Quilting shows and contests are a great opportunity for showing off your latest quilts. While showcasing your work professionally may seem daunting at first, you may experience several benefits from participating in quilt shows and contests:
- Quilting shows often let you network professionally with other quilters.
- If you do quilting contests, you can often get feedback on your quilting work from professional quilters.
- Quilting shows and contests will often connect you with vendors in the quilting industry so that you can find discounted supplies from the best vendors.
- Quilting shows and contests will often have master classes and workshops where you can learn more about your craft, such as new techniques and designs.
If you want to visit any of the quilt shows and contests in North America in 2023, here is a complete table here. Here are some of our top picks for each month:
January 2023
For January of 2023, we encourage quilters to check out the Myrtle Beach Quilt Show. This is in the South, so it will be a break from the cold weather. The Myrtle Beach Quilt Show has vendors, classes, and is celebrating its 33rd year. The festival will be held from January 19 to 21 in Myrtle Beach.
February 2023
The Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival will be held from February 23 to 26. This is the largest quilting festival on the eastern seaboard during the 2023 year. This festival features lectures, classes, competitions, and even a wearable art contest.
March 2023
The Charlotte Quilters Guild Quilt Show will be held from March 3 to March 4. This festival features lectures, workshops, and other means to expand your quilting skills.
April 2023
The Original Sewing & Quilt Expo will be held from April 13 to April 15 of 2023, a great way to celebrate the end of the tax season. This festival features workshops, shopping opportunities, and ways to interact with other professional quilters.
May 2023
In May, the Quilt, Craft, and Sew Expo hits three different states, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado. This is a great opportunity to get out West and network with quilters throughout the world. This festival included education in the sewing arts and some opportunity to purchase needed supplies from your favorite vendors.
June 2023
The Reno Quilt Show will be held from June 8 to June 10. This festival features exhibits, quilt displays, and classes and is a great opportunity to network with other quilters.
July 2023
The quilting festival slows down a little bit during the summer months, with the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in Oregon on July 8. This festival is outdoors and is one of the few quilt shows that is 100% free to attend, supported each year by donors.
August & September of 2023
During the months of August and September, the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo will be in Texas. However, the most enticing quilt show worth exploring during September is going to be the AQS Quilt Week in Des Moines, Iowa from September 27 to September 30. AQS Quilt Week includes vendors, quilt showings, and other educational resources and is one of the most popular quilt shows as it rotates through different locations in the United States.
October, November, and December of 2023
The quilting show season starts to slow down in the fourth quarter of the year. The Original Sewing and Quilt Expo have several shows on the east coast and in the middle United States. Quilt, Craft, and Sew also have few shows on the west Coast to wrap up their season.
Why Quilting Shows and Contests Are a Good Idea For Aspiring Quilters
The quilting shows and contests throughout the United States each year. Whether you are an aspiring quilter or have worked on your trade for years, here are some of the benefits of quilt show and contest participation:
- Quilt shows and contests let you see current trends in modern quilting.
- You get to interact with other quilters and see projects that they are working on.
- You can find special deals from suppliers on fabrics and sewing machines.
- You can participate in classes and workshops where you learn from professional quilters.
- You can receive feedback on your work, helping you to grow your craft.
In addition to enrolling in an online quilting class, workshops are an exciting way to build your craft.