive safely at their destination is a massive relief. But the box includes more than quilts- printed judging feedback is included, too!
What’s in the Box?
The exact contents of the shipping box vary slightly between shows, but here is what came in the QuiltCon return shipment:
- Packing List- everything that needs to go into the box
- Quilts- packed together in a single plastic bag for protection
- Judging Feedback Sheets- in individual envelopes
- Quilt Labels- to sew to each quilt
- Ribbons!!- packed in the bag with the quilts
*What wasn’t in my box
I am ecstatic that two of my quilts sold at QuiltCon this year! Oasis and Nine Patch Infusion went directly to their new homes following the show, while the Modern Quilt Guild shipped 100 Days of Apple Cores and Triple Silk Translucence back to me directly. When a quilt sells, the maker doesn’t know the buyer unless the purchaser gives permission to release their information or if they reach out to the maker directly. I love to know who a buyer is!
Labels
The Modern Quilt Guild included a label for each quilt in the return box. These are woven labels and are the best quality show labels I have ever received. If there were a label contest, the MQG would win!
Ribbons
With so many amazing quilts in a show, it’s a huge honor to win an award, and this year, I received both second place in the Appliqué Category and third place in the Modern Traditionalism Category! I have never won two awards at the same QuiltCon, so this year is particularly special!
Very few shows create handcrafted ribbons, but QuiltCon does- These ribbons are the best!
Judging Feedback
If you have been around here long, you have probably heard me complain about the quality of judging comments. I despise “canned comments” that sound like they came from a prepared list of pre-approved comments. It’s too easy for judges to fall into a rhythm of listing two generic positive remarks with one or two generic comments for improvement, which doesn’t help anyone develop new work.
I don’t mind negative comments if they are accurate and specific. I don’t always agree with them, but I want to know the details. Positive comments are great, but they don’t help anyone hone in on their work’s strongest aspects if they aren’t particular to the quilt.
Check out these past posts to see judging feedback from previous shows:
This year’s QuiltCon judges provided the best comments I’ve had from a quilt show yet. I can read the comments and tell which quilt they are referencing, which is a massive improvement from past judging comments.
Sharing judging comments helps demystify the process of entering a judged quilt show, so I’m excited to include the full judging feedback for every quilt I entered in the show.
I’d like to hear what you think– Are these comments better than past feedback?
Did you have quilts in the show? What did you think of your judging feedback?
100 Days of Apple Cores
Category: Modern Traditionalism
Description: How does an up-and-coming color trend meld with a traditional shape? For my 2024 100-Day Quilt, I used the Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz, in a design featuring Apple Core Blocks. I improvisationally pieced rectangles of fabric for individual blocks before using an Accuquilt to cut the final apple core shape. The piecing within each block enhances the unexpected diagonal gradient that moves across the quilt.
Notes: 100 Days of Apple Cores received 3rd place in the category
Oasis
Category: Appliqué
Description: Photographs of desert plant life at a Nevada botanical garden combined with the red rock formations of Southern Utah inspired this needle turn appliqué quilt. Using AutoCAD, I translated these images into a template line drawing. As I turned the edges of each fabric section under during the stitching process, the gradient background was revealed, creating a stained glass-like effect. The gridded quilting is reminiscent of observing the outdoor world through a window screen.
Notes: Oasis received 2nd place in the category and was sold at QuiltCon
Triple Silk Translucence
Category: Transparency Challenge
Description: I enjoy using quilting stitches to create an illusion of transparency, but what happens to that stitching when the entire quilt is translucent? In this quilt, I used three layers of silk organza to develop a design reliant on transparency. The first two layers are simple stripes that alternate directions to create a plaid effect. The third layer of white organza creates a pastel version of the design when the quilt is reversed.
Nine Patch Infusion
Category: Small Quilts
Description: How do thread color and weight combine with quilting density to alter the overall impression of simple patchwork?
This quilt consists of four nine-patch quilt blocks featuring bright colors. The intense color continues with the 50, 40, 28, and 12-weight quilting threads. While the thread color repeats throughout the quilt, the appearance alters depending on the fabric color behind it. Decorative machine stitching creates additional density within the plaid effect of the quilting.
Notes: Nine Patch Infusion sold at QuiltCon!
