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Tuesday, June 5, 2018

2018 Strawberry Festival Quilt Show


I posted this picture on Mother's Day of my quilts hanging out on the line.  I was preparing my and David's quilt entries for our local quilt show the following week.  I spritzed them with water and let them flap in the breeze, giving them a nice fresh laundered smell.  Plus it helped ease any creases in the quilts.

I always have mixed feelings about entering quilts in a show that is judged.  For each quilt I make and finish a small part of me lives in it forever and opening up yourself for judgement is a vulnerable thing.  Especially when you are competing against a group of quilters that you are close to and respect dearly.  But quilt shows must have quilts, so I put those feelings of inadequacy and fear behind me and prepared my entries.



Between David and myself. we entered seven quilts.  Each of us had quilts in the Machine Quilted, Small Wall Hanging and Large Wall Hanging categories and I had an entry in Baby Quilts.



Here we have my entry to baby quilts, Message in a Bottle, and David's Small Wall Hanging, Mountain Laurel Path (quilted by me).

David's entry into the Large Wall Hangings, Butterfly Meadow Mystery (quilted by me).
My entry into Large Wall Hangings, Wayward Transparency.
David's entry into Machine Quilting, Fractured (quilted by him).
My entry into Machine Quilting, Hi Ho Cheerio.
My entry to Small Wall Hangings (it was bound for the show), Garnet Star Crystal.
The quilt show was a great success this year with a turn out, I believe, of around 80 quilts displayed.  I didn't get a final count on how many attended the show.  I know when I was there on day two with two hours still to go, the count (for just that day) was a little over 200.  So how did we do?
I ended up taking 3rd place in the baby quilt division.
I also placed 3rd in the Large Wall Hanging category.
And being the third place queen, I also took home a 3rd place ribbon in Machine Quilting.
So how did David do?  Well he unfortunately didn't place in the Large Wall Hanging category.
And neither of us placed in the Small Wall hanging division.
But, are you ready for this?  He placed second in Machine Quilting!
My husband beat me in the category I love the most, and I couldn't be prouder of him!!!!
This is us with fellow guild member, Pam, who was one of the first to purchase our Star Blossom Quilt pattern when it became available on Craftsy.  Pam entered into the Baby Quilt category and scored a blue first place ribbon!  She let us share in the celebration too.

If you've never entered a quilt show, I highly encourage it.  It's always good to read the judges comments, both good and constructive (I will not use the word bad here).  Plus you might find yourself inspired or inspiring others.
Another festival and quilt show has come and gone.  Time to start preparing for next year.  I already have mixed feelings for next year and it isn't here yet.  It will be my daughter's last time marching in the parades and I'm already feeling a bit sad.  What does having children do to you???  I never use to be this sentimental.  Plans are already being made that hopefully (fingers crossed) a good quilty friend will get to come in and share in our hometown festivities.  So nothing but good things to look forward to. 
 I want to leave you with this snapshot of my little town.  This picture was captured during the Grand Feature Strawberry Festival Parade by a very talented local photographer named Robbie Skinner.  I was so excited when he gave me permission to share it with you. 

Words cannot describe the joy and emotion that bubble up inside of me when I see this picture.  Sunny Buckhannon, a place where people still smile and say good morning to complete strangers and people go out of their way to help each other.  We are community.  We are family. 

My daughter helped design and paint the strawberry you see painted in the intersection and is the shortest trumpet player in the band turning the corner; our mighty B-U Band.  We complain about the masses of people that descend upon our town during the week and all the chaos and disruptions in traffic and our daily lives; but the truth is simple...it wouldn't be home without it. 

The second the honor guard marches past carrying Old Glory and the flag of West Virginia; when you hear the drum cadence and see bright white plumes and rich blue jackets of the high school band, you know you are home and you just want to share it with everyone.
A big thanks again to Robbie for letting me share his amazing work with you. 

19 comments:

  1. I am unable right now to respond to your comments by email due to recent changes with Blogger. If you would like me to respond please make sure you leave your email with your comment or email me directly at tishnwonderland(at)gmail(dot)com. I appreciate all your words and hope that Blogger finds a way to "fix" this soon. I love hearing from everyone.

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  2. It sounds like the show was a resounding success and how awesome that your first pattern purchaser shared a moment of celebration with you and Dave!

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  3. What great entries, and ribbons, congrats to you both. And the photo of your street, the band, and decoration too, wonderful to feel a "part of this" from afar. I can see it takes courage to enter a competition, your choices were wonderful.Well done,

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  4. Congrats!!! I haven't shown my quilts in a guild show in ages, but I have entered them in the county fair. I will have a lot more to enter this year since I have had 14 months to prepare this time. I love the pattern that one 1st place, so pretty.

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  5. What a rush for ME seeing all yours and David's quilts on the line! That's a prize in itself right? SUPER cool that he won 2nd! And wait, what but how come I know nothing of this cheerio quilt? Totally get you on the small town hometown feeling. :-)

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  6. Fantastic quilts and great looking show. You and your husband are very talented. Your photos were great and the small town photo was awesome. Thank you for sharing.

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  7. Your quilts hanging on the line made me smile from the beginning of the post. All the way through, I was smiling and then I got teary-eyed when you shared about your home town, your daughter growing up. All those emotions! We live in a town with an annual festival too, and complain about the crowds, but it wouldn't be the same without it. Congratulations to you and Dave on your successful quilt show, and how fun that your quilt pattern was part of a first place award! I haven't entered any quilts in a quilt show, but I just might this year. Thanks for sharing such a fun post!

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  8. Congratulations to you both! ALL of your entries are winners in my book! Small towns, you’ve gotta love them! I’m so glad you live in a happy place.

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  9. What a really lovely post, I enjoyed every word. Congrats to both of you on such a successful show, I concur on the emotions and rationale behind putting up quilts for judging, as a quilt is far more than the sum of its technical brilliance (or lack thereof). Thanks for such a nice start to my morning. :)

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  10. Congratulations to you and Dave on your ribbons. Well done! And well deserved.

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  11. All your quilts and David's quilts are wonderful quilts Tish. Congratulations on your ribbons. I agree about comments being helpful. My local guild used to have a juried show but no long. This is mainly due to cost I believe. Most of the quilts didn't get comments but one year they were training a new judge and I was lucky enough to get comments on my entries....probably because my quilts are usually a bit different than the usual. I found those comments so helpful. I felt lucky to get feedback.

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  12. What wonderful quilts and an introduction to Buckhannon. That is a great photo. It looks like a very comfortable small town. =)

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  13. Three third place ribbons are just like one first place, right? Congrats to you both on your prize winning quilts! The photo of your hometown parade is wonderful, as are all the feelings that surround it :)
    louise dot hornor at gmail

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  14. Congratulations to both of you! All of your quilts are wonderful. I must admit, I'm surprised you didn't win with your Garnet Star. I think it is really striking. I don't think I'll ever enter a quilt show but I do enjoy going to them.

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  15. Congrats on all the wins! You both did very well. Your entries were all quite stunning, but I am always amazed at the competition - even in your own house. I am not sure I would be so gracious if my husband won like yours did!

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  16. Congrats to you both on your wins! And just look at that smile on David's face with his second place ribbon in Machine Quilting-precious!

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  17. this all seems so exciting. Strawberry festival, quilt festival, a washing line to hang quilts on with a barn in the background. I like your life, and you have an American town hall! Wish I had one.

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  18. What wonderful quilts Tish. Both you and David should be very proud of your quilting.

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  19. You small town sounds just wonderful! Looks like you and your husband had a wonderful showing at the quilt show. Congrats to both of you. I loved seeing all the quilts that you entered.

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Thanks for joining me on my quilting adventures. I look forward to hearing from you.