Quilting for Show: A Practical Guide to Successful Competition Quilting [Paperback]

Karen McTavish (Author), Helen Squire (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2007

From selecting various materials to making the final fold, this handy guide explains in-depth the keys that separate award-winning show quilts from the rest. Newcomers to the show world will learn how to improve upon basics such as blocking and adding a sleeve, as well as how to make machine quilting look like hand quilting. A wide range of contributors—including some of the nation’s best quilters, a quilt appraiser, and multiple professional judges—all contribute trade secrets to winning competitions and avoiding common mistakes. With a bonus DVD demonstrating how to perform specific techniques, novices and seasoned show quilters alike will be able to produce top-quality quilts with ease.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Karen McTavish is the author of Mastering the Art of McTavishing, The Secrets of Elemental Quilting, and Whitework Quilting. She has been featured on PBS’s Quilt Central and HGTV’s Simply Quilts, and her work has appeared in numerous national magazines and journals. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota. Helen Squire is a recognized authority on quilting patterns, the author of seven books and two CD-ROMs in the Dear Helen series, and the vice president of sales and marketing for the American Quilter’s Society. She lives in Paducah, Kentucky.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: On-Word Bound Books; Pap/DVD edition (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974470635
• ISBN-13: 978-0974470634
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #503,314 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Karen McTavish has been quilting on a longarm since 1997 fulfilling her two passions: Heirloom Trapunto quilting and Wholecloth. Karen specializes in crafting award-winning quilts using techniques which allow machine quilters to replicate traditional 'hand-quilted' effects. She has been featured on Simply Quilts, and writes articles for national quilting magazines and journals. Karen's is the author of 5 books, Quilting for Show 1 & 2, Whitework Quilting, Mastering the Art of McTavishing and Secrets of Elemental Quilting. She has been a full-time professional longarm quilter since 1997 - supporting her family through her craft. Karen lives on Lake Superior's North Shore, quilting and teaching throughout the country and privately in her storefront 'McTavish Quilting Studio'. She has two children, Ally and Storm. Her website, gallery, and storefront is at ww.designerquilts.com

Karen also is the vocalist for her band called "Grounds for Dismissal" in Duluth Minnesota -
to check out her band go to www.myspace.com/grounds4dismissal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Practical Guide, October 28, 2007

By 

Leiah "Leiah" (Golden, Colorado, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Quilting for Show: A Practical Guide to Successful Competition Quilting (Paperback)

In an artists book, you wouldn't think "practical" would be a very interesting word. However, in this case, practical is perfect.

Entering competitions is a scary concept. You are putting yourself out there for other people to judge, and that isn't often comfortable. Therefore, you want to do your best. Karen is utterly amazing at making sure that, when you are ready to enter your quilt in a contest, you are actually "ready". You know that you are entering a quilt that is not only beautiful to you, but is also technically proficient. You wouldn't go to a job interview with your slip hanging below your skirt, or your shirt partially tucked. Think of it this way - you are sending your quilt for a very important interview - you want her to look her best! Karen helps you do that.

There is even an included CD which, for those more 'visual' of us (and aren't we all, as quilters, visual to the max?) which leads you through instructions for how to do some of the more detailed (no, don't read "difficult" here) methods, like making really pretty feather quilting patterns.

Overall, a great investment. And don't think that, because you aren't planning on entering a quilt in a show, that this book wouldn't be of great use. We all want to learn and do work we are proud of, and this lovely little book will certainly help you to do so.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but geared to Longarm, January 11, 2008

By 

I. Zawilski - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Quilting for Show: A Practical Guide to Successful Competition Quilting (Paperback)

I have her previous book on "McTavishing", which is much better. This book does not show techniques on a standard home machine, as the previous book does. Still, the information is interesting and I did learn a few techniques that could translate to a home machine.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars must have, August 17, 2009

By 

Mrs. V. S. Diligent (australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quilting for Show: A Practical Guide to Successful Competition Quilting (Paperback)

I have been quilting on my domestic sewing machine for 9 years now , I even teach, and the amount of informations in this book is fantastic. Little hints , the list of judges comments , and to know that all those wonderful quilters have started like us.
Quilting just for the pleasure or quilting for shows, it is a must have book.