We are having a quilt show, and people are coming!
Our Committee is ready and waiting to greet you,
our docents are helpful (second row, red quilt),
and showgoers are happy.
Come and join us! We’re open April 10, 9-5; and April 11, 9-4.
This morning we reported to McDermont Field House and began the work of hanging the show. The work was actually quite a lot of fun, seeing as the McDermont workers put up the bases and verticals for us before we arrived. As we hung quilts, they placed tables and chairs for the vendors.
Believe it or not, the Hoffman Challenges and all of the competition quilts have been hung. Tomorrow we hang two special exhibits: that of our Featured Artist Anna Koelelwyn, and a sampling of quilts made by one of our committee members, Loretta White, who passed away in September. The dolls also arrive tomorrow. I look forward to seeing them. They have amazing personality, and it is fascinating to examine each and every detail.
The other “thing” that arrives, is the Vendor brigade. I’ve listed the vendors in previous posts. Each and every one of them will be setting up their booths tomorrow. In less than 48 hours, they’ll be open for business.
Finally, I’ll leave you with this view from our building. You won’t be able to see it after the vendors set up shop, but it sure is gorgeous. I didn’t want to keep it to myself.
And I think that’s it for posts between now and show time. It’s a beautiful show, and we’d love to see you there!
Tuesday was Judging Day. I arrived early, before everyone else. The quilts are all tucked in, waiting patiently for their chance to shine before the judges. This is what the room looked like when I walked in the door.
By 8:15am, the workers have arrived. Elaine, our Judging Chairman, is briefing us on the actions and activities expected during the day. There are many aspects to running a judging arena that you might not be aware of. There are readers and scribes and holders and folders and runners, etc. It is an elaborate choreography that is fascinating to observe. If you ever have the chance to participate behind the scenes, I highly recommend it. You would be amazed!
While the judging was going on in one part of the building, the show floor was cleared of basketball hoops, cleaned, and taped for pipe and drape.
When the taping was done, part of our team began planning the hanging.
Have you wondered what we do with the photographs? We use them to jury the show, we use them to identify the quilts, and here we are using them to begin planning the hanging. Hanging begins tomorrow. I doubt I’ll have much more time for posting, but I wanted to share today with you. See you this weekend!
Quilt Check-in
The day has finally arrived. It’s April 5, 2010, and all of the quilts were to be delivered between 10-2pm today. Our entrants did an excellent job of meeting our delivery window, and with the exception of a single quilt (which was withdrawn), all quilts and wearables arrived in fine shape.
Your work is even more beautiful in person than it is on paper. 
In the first picture, you can see some of our Associates, waiting for quilts to arrive.
Preparing for Judging
Here our judging room crew is sorting through the quilts, separating them by category.
In the background, you can see the first category of large quilts, ready for the judges’ attention. Judging begins tomorrow morning at 9am. We’ll know the results by the end of the day, but you’ll have to come to the show to find out for yourself.
I don’t know if I will be posting much this week, but I had the chance this evening. I thought you might enjoy a peek behind the scenes. Enjoy!!
Yesterday’s mail brought one final vendor to next week’s show. If you like applique, this is a vendor you do not want to miss. Welcome back, Granny G!!
how to find parking
The show is coming faster than we can say, “Jack Robinson!” (I’m not quite sure what that means, but my dad used to say that’s how fast Goldilocks left the three bears’ house when they came home and found her.)
I’ve been reviewing the notes from last year that y’all wrote, regarding “needs improvement.” One of the biggest frustrations seemed to be either finding the parking lot, or finding the tram.
This year we’re trying to make the parking experience user friendly. Unfortunately, we’ve lost access to the large lot that we used last year. Instead, we will be parking downtown. Before you groan, I’ll tell you that last week I asked for a guided tour of the parking we will be using for the quilt show. There is plenty of parking. The “trick” will be finding it. I’ve expressed my concerns, and the plan is to have signs posted everywhere, directing you to parking.
My van is loaded with these, I’m taking them to Lindsay this afternoon. I’m not sure if these will be the actual signs we will be using, but there will be signs. I promise!!
In addition to increasing the number of parking signs, there were suggestions to label the tram. These are the signs that I’m asking them to attach to the tram.
Look for the quilt show signs. Hopefully they will be everywhere. There will be 3 or 4 tram stops, as he does the loop around downtown. But, if you’re on your way to a marked stop, you can flag him down. They say he will stop for you. I certainly hope so!!
See that blue tarp under the signs? The PVC to hang the quilts has been washed and bundled and is ready for show time.
show drape
Not only is the PVC ready, so is the drape. These boxes hold drape, drape, and more drape, all patiently waiting to be hung on Wednesday. Up go the uprights, up goes the drape, up go the quilts. It’s going to be a GREAT show.
quilt show deliveries
And finally, just in case you were wondering…
The Hoffman trunks have arrived. The one on the bottom right is filled with wearables. The one on the bottom left is filled with wallhangings. The boxes on top of them contain entries shipped from North Fork and Tehachapi and Madera and Belpre, OH, among other places. At least two more quilts are scheduled to arrive today. I’m certain that quilts I am unaware of (I haven’t been notified in advance) will also be arriving in the next 48 hours.
And there you go folks. Behind the scenes, we are preparing for you. I do hope that you’ve marked your calendars, planned your route and will come and see us at the show. We promise! It’s going to be a good one!!
Two weeks until show week. As I keep saying, lots of things have been happening in the background. One of those things has been a change in the list of vendors. Due to unforeseen circumstances, a number of our original vendors have had to cancel. But don’t worry. We’ve been scouring the state, looking for new vendors to replace them. Charlotte has done a wonderful job, and here is our current list of those planning to set up shop at the show:
Dulitz Tree Farm
Kalimba Soundz
Maricopa Quilt Company
Monica’s Quilt & Bead Creations
Quilters Rule
Quilters Woodworks
Sewing Stuff/Sew Many Quilt Books
And there you go. That is the most current line-up, the one that will be printed in the program. Lord willing, there won’t be any more changes. See you at the show!!!
Where do I even begin?
The entries have been juried, the entrants have received their letters. Yesterday I was asked, “How many quilts in the show?” That’s a hard question to answer. There are approximately 200 competition quilts, 25 quilts from our featured artist, a trunk of Hoffman Challenge quilts, a local quilt challenge, a special memorial exhibit, a couple of invitational quilts…and don’t forget the dolls, the wearable entries and the trunk of Hoffman wearables and accessories. Whew!! Did I mention everything? Probably not.
While you’ve been planning which day(s) to come, we’ve been making labels, typing narratives and working on the program. So much to do, so little time!!
Three weeks from today, the doors will open, and we will welcome you to come and experience the 15th Annual Best of the Valley. It’s going to be a good one!!
Here’s what the mailman brought over the past two days. Tomorrow is the last day to get your entry together. I look forward to seeing your submission!!!
