I recently was invited to a Quilt Open Day that a local Quilt Group held. I had a fabulous day and I thought I might tell you about it.
This Open Day is a Quilt Show, without actually having a Quilt Show. I thought the model is a beauty and really suits smaller groups who can’t physically or financially manage a full scale quilt show. A Clayton’s Quilt Show you might say!
Anyway the model goes something like this:
Show and Tell.
The host Quilt Group invites all quilt groups from within their community to attend the Open Day. These guests bring any quilts they might like to Show and Tell. The more quilts the better.
The host Quilt Group hires the venue and hangs quilts and wall hangings around the venue.
Seats are arranged looking to the stage (if there is a stage present).
There is a small entry fee which covers the cost of food and venue.
Guests (and their quilts) arrive at a set time, and place their quilts on the stage.
Vendors are in place during this event, together with craft stalls and raffle tables.
Morning tea is served while guests peruse the vendor tables, and craft stalls and purchase raffle tickets and lucky door prize tickets. Morning tea consists of donated plates of sweet goodies, made by the host quilt group.
After morning tea, all guests are seated and the Show and Tell commences. As each quilt is unfolded and held by quilt holders, the owner makes her way to the stage (and microphone) and tells the gathering about her quilt.
Questions are often asked from the audience and a great deal of information is passed on during this phase of the day. Quilts from the host group are also included in this show and tell.
During the Show and Tell, lucky door prizes are drawn. The more quilts the better. Photography is allowed from the audience. This is the part where a lot of viewers get inspired by what they see.
At the conclusion of Show and Tell, the raffles are drawn, thanks are given to those who have helped set up etc and the guests are invited to enjoy lunch.
Lunch consists of sandwiches made by the host group, cups of tea and coffee and leftover sweet goodies from morning tea.
Guests depart; the event is pulled down, venue tidied and profits counted.
The reason I like this model so much, is that having a Show and Tell doesn’t require overnight issues such as security for the venue and the quilts, or staffing a two day show. This form of Open Day is held on one day, and is manageable, even for a small group of quilters.
