Ribbons & Remarks

I recently entered some wallhangings and a quilt into our local county fair. I do this most years as I find the critiques a good way to learn and improve your skills, plus it's just plain fun to enter some of your projects into this type competition. If you visit my blog regularly, you've seen most of these projects in some stage of completion this past year.

This is the Corvette quilt, which I renamed "Stingray" when I made the label. There was a lot of competition in this class: Adult Home Art; Quilts; Machine Pieced/quilted long arm/Large. The judges remarks: "Very striking and well constructed. Appropriate quilting for this project." This quilt creates a lot of conversation. It was fun standing in the crowd and overhearing: "I had a Corvette like that in the 60's, I should have kept it", or " My Uncle has one of those Corvettes, he would love this!" or "Corvettes never die!" oh-yeah!

"Stingray" won a 2nd place red ribbon. Red is one of my favorite colors!

Odd how what we feel is so well done, really is not. I felt good about "Art Nouveau" when I finished it. Yet, the judges found some flaws, that I either did not see, or chose not to admit. The Judges remarks: " Quilting accents the fabric design. Stitching in the Ditch needs improvement." I will say, they must have gone over this with a fine tooth comb---However, recalling I enter this competition for these critiques---They were right on the mark with this one. Now I see what they see. You better believe I will be more conscientious and strive to improve my ditch stitching. So, what I hoped might be a first prize winner in Adult Home Art; Quilts; Machine pieced/quilted long arm Small. Fell short of the mark (or ditch). :o)

"Art Nouveau" won a 2nd prize red ribbon.

(still my favorite)

This next entry---Boy, I know where all the flaws are. And believe me there were quite a few. Entered into the Adult Home Art; Quilts; Any Other. Remarks: "Very striking, well constructed and appropriate quilting for the project". Evidently the judges did not see what I knew was there. In fact I almost didn't enter this wallhanging. But---

"Crazy Quilt Series 1 Machine Embroidery" 1st prize Blue Ribbon!

The next and final entry is a simply a long labor of love, but in my rush to complete this for competition, I overlooked a small (very small)--- area just above the cannon that was my undoing. One I will soon not forget, and of course the judges noticed wouldn't you know. Entered into the Adult Home Art category; Quilts; "hand" embroidered. Remarks: Very nice hand embroidery. Watch shadowing threads under white fabric. Very nicely finished"

And there it was---some royal blue embroidery thread tails floating (shadowing) under the white fabric! Ugh! --Even I couldn't believe I had not noticed these thread tails.

All the judges remarks were so constructive and a bit humbling, but certainly things I will improve upon in future quilting projects.

And here is "A Patriots Dream" 2nd prize red ribbon winner! See--I told you red was one of my favorite colors (and blue too--- of course)