Build a Quilt Show -- Meet the people who make it happen

It takes a small army to put together a quilt show. In addition to men who are able to move heavy loads, figure out the archaic wooden system, and make the hanging system stand upright without falling on folks, there must be people to do a multitude of other things. 

Prepping boards to hang quilts include screwing cup hooks into 2x4s, sorting, labeling and putting clips on quilt bindings. Hanging quilts, keeping track of sudden changes, numbering them, creating a database, building, printing and folding a program. 

Hire judges. Arrange meeting time, lunch, and hostess gifts. Prepare rubrics, devise rules, math the scores, determine winners, pin ribbons/prizes.

Prepare for challenge blocks (which must be organized, introduced, collected, hung, tickets made, etc.) 

Sell raffle tickets for the opportunity quilt (which must be sewn and quilted; plus tickets created, passed out, sold, collected, etc.) 

Collect money at the door. 

Vendors are a whole entity of itself. Someone has create letters, forms and flyers, to send to prospective vendors. Collect, file and organize vendor information. Assign vendor areas. Check that everyone has a space, has paid for the space, and is not taking someone else's space. Collect door prizes. 

Collect door prizes, make sure everyone gets a ticket, pull numbers, announce winners, make calls to winners. Pass out prizes. Advertise vendors. 

Media people must inform the tourism commission, radio, television, newspapers. Facebook. Make and put out flyers. Build and put out signs. Get the word out by any means necessary.

Greet guests. Encourage people to "Do Not Touch the Quilts." Answer questions. Direct. 

Portapotty must be ordered, the truck must be met at delivery, a check must be available. Arrangements for pickup made.

A cake sale requires cakes and other sweets. So bake cakes, deliver, have salespersons who can cut, serve, and wrap cake. Someone who can collect money.

A treasurer must keep all monies separate, have change available, collect funds, make deposits, pay bills. 

Take down the show: remove and return quilts, break down and store quilt hanging system, collect stray items and return them, gather all the office supplies and cake items. Clean and restore room to original order. 

And there you are. People upon people who must work tirelessly for a week putting up and taking down a show so that the rest of us can enjoy the beauty of quilts.

Build a Quilt Show Series:

Getting Started, or A Bad Monday

The People Who Make It Happen

 Build a Hanging System

Procure Your Judges