Thursday, April 25, 2013

Entering Quilt Shows...It's the deadline that kills you!

Deadlines. Deadlines. Deadlines.

I sometimes think that if I didn't have a deadline, none of my own quilts would ever get done.  Exactly two weeks from today my two entries are due at a quilt show.  They are not quilted.  They are not done. And yet here I am on my computer...

My first quilt show entry.
 
When I entered my first national quilt show in 2002 (Wearable Art at MQS) I was done with the whole project in plenty of time.  Got the entry form in on time, got the pics done and sent the disk.  There was no stress.  There were no 3 AM sewing room marathons.  There was no frantic call to some overnight shipping company.  For 11 years I have made the deadline (most of the time) and been rewarded for my efforts. 

Just yesterday I saw a post of friend on facebook talking about a crazy deadline for an upcoming show.  I jokingly said I could relate and that I think they are called deadlines because you die trying to make them.  

Ask any show promoter and they will no doubt agree that quilters either think things take way less time than they do, or that we are all procrastinators!  I'm going with the first! 

Last night I was on line chatting with a friend. A quilter.  When I said I had to go I mentioned that I had to go work on my quilt show entries. His response was "Oh I would never be brave enough to put my quilts in a show."

I was a little surprised to hear that, but totally understood where he was coming from. Many people have that fear.  The fear that their work will be looked at with a critical eye, or that the one flaw you see every time you look at the quilt will be the first thing others see too. Or the fear that their quilt won't measure up. Or that they can't stand to see the "report card" they know is coming.  But I think it is something else. I think it is the fear of making the deadline ☺!

When you have been to as many national shows as I have you see things you can hardly believe.  I have seen quilters cry or throw a tantrum when they didn't win. I have seen them get up from a show awards presentation and storm out.  I have seen them discussing the outcome loudly in the lobby - and not in a nice way.  The made the deadline and it didn't matter. So you see again, it's the deadline!

On the flip side I have seen pure joy that comes when you just can't believe that you won. The excitement that comes when your name is called. I have experienced that first hand.  You truly are shocked. Shocked that you got the quilt in on time and that some judge liked it. Again, with that deadline.

 
Vintage Union~Two For The Money
By Linda M. Thielfoldt
First quilt I won Blue with!


But what I think keeps people from entering is the deadline!!!☺

You have to get the quilt done. End of story.

Yep, it's the deadline!

Excuse me while I go pull another all-nighter.


1 comment:

  1. Linda, Good wishes toward reaching your deadline. I look forward to seeing your quilts wherever they are. :D

    ReplyDelete