A few days ago, I got a letter accepting my Day of the Dead quilt into the Road to California show. I am really proud that it has been juried into two of the three juried shows that I have entered. But, being new to this stuff, I had no idea that it cost so much to ship a quilt!! Last time I mailed it for the PIQF show. It cost $35.00 to mail it and I was floored. PIQF covered the return postage. This time, RtC requests a check for $27.00 to cover the cost of return shipping. I would have to look it up but I think that the entry fee may have been more for PIQF, so maybe that is why they could afford return postage.
Anyway, I think that if I enter it again, it will be local shows. I don't think it will ever do anything, the competition is so much better in that category. I am going to enter my pineapple this year. It should cost a lot less to mail. I'm not really into the showing for the money.. I don't know why I do it.. Maybe I am seeking validation that I am not wasting my time. I enjoy the process, and I admit, I enjoy the reaction my quilts get.
I don't like the way the shows keep your entry fees even if they reject your quilt. What a racket. I did enter one recently that stated the entry fee would be returned if the quilt wasn't accepted. I don't remember which show it was though..
I don't enter competitions for the reasons professional quilters enter. They probably need to enter because they have made quilting their livelihood. They need to have their work seen. They maybe feel that they need to win so that people will find them worthy of paying for their knowledge. I don't ever plan on making this a business. I am just doing the competition thing for fun. Besides, what good is a Skeleton Quilt otherwise? I think that if I didn't try to enter shows, I would be a lot less willing to try new and difficult designs, and techniques. I think the act of competing, makes you develop better skills. Minature quilts are totally useless in the realm of being a quilt.. I think that may be what I like about them. They are difficult, a challenge. And that's what makes them worth doing.
6 comments:
Congratulations!
I agree you almost need an "entry fund" when doing the shows. The fees continue to rise and it is a stiff note to read when you are not accepted & just spent the money to find that little piece of information out. But, if you feel like you benefit from sending your work to the shows, you should continue to do it.
I am not nearly ready to enter quilts into shows. However, I really appreciate all of you who do enter quilts because it gives me something to aspire to. Even if you don't win, I know there are many people out there who learned something from your quilt and/or were inspired by your quilt. So please all you wonderful quilters keep entering shows so novices like me can get inspired.
WHEEEE! I'm gonna get to see your quilt up close and personal!!! (I am taking a bunch of classes this year at Road) Congratulations on making it into the show. I am toying with the notion of entering a quilt next year...but I won't have any shipping fees since its close enough to shlep the quilt over...the LQS that runs the show is not too far away.
I, like you, have been excepted into both PIQS and Road to Calif. I feel that my quilt is different enough to jury in but not good enough to win anything. For myself, I think its just the satisfaction of being excepted by a group of quilting judges! The ones that are supposed to know all the ins and outs of the quilting world. LOL. Is it the fact that we get some acknowledgment for all the hours we feel we have wasted in our sewing rooms? Like you said, what would you do with a skeleton quilt anyway! I agree that I learn more and am challenged to be a better quilter because I am entering the shows. But I must say that I also ask myself the same questions, as I work on the next hopeful show quilt.
Teri-
You wrote, "I think the act of competing makes you develop better skills." That's exactly what it is for me. At this moment in my "quilting life", I need that challenge. It has been a great learning experience and fun, too.
Heartfelt congratulations on your Day of the Dead quilt going to Road to California. I have my fingers crossed that it will win a major prize.
Entering shows and competitions is about discipline and pushing yourself to greater heights and precision. Winning is grrrrreat, sure, but just the fact that you are entering speaks volumes about where you are as an artist. And getting accepted says a lot. A whole lot.
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