Longarm Quilting Show Post-Mortem

After being thoroughly immersed in the world of quilting for three days at the Carolina Longarm Association show in Clemmons, I enjoyed getting outside yesterday and working in the yard. The humidity and temperatures both dropped over the weekend, and it felt great to be outside. But I still have a warm glow from the pleasure of being with so many beautiful quilts, friendly quilters, and admiring quilt show visitors. I sat at the front admission table for a good part of the show, and so many people stopped back by on their way out to compliment the show.

The four quilts above are the grand total of the Challenge Quilts that were completed in time for the show. Many more quilters purchased the quilt kits, but as we all know, life sometimes intervenes. These four were very well received. Hopefully, as other quilts are completed, this will become a travelling exhibit that other quilt guilds can display at their shows. Did you notice anything different about one of the quilts? The one with the white center square was made by the designer of the challenge quilt. She insists that she did it right! But our directions called for a blue center square. Personally, I would have preferred the white center to showcase a quilting design. And one other thing---I thought we could not embellish these quilts, so that the focus was on the quilting only.But one person had tiny clear Swarovsky crystals all over her quilt. I was just itching to glam my quilt with painting and crystals. HMMM....

This was our association's first quilt show, and I think they did an outstanding job! But I think the challenge quilts should have been part of the judging, and certainly should have rated at least a paper label naming the quilter. But we did have a lovely poster made by a scrapbooker to explain the exhibit. Don't the paper cathedral windows make a great background?

The ladies who set up the show did a beautiful job of adding autumn arrangements and decorations throughout the building. Here is a display of some of the ribbons (which were not awarded until the end of the show based on Viewer's Choice) In addition to the two red and white raffle quilts sponsored by the CLA, there was another "opportunity quilt" on display by the Randolph Quilt Guild. I bought a few tickets for this one, since it would look great in my mountain cabin. And I got to meet art quilter and certified judge Scott Murkin, who is a member of that guild. He was a judge at the Capital Quilters Guild show in March and at MQX in April. Scott will also speak at the Capital Quilters Guild (Raleigh, NC) in March. This quilt will be raffled at their show, "A Stitch in Time", November 9-11 at the Moring Arts Center, Asheboro, NC. The quilt is called The Northern Lily and the Southern Rose.

Here is the display of the "Miscellaneous" category of our show. It was not included in the judging, which they did not tell us until after we entered our items. My shawl, "Luscious," is on the hanger.

And, of course, we had wonderful vendors around the perimeter of the building. Look at these lovely hand-dyes I purchased from CLA member Judy Whitehead:

Many visitors who exited the show asked if it would be held in the same place next year. Well, I don't think it is even certain that the show will be held annually! It is a lot of work. One person asked where the show would be travelling to next weekend! NOT!

Just one more comment. Our show was held in the New Hope Church in Clemmons, a lovely facility. Some of the church members provided box lunches on both days of the show, which were greatly appreciated. Several of us agreed to leave our quilts at the church to be displayed in their entry hall until mid-November. They have a great display system, and rotate the artwork on display. So now I can say that some of my quilts are "being shown" as part of an art exhibit. Very cool!