Lessons Learned at the Quilt Show

Last week was our Guild’s quilt show.  It has been a long time since I helped with the set up of the quilt show and the take down but I did this year and as a result learned a lot of lessons.  And I realize that the lessons learned at the quilt show could apply to life.

Lesson #1 – Follow the Rules.

For a Quilt show to be able to show quilts, we have to hang them on a frame or display rack.  The best way to do that is to have a “sleeve” attached to the back of the quilt.   A ‘sleeve” for a quilt is like the sleeve on a shirt.  It is a tube of fabric sewn to the quilt which allows a rod to go through the sleeve (much like an arm would) and then the quilt can be hung without damaging the quilt with pins or staples.

Our rule is that the sleeve be sewn to the quilt (you flatten the sleeve and sew the top edge and bottom edge to the quilt).  Well, one quilter sewed the top of the sleeve to the quilt but didn’t sew the bottom.  No she used glue.  It held tight to the quilt but the glue spread and closed up the sleeve.  We couldn’t get the rod through the sleeve.  We had to work at it a while to detached the glue inside the sleeve but we did it and were able to hang the quilt.

It took us longer to hang that quilt and with the glue we might have damaged the quilt trying to get the rod in the sleeve. It might have been easier for the quilter to glue it and it may even have held the sleeve to the quilt tighter but the rule was to ‘sew’ the sleeve to the quilt. 

Rules are not there to make things more difficult for everyone but are actually are there to protect people and property.  What if we couldn’t detached the glue inside the sleeve and had force the rod in and torn the back of her quilt. She wouldn’t have been happy with a torn quilt.   Or what if the glue had detached from the bottom of the sleeve and the quilt fell to the floor and was stepped on by a quilt show visitor.  Lesson #1 is follow the rules.

Lesson #2 – Expect and Accept the Unexpected.

Once the quilt show is over, the quilts need to be taken down and returned to their owners.  There was a method to this crazy madness at the end of a show.  But one part of the plan this year took a detour.  The person in charge of the quilt distribution got upset because of the detour and assumed it was all being done wrong.   But like most detours, you get where you need to be.  And with this detour, the quilts all got to the rightful owners. 

Expect things to take a detour and before getting upset with that detour, check to see if the plan is actually ending where it was suppose to end.  And just accept that everything will turn out alright despite any detours.

 Lesson #3 -- Take a Break.

Everyone has different energy levels.  Some people are like energizer bunnies and keep going and going.  Others can go great for an hour and two and then they are done.  Don’t push others or yourself to do more than what each person can do (even if that person is you).  I used to be an energizer bunny but now do to health (and age but I don’t like to admit that part), I need to take more breaks.  I pushed myself too hard and my legs and back let me know about it the rest of the week.  And also make sure you eat during a busy period of activity.  That along with breaks helps with the energy level.

Lesson #4 – Be prepared. 

Sometimes things aren’t exactly as you hope they will be so be prepared.  There were two rooms in the building we used where the temperature couldn’t be adjusted to make it comfortable so those rooms were very cold.   When that kind of thing happens, you need to make preparations.  That may mean bringing a sweater even though the outside temperature is 80 degrees.  If you are prepared, then you feel comfortable and the people around you (who might like the cooler room temperatures) don’t have to listen to you complain or your teeth chatter.

 Lesson # 5 – Do a Challenge.

 An earlier blog talked about the challenge block I did for this Quilt show.  Well, I learned that once in a while if you take a challenge…

Blue Ribbon Winner

You Win!!!!

While I thought of these lessons during the quilt show about the quilt show, they actually apply in life.   To get along with everyone and so everything works properly you have to follow the rules.  Know that detours will occur so expect and accept the unexpected.  Take breaks, in other words take care of yourself.  You can’t do what you want for family, friends or your creativity if you push yourself too hard and don’t have any energy.  Be prepared.  Try to think of everything you might need before you do something so you can be comfortable and enjoy what you are doing. And finally, sometimes you win.

© 2017  Cheryl Fillion