Some of you have asked about the judging of the McCall's Quilting Design Star Contest so yesterday I went to their site to make sure I understood it correctly. Since this is available for the public, I think there is no problem if I post it here for your information:
Beginning 5/2/2011 and ending 5/24/2011, the public will be able to vote online for their favorite Quilt Design Star™ qualifying round quilts. Public votes will be considered in the selection of finalists by a panel of 3 quilting industry representatives who will serve as judges, scoring entries on the basis of overall appearance, originality, and design appeal. Finalists will be selected and given the opportunity to compete in 3 quilt design challenges, beginning 5/28/2011 and ending 10/16/2011. Finalists will be notified of their selection by 5/26/2011. Decisions of the judges are final and binding, and not subject to challenge or appeal.
Now, while the date given are for the submission round, I gather the procedure is the same for each subsequent Challenge. I don't know if you all saw that there was a "winner" announced at the end of the Challenge 1. If you go to this site and scroll to the bottom of the page, you'll see the who it is as well as see the winning quilt:
Here's my "take" on what the judges are looking for based on what they selected and remembering that this contest is run by a magazine that will be publishing the final quilt, I think I'm right in my assumptions. I think they are looking for something new, something creative. They want it to be attractive with eye-appeal for the average quilter/viewer. That means that the quilt has to be one that Jane/John Q. Public will want to make and will be able to make. In addition, with each new Challenge we are reminded to make a quilt that shows who we are as a quilter.
The latter instruction is the one that I interpret as saying, "Don't try to appeal to what you perceive as our [McCall's] taste. Be true to yourself."
That's what I am doing. What are your thoughts?
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