Primitive1 Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Ok, I am on the quilt show board for our fall quilt show and am thinking it would be fun to do something different. It will be our 20th year anniversary for having a guild show and we are thinking our theme will be celebrations....Just wondering....what is the best thing everyone likes about going to a quilt show? If you could do something differant, what would it be? Thanks for your input... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 I love the eye candy most.. and visiting with other people.. Raffle door prizes. What would I want to be different.. have more space to walk, between the rows.. It would be so much nicer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandalei Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 One of the local guilds does a rummage sale during the show, where all the guild members bring in their fabrics (any and all! home dec to quilting to leftover wedding stuff) as well as sewing related craft supplies (like cross stitch and needlepoint) and patterns that they don't want any more and the proceeds go to the guild. It's amazing to see all the different fabrics and they make a fair bit of money off it. I hear it's a bear to organize, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Our guild quilt show is VERY SMALL during our county fair, but we have a "Country Store" where we have a little bit of anything and everything for sale........fabric bundles, table runners, books, magazines, thread, aprons........all sorts of things. We make enough money during our 5 day run at the fair to last us all year and then some. Plus we get rid of some things we don't want or use any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingpup Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 umm...it would be great to do something interactive...but I don't know how many folks you are expecting or how big is guild or how big is the show.....or who comes...but a demo on how quilts are actually made would be cool...like starting with the cutting of the fabric....to the stitching....to the quilting....or on making some utility quilts...like teashirt quilts...or just plain old quilts...I always get overwhelmed by the fancy quilts and think it would be nice to show folks...that simple quilts are cool too! ummm...maybe have some logcabin blocks there and let folks arrange them into differant settings...kids could get into that! Lin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenni Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 I like vendors. I like wider aisles with light. I like easy to read write ups about the quilts. I like the rummage sale idea or a silent auction. I like Food Vendors to be SEPARATE from the quilt area - I can't stand smelling hot dog water while looking at a quilt. I like chairs to sit and people watch and rest between rows. But probably the one thing that I liked at one show that I have never seen since - when you bought your ticket you got a rubber glove. You did not have to hunt down the white glove ladies - you could just look yourself. I like demos. I like 'No roller Cart' rules. I love raffles. If you are doing celebrations maybe your demos could be tied to the various celebrations. Marriage demo can show the double wedding ring. New Baby can show a small quilt or applique. Christmas/Thanksgiving ideas. Birthday..... Good luck. Make sure to post the info on the event. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWBowser Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 I like vendors. A vendor dedicated to just books is great. I also like the guild booth which may include the treasures that quilters want to pass on to someone else for the right price. I have found some neat things in those booths. Be careful giving out gloves to people other than the white glove ladies. At the Vermont Quilt Show a few years ago a person with their own white gloves knocked over a row of quilts. Wide rows and good lighting is a must if possible.Good for taking pictures. Free "gift" with a paid admission is good too. I have been to shows where they give handmade ornaments, pin cushions, fat eights or quarters, tissue holders or patterns donated by the guild members. Free is good!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Small things that sell quite well in a boutique are chicken pin cushions.. I think pattern is free on web. not sure. We sold well over 40 last show, and they are making more now. Our show is in Oct. Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferBernard Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 We had a quilt artist display her quilts and some of her "in progress" works too. Then she did a short lecture on her technique at a couple different times. It was different and interesting. We also make good money with our Scrap Dive and quilt magazine sale. Members donate scrap fabric and then we sell it for a zip lock bag full. Single blocks and panels also sell very well. We also had trouble with people touching quilts and almost knocking the racks over. We are ordering new white gloves for everyone for our next show. They seemed to be drawn to pick at a fragile crazy quilt with a unlike silk border. They picked so much at the crystals on my very expensive crystal jacket that I finally posted a sign that said "please resist the urge to touch"! I had several people tell me that they had succesfully resisted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 If there's room, many educational demos can be offered. We have door guards at exits and those assigned quilters are asked to bring handwork to use as a conversation starter. There were hand quiters, hexie piecers, and red work as well as one member who doesn't do hand work but brought several popular beginning quilting books to entice viewers to start quilting. We have a bed turning at every show. A platform is covered in many layers of vintage quilts from members' collections and our in-house expert gives a short talk about each quilt as her assistants pull back and fold each one. They start with the oldest and work down to contemporary quilts. As others have mentioned, we also have a "thrift store" room with many items for sale to benefit the guild. And last year we had quilts for sale--donated and on commission. Remember that every offering needs a volunteer to organize it---delegate as much as you can. The rule at our functions is--if you don't volunteer for at least an hour you are required to pay the full entree fee to see the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggienoella Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Wow, look at all these great ideas! I bought tickets for a featherweight 221 raffle at a show in North or South Carolina...I don't remember which one. I didn't win, but it was fun and I bet it brought in some bucks. Joan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enchanted Quilting Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I love guild challenges displayed together. Other guild members are always drawn to them. Also, at the Indian Summer Quilt Show in Fargo ND they have a longarm challenge. Each longarmer pieces the exact same piece ( 24 X 24 and generally batik). Then they quilt it however they want. On the tag it explains the thread and batting choice. This year they had them flat on a table with a sign that said "Please touch me". You could really tell the "hand" of the quilt and how the v batting choices varied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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