MQS Categories

[ramona-quilter]

I would like to open this thread for discussion, not for venting, please.

As I sat in the Awards Ceremony last Wednesday, I began to notice that I was not hearing a lot of new names. By new, I mean, there were some names repeated for other categories and they were names that are famous to a degree through quilt shows, magazines and products.

Here is the winner's list in case you have not seen it:

http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=16521

I know that the ribbon is not the only thing that you get from entering a quilt. You get valuable feedback from the judging process. You derive a sense of satisfaction from pushing yourself and your skills. You also get feedback from you friends and quilt-buddies. You have to be willing to "reach" to enter the show process. You are competing with other quilters. For me, there is no down-side to entering a quilt into a show.

But in the end, the thing that says that you did it all right and that the judges thought so, too, is that ribbon.

But in that ballroom on Wednesday night, I thought that maybe some of the quilts that deserved recognition, did not get it. I felt like maybe we aren't competing on a level playing field. I know that I cannot compete with any of the big names in quilting. The next question I asked is "Why should one try when one can never hope to compete at that level?" I would hate for the number of quilts entered to decline because people get discouraged when they realize that they cannot compete with some of the master quilters.

My thinking is that the big names, you know the Best of Shows and First Places for show after show, maybe those quilters should have their own level, like a Master's level with some of the categories that are currently in the show. We all love to see the quilts that the masters make, it is what we strive for, that beauty and skill level. The master's quilts give us a goal to try to achieve.

IMQA added a "Just For Me" category a couple of years ago and that seems to be popular for those who do not quilt as a business.

OK, folks, let's hear what you have to say about this.

[Mary Beth]

Linda,

We think too much alike!

Not venting...I am too new to this quilting world to vent about this. I am just an observer. I think I would like to make a competition quilt, but I have decided just to enter in local quilt shows and not the "big time" because I cannot compete with the skill level I see at MQS.

I was wondering why they have a Master's catagory in the clothing line or whatever they called that...but not in the quilts. Did I understand that right?

I enjoy looking at the quilts and getting great ideas, but how can I complete with the teacher that is teaching me to quilt?

It's okay with me to compete on a local level...but wouldn't it be fun to get a ribbon like that one!!

[bobbi]

Wow Linda, what great thoughts you have! I was "musing" about that myself... I don't think I'll ever be a competitor just for that reason...

Yes, I want to improve my skills and strive to quilt like the "masters" do, however I've finally figured out that what's "popular" in quilting is just not me... I'm an old traditional gal, I like the softer colors, the easier patterns, etc. I like my quilts to "look" difficult, but not "be" difficult...

You've come up with a great idea, maybe our National Associations will take heart and make the new category. That would be awesome!

[meg_marsh]

Linda,

I love your idea - I keep telling my DH that I know I am improving, but also how frustrated I get. I know it is because I am constantly relating to the the best of the best and there is no way I should be comparing with them - only striving for them. I don't even think of entering a quilt since the competition is so far above my level of quilting. Having a Masters Level would still give us the joy of seeing those over the top quilts & finding out who wins within that group, but by separating them, it would put the rest of us (many who are very good) in line with great competition and a sense that we might have a chance. Great idea!!!!

[hollyc]

I totally agree. When you have won best of show three times, you're out? don't know if that is fair either. However the Sharon Schambers and Marilyn Badgers should compete against each other.

Or how about how long you have been quilting. the Rookie category is only for the 1st year of quilting. How about 2-5 years and 6-10 year categories. But then, some people are really good, really fast.

It would seem the more you win, then move upward to the next category.

Ah, to be at the upper level, how would it feel?

[DebFigved]

You'd be surprised how well you would be able to compete with even the top quilters. Judging is very impartial with Excellent, Satisfactory, Needs Improvement, and Not Applicable for all the areas being judged. We all have to start at some point, at some level of expertise (or "novicehood"). I recall that there was a first-time entry that received a ribbon...and maybe more. What all us longarmers need to know is what the judges look at (everything, of course). Here's what what you need to think about:

Machine quilting:

1. Does the design enhance the quilt/is the design appropriate?

2. Is the design creative?

3. Is the density of the quilting well-balanced?

4. Are all straight lines straight?

5. Are curved lines smooth?

6. Are parallel and grid lines evenly spaced and not distort or ripple?

7. Is your tension perfect?

8. Is stitch length consistent/even?

9. Are your beginnings and endings of the quilt lines well concealed?

10. Is the stitch in the ditch (SID) in the seam ditch?

11. Is the trapunto or similar specialty technique well done and evenly stuffed?

For applique and piecing:

12. What is the general physical appearance of the quilt?

13. Does the quilt have visual impact?

14. Is the design good?

15. Is the quilt constructed well?

16. Are the special techniques used in the quilt executed well? (For example, if you use satin stitching, is it perfectly even?)

17. Is the edge finish perfect? (This includes you need to fill the binding and leave nothing unfilled.)

After the entries are given their marks, the judges relook at the batch of quilts that received the higher marks. Then they look at all the items again and decide on the best ones. Karen McTavish included most of these items in her new book on Quilting for Show.

So, next year, let's all look at this list as we complete our show quilts and give the "Master's" more competition. I think we have some great talent, even as novices. The master's don't always master all areas. There is always room for improvement. We can only learn by submitting entries. If you can keep good tension and have consistent stitch length, you have mastered two areas already. Also, volunteer next year to help in unpacking, sorting and in the judging room. It's a fantastic learning experience!! ;)

[dtreusch]

Ditto to everything you said Linda. There were plenty of quilts that deserved recognition and didn't get it.

I don't think that judges are always impartial like Deb F. says. Even though they are not given names of who did the quilts, they pretty much know the big names by the individuals style of quilting.

I did notice that they talked about a Master's category for the wearables at the auction. Maybe they will do it for the quilts next year.

[ffq-lar]

Great topic, Linda--

As in golf, there are pros and amateurs in every field. I suppose there might be a division of entrants this way. If you have entered a (major) show and won a ribbon, you are a pro. If not, the amateur category is for you. No matter if you quilt as a profession or for yourself. This may be too simplistic a division, but if you win (as in golf and athletics) you are now a pro. I suppose this would not work, since are only so many categories and ribbons to hand out!

There will always be superstars in quilting--thank goodness--so we have inspiration and healthy competition. Remember as well that our superstars are using their talent to earn their living. They have spent years and untold hours honing their skills and perfecting new techniques. They are selling books, patterns, designs, tools, retreats, workshops, trunk shows, and classes based on their creations. They must have quilts in shows and win ribbons if possible, to keep their name/face/work familiar to their adoring fans like me!

I don't know the answer, and as long as MQX, MQS, Road to California, Innovations, etc, have enough quilts to fill the spaces, the categories probably will not change.

I think our country strives too much sometimes for that elusive "level playing field"--maybe we should have a handicapping system like golf!!

[sewlinzi]

A very interesting topic. Some UK shows have Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced/Professional categories BUT they rely on the quilters to choose their level - there are no hard and fast rules. FOQ used to have a super-juried master section (not anymore). However, they don't necessarily have lots and lots of ribbons. I agree that it would encourage newbies to enter if they had a rookie category... I expect there will be some very interesting comments to follow!

[Mary Beth]

Originally posted by ffq-lar

Remember as well that our superstars are using their talent to earn their living. They have spent years and untold hours honing their skills and perfecting new techniques. They are selling books, patterns, designs, tools, retreats, workshops, trunk shows, and classes based on their creations. They must have quilts in shows and win ribbons if possible, to keep their name/face/work familiar to their adoring fans like me!

Funny you should say this....I agreed with your statements here too. Then I read this part and someone said something about this over the weekend....They asked how they could compete with the very people who are teaching them. They went further to say that we buy their books, videos and products and yet they want to compete against us in these shows. We cannot compete.

It is a very interesting topic, and I surely do not know any answers. I wish their was a catagory for the people who win all the time. I think it would encourage us to strive more to quilt our very best to get up to their level.

I did hear a lot of discouraged people this time, more so then ever before. Some asking why we should try to compete, others saying they probably would not be back.

Maybe we need new judges every year. Never use the same one twice. I agree that if we know someone's quilting from a mile away...they really will.

Of course you will find fault with all of the quilts if you look close enough, but there were quilts from unknown quilters that looked to me like they should have been recongnized in some way and were not.

I love going to MQS. I have way too much fun. Love meeting the people we talk to all the time here. And some day I'm going to enter a quilt...but I have no expectations.

[jackie_lathem]

Deb F. is right on. The judges are impartial. They have a list (Deb included it) that they follow.

Next year volunteer to work in the preshow and you will see another side of things.

We should never let the competition cause us to quit. It should cause us to strive for that level of expertise. They all started at the same level we started at. And as you spend more time around each one of the "upper eschelon (sp?) you will see for the most part they are not expecting to win. They are very humble to have won.

Marilyn Badger bought her first longarm machine in 1991. How many of us have owned one that long and put in the hours she has learning how to reach the skill level she has?

[Koala-T]

This is a very interesting topic and I'll be reading the responses. Personally, I feel there should be a MASTERS catagory, for those that teach professionally and are authors of their trade. I think they should be judged with one another. I'm sure that somewhere there would be found a happy medium.

I've had my longarm for 16 months and consider myself a beginner. But, since I do charge for my quilting services, if I enter in our county fair now I will have to enter as a professional. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a professional on the level as the great masters.

I've not been to the large shows, but I do plan on attending MQX next spring and am really looking forward to it. I don't post here very often, but I do read and learn. thank you all for your inspiration!!

[Daisy2018]

Linda:

You have opened the very same discussion held at any of the big shows. I attend Houston every year and through listening a lot have learned many, many quilters consider themselves to be very good quilters, but perhaps not in the stratosphere ...After the quilt that had a bazillion gems in it won, the comment was "I don't have that much money to enter that type quilt" and noted that the artist had a dealership of jewels. Also noted next year , the quilt was the centerpiece to a book....There are lots of people who bring their quilts to a class, and you wish they would have, could have , entered it in the show.. Many quilters were distressed to see "ordinary quilter's " go up against Hollis Chatalaiin (a professional painter who switched to quilting) in national competitions (and lose for a few years). I think the shows sometimes suffer a bit the next year...

There is a lot of commercialism in many parts of the big shows, not so good for the individual quilters, but quite necessary to the promotion, expansion of quilting. I really like the idea of having a "super category " for the published many times, won many times quilters. It might make more really good quilters enter, thus improving the show both in expertise, and in variety.

Looking forward to ideas from all, Pat

[ClaudiaPfeil]

I was one of the newbies.....have had my Milli six weeks and I sent one of my quilts to MQS - without anyyyyyy expectations!

I´ve got the quilt back and what a wooooonderful surprise - the quilt has got a teacher´s ribbon! I was soooo proud!

My ambition was awaken......so I went on.....sending in the quilts I loved to do!

The second year......I´ve sent 4 quilts in.....three teacher´s ribbons were the result and with my garment I´ve got a second place in the Fashion Show ( not judged by the judges but by the audience - maybe I was jumping and dancing on the stage?):cool:

Reading the judges comments I tried to improve myself every year - it helped!!!!!

But still....the judges are still finding some ( several:cool:) points to improve:cool:

What I want to say to you all is that DON´t WORRY TO ENTER!!!! AND DON´T HESITATE TO DO IT!!!! EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!

The show lives about and with having quilts of YOU!!!!

What i would think about is, why and how "cracks" are able entering quilts into those categories where they are sure to win???

I personally wouldn´t do this!

Just my 2 cents......

Claudia.....who has done already the first scribbles(South of the Border) and my sons do like them:D

[Mary Beth]

Already!! I thought you would probably scribble on the plane. Can't wait to see what comes of these scribbles...and I have my pen ready for the description

[ramona-quilter]

OK, Claudia, I'm going to need a translation on "cracks". LOL.

Great comments, here. It sounds like I was not the only one who had a point of view. Before I left MQS, I had a chance to speak with Mary Hibbs. Mary is the current President of the IMQA. I expressed my concerns and offered the idea of a Master's category. She said that the board had discussed it before and maybe they would have to take another look.

I think if we really want change, we need to let the IMQA board know. They want what is best for the quilting community. And it is my belief that they hire the best, most experienced and impartial judges for their shows.

I can spot a Renae Haddadin quilt from 25 feet so I'm pretty sure that the judges can also. But if a judge ever let their personal opinions influence their judging responsibilities, they would lose their reputation and their ticket. I think the judges do their jobs.

[Jhend]

My challenge is just to enter a quilt someday! I think I'm on a roll with a quilt challenge that I have pushed myself into. It's not just quilting but piecing the quilt too. Yikes applique! This will give me the push I need to get in there. If my customers are winning ribbons because of my quilting, why not be extra special to myself and give it a go? I'm gonna give it a try.

[birgitquilts]

Hi Linda and all,

I, too, would like to add my two cents.

When I started to follow quilt show results in magazines even before I started longarm quilting, I had to notice really fast that there were some names that reoccurred among the top awards. It was back then when we had a similar discussion amongst my small group of online quilting friends about the options for quilt show organizers to prevent quilting competitions to become boring because of a few expert quilters out there who managed again and again to win big time.

Back then, we had the idea of either introducing a Master category or allowing a quilt that has won BOS once at an international level to be shown in future shows as exhibit only items only. HOWEVER, would we then still be able to see these quilts on display? Most probably not.

So, I fully agree that introducing some kind of a Master category would help regain attraction for the not yet so very successful quilter.

At HMQS this year, this is what they did - from the class description: "This category includes all quilters who have won at a nationally recognized show or are a nationally recognized quilter. Quilts may be representative of any of the above categories. No garments." This sure worked for that show.

And as someone mentioned, at the MQS fashion show there was a Novice and a Master class... So, why not use this approach for the quilt portion of the show as well.

Shall we all start writing letters to the IMQA board of directors? I've got some more aspects I'd like to mentions (key word: dress forms...).

Can't wait to see what this discussion will lead to.

Thanks a lot for having started it, Linda.

Best,

Birgit

[DebFigved]

Brigit,

Contacting MQS board sounds like a great idea. I too think that having some definition for Master Quilters and Novice levels would make it easier for us novices. After three years of "show lurking", I now understand what it is that the judges look for, however, starting as a novice level would seem to be a more comfortable level to enter into my first show.

I've sent an e-mail to Linda Hamson, MQS Show Chairperson, mqs-show@IMQA.org.

Deb

[doodlebug]

i told myself i wasn' going to post to this thread....

i agree with brigit. this is something that has been lurking in the back of my head for at least 4 years.

i think the a catergory should be "master quilter" (which was given to sharon schambers last year i think) or how about a "teachers" catergory. or a catergory meant for a quilter that doesn;t quilt for hire. i also agree that once a quilt has won BOS or 1st place, it show be toured as exibition only. that way we still can see and appreciate it, and give room to the next group of quilters to step up and show their talents. let everyone have their turn in the spotlight. it is a bit of a bore to go to a 'national' show (it cost alot of money to do this) and come home only to see that same darn quilt in all the magazines with stories/pictures of it. i feel if i wait long enough, i can look at pic of them on the net, or see a feature in a magazine- why go? i've been to MQS and houston couple years back, and i remember thinking- "these are basically the same quilters i saw 4 months ago"

i'm not discounting the cajones to enter a quilt in a show, or the time and talent it takes to get there, but i agree- there are some quilts at shows that deserved some kind regonition, and that lack of recongtion discouraged that particular quilter to never try to enter again. i mean isnt the point of a quilt show to encourage the art of quilting?

how about three ribbons: good in show, better in show, best in show?

am curious to other people's opinions.....

[carolinequilts]

I have never been to an MQS (although I hope to at some point - but Kansas? - so far away!). I've been to lots of quilt shows though. I like it when the experts compete against each other - I think they work harder and produce better work when the competition is tough, and the result is nothing but eye candy for the rest of us. I don't think you should have to have a 'Master' title to enter a 'Masters' category - if you think you've done something spectacular then you should be able to enter it, no matter what your level.

I do think that a novice/rookie category would be a great way to encourage quilters to enter their quilts for the first time. Maybe a stipulation that you could not have had a previous entry at MQS or something like that. I don't think a 'professional quilter' title or 'number of years quilting' should enter into it, because it takes some people longer to learn than others. Just a category where all of the quilters who would be too shy to enter a quilt otherwise would feel more comfortable doing so.

Just a thought...

[bobbi]

Wow Linda, great topic!

I hope all our winning friends and Masters understand that this isn't because we're upset with THEM! I, too, think it would be great to see some new names at the top...

Linda McCuen did a trunk show at our quilt meeting one time and told us about the pressure - once you have won - to be better and better... I think it's like going out without your lipstick.

Also, most of us belong to IMQA, NQA, AQS, etc... and as members, shouldn't we voice our opinion to the board?

[LynnieD]

As winner of BOS at MQS, I want to add my 2 cents to this discussion. There were 3 quilters (and an artist) on the Grape Harvest. Gina was the quilter, Marilyn J. Smith and I pieced the top. Marilyn's never won a large award before working on this quilt. I've won a few in the past. Gina has also won some. However, none of us are always at the top of the heap in every competition we enter. We are hoping to show this same quilt a few more times this year and, yes, we've got fingers crossed that it does well. However, that's something none of us will ever know. And we were very humbled by the award.

For instance, say our quilt doesn't get competition from a well-known quilter in one show and it does well since that quilter didn't enter the show. Or, say it doesn't do well since the other well-known quilter also entered. Or, say it is chosen above the others because of its personal appeal... and its stellar workmanship. Or say it's not chosen because there is one other quilt with better workmanship. This is a chance we all take each time we spend $$$ to enter and compete in a show.

IMHO, it takes hours of practice, sewing skill and talent to take the top awards in any show. I wasn't born sewing. Neither were my partners on this quilt. We've all worked very hard over many years to achieve the goal we met with this quilt. I believe anyone in quilting could commit time, energy and studying to compete against us. And I welcome the competition. In fact, I've been known to teach quilting friends tips and techniques I use in order to see their work improve and I encourage them to enter shows because I believe in competition.

Lynn - whose quilts used to hang in the back of the show and is sometimes known as too studious with quilting books and practice

[Judi]

Very interesting Linda - leave it to you to post this!!..... I agree with many of the points and opinions, but not all. I like the idea of a Teacher's Catagory.... just not sure how that would all work out though.... I wish they would show BOTH sides of all of these quilt too - and have chairs at each - so we can sit and stare and just wonder "how did they do that??!?"

I did wonder how Sharon S. gets to send quilts up to the State MN quilt show and win BOS?? You would think that it should be limited to people who actually LIVE in that state.... doesn't she live in AZ? Shouldn't these quilts go to MQX and or MQS?? It would be very hard to enter a quilt knowing this.... Not that I don't love seeing her quilts, nice to see them at AQS..... but how to get the courage to enter my humble-simple little quilt?!??!

[clovismom]

I would like to welcome Lynn to the APQS family. It is nice having yet another Best Of Show Winner amongst us !!!

Raquel Birch

California Sales Rep