International Quilt Festival will feature quilts in a special exhibit, The Modern Quilt Guild Showcase.

This exhibit will premiere at International Quilt Market and Festival, October 26–November 4, 2012. We would also like to retain quilts for possible exhibition at International Quilt Festival/Cincinnati in April 2013, and our summer International Quilt Festival/Long Beach in July 2013.

Modern quilting is a new twist on the traditional art of quilting that is rapidly gaining interest from the next wave of quilters.

Modern quilts and quilters:

• Make primarily functional quilts but place a large emphasis on the design and art of quilt making
• Use asymmetry in quilt design
• Rely less on repetition and on the interaction of quilt block motifs
• May contain reinterpreted traditional blocks
• Embrace simplicity and minimalism
• Utilize alternative block structures or lack of visible block structure
• Incorporate increased use of negative space
• Are inspired by modern art and architecture
• Frequently use improvisational piecing
• Contain bold colors, on trend color combinations and graphic prints
• Often use gray and white as neutrals
• Reflect an increased use of solid fabrics
• Focus on finishing quilts on home sewing machines

We would like to invite members from any of the Modern Quilt Guilds around the world to be considered for inclusion in the new exhibit.

You may submit a total of two (2) quilts for our consideration. We require that quilts be at least 36” on each side. There is no maximum size limit. There is no "made after" date requirement.

Completed submissions with visuals must be received online by Friday, March 2, 2012. You will be notified no later than Friday, March 30, 2012, regarding the quilts to be included in this exhibit along with shipping instructions. If selected, the quilts will need to arrive in Houston no later than Friday, September 7, 2012. Quilts will be returned by the end of December 2012 if the quilt does not travel, or arrangements may be made to have a quilt picked up at the conclusion of the show. If you agree to allow your quilt to travel (assuming the exhibit is chosen to travel to other shows), your quilt will be returned by the end of August 2013.

Visual Instructions

Please read carefully the information for your digital images. The complete instructions may be downloaded here. Visual Instructions (PDF).

Entries selected from digital images are subject to additional evaluation when the actual quilt arrives in Houston. If the actual quilt is found to differ significantly from the digital image submitted for jurying, the selection committee reserves the right to reject the entry and override the jurors’ initial decision. The decision as to whether the difference is significant is entirely the prerogative of the committee.

Important Special Note to quilters shipping from foreign countries: While we encourage you to insure your work for its full value for insurance purposes, we must ask you to value it for customs declaration purposes only at no more than $50 (U.S.). A higher customs value may require an expensive bond that may not be refunded upon your quilt's return to its home country. Also mark the customs document "for exhibition and return, not for sale, no commercial value." We hope you understand that this is for practical purposes only, and certainly does not reflect on Quilt Festival's estimation of your work. If you wish to claim full value for customs purposes, we recommend that you arrange a carnet A.T.A. for your quilt at your expense. If we incur customs expenses due to a decision on your part to declare the customs value of your quilt as more than $50, you will need to reimburse us for any such expense. If you claim less than $50 for customs purposes and we still incur customs charges, we will pay those charges in full and will not expect reimbursement.

Timeline for quilt registration

Announcement and preview – September 2011
Registration open – January 6 to March 2, 2012
Notification by – March 30, 2012
Selected quilts arrive in Houston by – September 7, 2012
Quilts returned to owner – December 2012/August 2013