cathyvv

Nothing more to say. You said it all. As for awarding ribbons being discouraging beginner quilters, not true. Most of us know where we stand in the quilting world way ahead of a show. We do it for fun.

As a little chuckle, when my grand nephew, then 8, visited me for a weekend, we chose fabrics for the quilt I was making for him. When I put his quilt into the local quilt show, he was EXCITED because a quilt HE WORKED ON was in a quilt show!

I'm color blind, so, yes, indeed, he did work on it! And yes, he and his sister both made themselves small quilts that they proudly took home and showed off!

madamekelly

I will never be a show quality quilter and I am ok with that. I would feel just awful if I hung one of my “loving hands” quilts and won the same award as someone for whom quilting is their art, not a hobby like it is to me. I would not want to insult their art like that. I am surrounded by master quilters here in Oregon, and I am always floored when I see their latest works. I also would not expect to put Leonardo de Vinci up in the same gallery as my six year olds first art work either, but that is just me.

maviskw

I got my check in the mail today . $11.50. That's for three blue ribbons and two of something else; I forgot what. I'm just so happy we had a nice showing of quilts at this fair: the best small fair in Wisconsin. I've loved this fair ever since my children entered many things in 4-H. It's a small free fair and you get to see all your friends and neighbors there.

RST

So if you self-identify as someone who enjoys competition or is very competitive, are you saying that you don't feel affirmed or successful unless you see that there are others whose work is judged to be less worthy than your own? That seems like it would be a stressful and unhappy way to go through life.

I think there is a difference between looking at quilts a convention or show and appreciating things that are exceptionally well done or unique -- and feeling the need to rank and quantify things and assign a score or value.

Since I lack any competitive bones in my body, it's just as well that I have no interest in showing quilts.

Peckish

I think this is a rather snarky interpretation of what others have said.

When competing, I think there should be a first place, a second place, a third place, and a participation ribbon. If EVERYBODY gets a blue ribbon, that reduces the significance of the blue ribbon to nothing more than a participation ribbon. So why bother?

If you view competition simply as a way of measuring your own success or affirmation, then I agree, competition is not for you. I like to compete because it inspires and drives me to do and be my absolute best.

cashs_mom

I totally agree. I've learned so much by competing. In several different fields. Competition is fun and inspiring and not just a way to "self affirm" as you state it. I also agree that that was a very snarky comment.

Sync

Very well said Peckish.

tessagin

Maybe others got tired of the way the judges chose and decided not to enter. They get discouraged when you have a judge who doesn't have the where with all to know how to judge fairly.

QuiltE

Totally agree about the snarky interpretation and the mis-understandings towards what others have said, and about competition in general.

Competing is a way for me to check how well I am doing with my work. Often times my answers come not just from the judging results, but from my own observations (and interpretations) of those results.

I figure that if I am taking the time and money to create these quilts, I might as well make it worthwhile, and do the best job that I can, whether they be for charity, gifts or to keep for myself. I know others don't ... but this is the way I look at it and entering some competitions helps me do a better job with all of my work, not just what get entered!

petthefabric

The Fresno Fair is in full swing right now. A friend is very involved in the quilting section, how it's organized. A person can enter 2 quilts to a catagory. So to encourage more participation the major divisions and subdivided until there are 40+ catagories. All the quilts are hung. Still there are around 150 entries. The judge isn't a certified judge. It's someone who knows a lot about quilting. And it's based on what she believes is OK. In one judging a garmet with raw edge applique was severely criticised because this wasn't true quilting. Gotta be thick skinned. (I've done this kind of judging in clothing construction- it was actually pretty easy to rank.)120 of the 150 quilts could get a ribbon. Most of the really accomplished quilters don't enter the fair.

In a guild show there are usually 200-400 quilts and maybe 5-8 catagories. Usually these aren't juried and judged.

In a major juried show, there might be 700 entries and 5-10 catagories. This counld mean 40 of the 700 will get a ribbon. That's an honor to get a ribbon. And the workmanship is extraordinary. I'm happy if one of my quilts get's jurried into the show. These shows show what's current in the competitive quilt world.

There are some regional shows that are juried and they accept ~200 for display and judging. These show what's current in our neck of the woods.

So, since such a large percentage of the quilts a ribbon in the fair, I don't think a ranking ribbon means much. I'm more interested in the comments