QUILTCON 2021

QUILTCON TOGETHER INSIDER LOOK FOR THIS ICON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS FROM THE SHOW! HELLO Quilters THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR UNIQUE EVENT, QuiltCon Together. While I know we are all missing the joy of the in-person event this year, I am thrilled that we are able to come together virtually to learn, create, and enjoy quilts, all from the safety of our homes. Back in April 2020, when the MQG staff and board started talking about what we thought the likelihood of it being safe (and feasible!) to hold QuiltCon 2021 in Atlanta as planned, it did not take us long to realize that we had to make a major decision. We realized our international members would not likely be able to get to the U.S.,…

LAST FEBRUARY IN AUSTIN as we were immersed in the outstanding food, live music venues, and amazing quilts at QuiltCon 2020, most of us had no idea how our world would change in a matter of weeks. The halls of the convention center echoed with laughter and fun. There were crowds standing around the award-winning quilts. Quilters sitting shoulder-toshoulder in workshops. High fives. And hugs. Lots of hugs. Although those in-person high fives aren’t happening this year, I’m super excited about the way the Modern Quilt Guild staff has re-imagined QuiltCon 2021 and optimized the event to focus on the best experience possible for everyone involved. Once again, modern quilters are breaking the rules and pushing the boundaries. The MQG was the first quilt organization to announce their 2021 event would…

1. Visit the online quilt show where you can learn more from makers about the quilts on display. 2. Watch on demand demonstrations from companies in the virtual vendor hall where you'll have a front row seat to learn about fun techniques and new products. 3. Learn at your own pace from workshop instructors, replaying videos as needed to master techniques. 4. Participate in live lectures or panel discussions. Miss the live session? No worries! They'll be available for a week after the show for registered participants.…

SARAH RUIZ is a quilter and aerospace engineer from Houston, Texas. Her creative and technical sides have always been intertwined, from drawing Disney characters and memorizing constellations as a kid to taking humans back to the moon and dreaming up new quilts today. Quilting perfectly combines her engineering and artistic mindsets, and she loves the puzzle solving required to turn an idea into reality. sarahruiz.com ELIZABETH RAY is a modern quilter and designer who loves math, creating, and the quilting community. Her designs are largely inspired by geometric shapes, color, and lines. Her quilts have been juried into QuiltCon, selected for Best of QuiltCon traveling exhibit and the MQG exhibit at International Quilt Festival. Elizabeth lives in Bentonville, Arkansas, with her husband and two daughters. @elizabethkray PATTY DUDEK has been a maker for as long as she…

QuiltCon Together is expected to be the largest online quilt event to date. For the first time in the history of the Modern Quilt Guild, the show is being held entirely online, allowing for expanded participation from every corner of the globe. Interested in the show stats? Here’s a bit of QuiltCon Together 2021 trivia to feed your curiosity. NUMBER OF QUILTS ENTERED IN THE VIRTUAL SHOW: 1,052 PERCENTAGE OF THOSE QUILTS JURIED INTO QUILTCON TOGETHER: 33% TOTAL NUMBER OF QUILTS ON DISPLAY: 459 PERCENTAGE MADE FOR THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH QUILT CHALLENGE: 15% JURIED QUILTS FROM NONU. S. GUILD MEMBERS: 67 NUMBER OF HANDMADE PRIZE RIBBONS CREATED BY NICOLE DAKSIEWICZ: 46 NUMBER OF ONLINE LECTURES, HYBRID WORKSHOPS, AND DEMONSTRATIONS: 144 INDIVIDUAL FACULTY MEMBERS: 45 HOURS OF WORKSHOP AND LECTURE VIDEOS PREPARED IN ADVANCE BY MQG STAFF AND FACULTY: 203 EXPECTED WORLD-WIDE ATTENDANCE: 5,000 or more! CURRENT MQG MEMBERSHIP: 16,000 and counting! VALUE OF…

QUILTCON TOGETHER INSIDER VISIT QUILTCON.COMFOR A LIST OF THIS YEAR’S WINNERS, INCLUDING BEST OF SHOW Can you imagine what it would be like to win the top award at a major quilt show … the first time you entered? Peter Byrne took home the 2020 Best in Show award and, along the way, charmed attendees with his genuine joy and exuberance. Peter’s quilt “Starring You”was an amazing feat on so many levels—from the piecing, to the applique, to the finishing work. All of the quilting was done on a home machine … and the black lines? Those are quilted with black thread. Think about it: with that kind of contrast, you just can’t make a mistake. “Starring You”was the first quilt Peter made specifically for show. In addition to Best in Show, Peter…