Vermont Quilt Festival
An Annual Vermont New England Event
The Vermont Quilt Festival began as a one-day show in 1977. This is a popular Vermont annual event. The show was a part of the Labor Day celebration in Northfield, Vermont. The show also served as a way and a place to document quilts. Around the time of the bicentennial the Country’s interest in quilting picked up and it wasn’t long before the quilt show grew. In 1981 the show added appraisals to its list of activities. Classes, a fashion show, a merchant’s mall and many visitors were soon to follow. The show has since moved to the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, Vermont and continues to be the biggest quilting event in New England. Ask us about Vermont Festivals or share Vermont event comments. To feature your Vermont business, contact us.
Vermont Festivals: VT Quilt Festival
The Vermont Quilt Festival began as a one-day show in 1977. The show was a part of the Labor Day celebration in Northfield, Vermont. The show also served as a way and a place to document quilts. Around the time of the bicentennial the Country’s interest in quilting picked up and it wasn’t long before the quilt show grew. In 1981 the show added appraisals to its list of activities. Classes, a fashion show, a merchant’s mall, and many visitors were soon to follow. The show has since moved to the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, Vermont, and continues to be the biggest quilting event in New England.
The major event of the festival is the quilt competition. The competition includes quilts of all sizes, colors and styles. “175 large quilts are broken up into two categories, bed size and hanging. Then we have 40 miniature quilts and a kids section for children that have completed a quilt in the last year,” Shirley Banks, the Chair of the Vermont Quilt Festival, said. There are four judges that look over the quilts. This process is open to the public. There is time for questions and normally a forum is held to provide spectators with information on what is being looked for in a prize-winning quilt.
The quilts are judged on a point system. The quilt with the largest amount of points wins. They are judged on color usage, execution of pattern and design, technique, visual impact, and quilting. The children’s show is handled a bit differently. Every child that enters receives a certificate of merit. “There is one child that the judge’s hand pick to receive the Lieutenant Governor Dubey award,” Banks said.
Beyond the competition, there are many other activities to participate in at the Quilt Festival. There are about 85 classes held over the course of the festival for all experience levels. This includes a young quilters class for children. A series of 90-minute lectures are held for those interested just in information. Quilt appraisals are held for quilts made before 1960. Written appraisals with a photograph are also available for $35.00. There is a merchant’s mall on site where fabric, patterns, quilting accessories, and display items can be bought. There are also consignment sales of old and new quilts, quilt tops, block sets, and fabric. One of the activities exhibits a pre-made quilt where anyone willing can “Sit and Quilt.” This allows everyone to try his or her hand at quilting for a good cause. After the show, the quilt is given to a family that has suffered a fire, someone in need, or a charity organization.
Every year the festival features exhibits. Normally the largest exhibit is one filled with antique quilts of all styles and techniques. There also have been contemporary quilt exhibits that have featured artistic quilts, samples from quilting guilds, works by nationally prominent quilting teachers and quilters, as well as appliquéd and pieced quilts.
The purpose of the Vermont Quilt festival is to provide a place for the best quilts and quilt makers worldwide to meet. Its goal is to record and preserve the artistic cultural heritage that quilts, both new and antique, provide.
SHOP 24/7 at FREE WORLD MALL
Vermont Products | Visit VT Towns | FWM 24/7 Shopping
Country Weddings | New England Recipes
VT Inns | Red Sox Gifts | Travel Destinations
Fitness and Sports Products On Sale Now
Join Amazon Prime - Watch Thousands of Movies & TV Shows Anytime - Start Free Trial Now
Free World Mall
Country Weddings | Vermont Products | New England
