Well, here's the thing...I am not a person who wants to be competitive with my quilts. I quilt for the pure enjoyment of doing it. Having my quilt that I spent so much time, effort, and money creating judged by a stranger always makes me terribly nervous. I am usually happy with my finished product and feel good about it...enter the "quilt police"--after being judged, I often feel unhappy and not so good about my quilt. So, why do I bother entering my quilts? It is the best way to have my work seen by a lot of people, and it is pretty cheap advertisement for my longarm business.
Don't get me wrong. There is always room for improvement and for constructive criticism; however, sometimes I feel like the judge is searching for something negative to explain why your quilt did not get an honor. Even when I have received a ribbon or honor (which I have many times) I walk away feeling bad about the things that "needed improvement." I have learned from those comments, but they do sting a bit.
So, what is a sensitive quilter to do? I have to tell myself that the judge is there to be my friend, to help me improve, and to offer encouragement for me to keep growing as a quilter. I have to accept that my quilts, like all other areas of my life, can benefit from some constructive criticism. I have to focus on the good comments and the improvements that I make each time I create something new. Finally, I have to believe that a quilt show judge (not unlike the English teacher I used to be) is simply rendering an educated opinion--one that is subjective and given a different judge, or even a different day, might be totally different.
Lesson--if you love your quilt, that's really what counts, but a few helpful comments can be a good thing.
Hi, Sandi. We've been having this conversation at our guild. There was some unhappiness (putting it mildly) after the last show and judging. We've been encouraging members to look at judging as a learning experience. Those of us who volunteered in the judging room learned even more, and we saw how careful and thoughtful the judge was in choosing her words. We watched her agonize over ribbon winners. When it comes to having a quilt judged or not, it is a personal choice that should be respected.
ReplyDeleteSo true, Tina. Having quilts judged can sting a bit, and it really isn't for everyone. Sometimes I wonder why I put myself through it, but I have learned a lot from the comments that I have received. I will keep doing it, with fingers crossed :)
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