Earlier this spring, my local quilt guild held their annual show which has been going on for nearly 30 years (I think). It’s always fun to participate in my guild, and even more thrilling when my entries get a ribbon. So I thought I’d share them with you – along with the judging feedback I received:
Bling – Honorable Mention, Modern Category
Bling quilt pattern is now available in Print (click here) or PDF (click here).
This is the original version of my Bling quilt, made using a Fandangle fat quarters plus white background fabric. (I recently remade 2 more versions of the quilt using Geo Pop fat quarters with white or black background.)
Judge’s Comments for this quilt:
- Print choices and placement create a lively quilt.
- The woven quilting design contributes movement and texture.
- Very good binding technique.
- Pieced binding frames quilt well and contributes to unity.
Modern Star Struck – 2nd Place Pieced, Single Maker
The pattern for Starstruck can be found in my book Piece and Quilt with Precuts.
This is one of my favorite quilts because it was made using every fabric in my very first fabric line Modern Marks. The pattern comes from my book Piece and Quilt with Precuts and I was happy to be able to get a good color contrast without using any background fabrics. It’s all in how you pair them up! (The original quilt from the book was made in black and white.)
Click here to get a Modern Marks fat quarter bundle – while supplies last!
The prints in this quilt are pretty busy so it’s hard to see the quilting, but I really enjoyed quilting it densely with 2 different designs in each block – that’s a total of 48 different motifs in one quilt!
Judge’s Comments for this quilt:
- Excellent variety of prints create visual texture.
- Very good value contrast between stars and background in individual blocks.
- Blocks are well pieced.
- Outside quilt edges should be straight and corners should be 90 degrees.
- Good binding technique.
Color Weave – 1st Place Modern
Click here to join the quilt along to make this quilt.
Color Weave was made from Abstract Garden precut strips + background.
It’s always hard to get a good pic of quilts hanging in a show, due to lighting and space constraints, but I love how the quilting shows up in this picture. I was pleasantly surprised at the positive comments I overhead about this quilt while walking the show. I’m glad I’m not the only one who has a thing for bright, rainbow quilts!
Judge’s Comments for this quilt:
- Beautiful color gradation.
- Print choices lend wonderful visual texture.
- Strong vertical lines are created through fabric placement.
- Outside quilt corners should be 90 degrees.
- Variegated thread unifies quilt top and provides visual accents on gray background fabrics.
Overall, I’m very pleased that the judge liked my bold bright colors and my busy fabric prints. The quilting wasn’t the star of the show in any of these quilts – and in fact, 2 of them utilized very simple walking foot quilting. I haven’t been entering as many quilt shows this year because I’ve been so busy designing fabrics and writing quilt patterns. But this was just the boost I needed to make it a priority once again!
Christa Quilts 
Well done, they are so beautiful, you deserved it!
They are lovely quilts and I’m happy for you.
Well done! Thanks for sharing the judges comments.
Congratulations on your well deserved awards ! You’ve worked very hard for a long time and to have recognition for your patterns and fabric designs must be truly amazing. Keep up the good work!
Congrats! You are awesome. Can’t wait to see what you next Quilt is! Sew talented!
Thanks so much! It helps when I get to use such fun fabrics 😉
Christa Watson Instagram @christaquilts website/blog: ChristaQuilts.com
You are the BEST!!
I LOVE the colors and patterns!!
Lynnie 😎
Congratulations especially when you used the fabric you created in these quilts. Having taken Best in Show once in my lifetime, I know what the feeling is like when your quilts are judged to be done successfully! I took 2nd place in the large quilt machine quilted category at the Road to California in the 90s. Can’t wait to see what you make next!
Wow! Congrats! That must have felt amazing 🙂
Christa Watson Instagram @christaquilts website/blog: ChristaQuilts.com
Love your quilts thanks for sharing please keep it up.
WOW! Congratulations!!!
Congratulations! They are beautiful quilts. It’s always a little nerve wracking to submit quilts- like putting your child out there for the world to comment on! But so rewarding when you win a ribbon! Thanks for sharing with us all!
Congrats! Love seeing your quilts! Very inspirational. Have a great day
Congrats on your success! The quilts are wonderful I have had those comment about the corners and/or edges too- well for awhile I had a quilting teacher who said we should bind the quilt before quilting. (?) Yeah well she did smaller art quilts with very little quilting so great for her. But not for the rest of us. I no longer use that method and the quilts like that I just accept for what they are.
It’s always interesting to see how others do things. It definitely works best for me to bind at the end 🙂
Christa Watson Instagram @christaquilts website/blog: ChristaQuilts.com