Quilt Show Lately? If you haven't maybe you should!!

Many of our guild members had quilts in the show last weekend at the

 Emerald Coast Quilt Retreat and Show

I even submitted the quilt 'Cosmos' 

I was asked four things from my experience of having a quilt in a show -

what were my fears, why did I enter, what did I expect and what was the reality of it all in the end.

Since it's so hard for me to translate my emotions into words I did a word game - you know, make a list using one word answers to describe your feelings in each category  Using the topics 'fear', 'why', 'expectations' and 'reality', I came up with these answers answers.

Fear

• opinions- I am scare of others opinions of me, and the quilt only shows one side of who I am
• judgement- if the quilt is a failure and a horrible example of quilting
• criticism- what if no one likes it or worse what if they hate the quilt
• negativity- could my quilt put a negative spin on the modern quilting movement

Why

• experience- to have the experience of actually having a quilt in a show
• group- if not for the ECMQG I would have never had the confidence to show a quilt
• share- spread the word about modern quilting and the wonderful community of quilters
• voice- to have a voice or show what I can do 
• represent- again to show how wonderful the world of modern quilting is by being an example

Expectations

• feedback- to get feedback from the judges 
• skills- learn what skills I need to work on and what skills I have accomplished
• learn- from this and be a better quilter and share with others what I have learned
• interest- to build interest in ECMQG and modern quilting

Reality

• good- none of the fears I had became fact, I was silly to even think them!
• pride- in oneself and as a quilter, and with our quilting community
• community- our diverse quilting community is open and welcoming, not at all judgmental
• interest- we received lots of interest in the guild and modern quilting
• accomplishment- a general sense of accomplishment that I plowed through my fears and came out in the end just a little be better! 

So if you've been afraid to take the plunge and enter a quilt in a show, I say DO IT!

You won't be disappointed!!

Cindy's Wonky Stars

Melanie's Awesome Quilt

There were even more great quilts from our guild - but my computer is not cooperating with me today. Our wonderful members- Cindy, Marcy, Wendi, Kelly, Melanie, Leslie and all the members that made a block for the Modern BOM Charity quilt (who didn't even realize they had their works in the show) you did a wonderful job!!!!!

For more pictures and to see all the quilts in the show click here

a wonderful experience

Can you tell from this picture that all the fear was gone and nothing but sheer delight was to be had Saturday!