Welcome back! Summer projects have everyone so busy that I thought I better take a minute to remind you all about our ongoing 2022 Red & White Quilt Challenge. If you recall, I announced back in December that as a way to celebrate one of my most favorite classic color combinations – red and white – we decided to create a challenge based on just that. That’s when the idea for the 2022 Red & White Quilt Challenge was born!

If you love red and white as much as I do, I’m confident you’re going to want to get in on this awesome challenge. Let me tell you how it works…

THERE ARE FOUR CATEGORIES: Original Design – 24″ and Under, Original Design – 24″ and Over, Commercial Design – 24″ and Under, and Commercial Design – 24″ and Over. It doesn’t matter if your quilt is appliqué, pieced, or a combo. Anything goes as long as it’s red and white, or close shades of those two colors (cream and dark reds are acceptable for example, purple is not). Prints, solids, and wool can all be used as well. The possibilities are endless as long as they are done in red and white!

WHAT DOES THE REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDE? The registration fee includes a complimentary “Red & White 2022” sticker, a free red fat quarter, a free white fat quarter, and entry into the 2022 Primitive Gatherings Red & White Quilt Show. Contestants will also receive FREE ADMISSION to view the show! Note: you are not required to use your free fat quarters in your show entry, but you are certainly welcome to!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN? Cash and prizes of course!!! What exact prizes will be is still pending at this time. I’m working hard to get some sponsorship from the big companies I work with, like Moda, Bernina, Juki, Martingale, Riley Blake, Free Spirit, and Checker to name a few. I’m doing my best to get the best prizes that I can for this event!

WHAT ARE THE RULES? Now for all the fun stuff…

• The show is open to all who have a confirmed show registration with Primitive Gatherings by October 1st, 2022.
• All entrants must sign and include the insurance waiver form with their entry forms. One waiver is required per entrant (one waiver can cover multiple quilts).
• Completed submission including photos and signed documents must be received by midnight October 31st, 2022.
• It is the responsibility of the entrant to insure and ship their quilt to  Primitive Gatherings by October 31st, 2022 using the provided mailing label. Please do not ship your quilt sooner than October 1st, 2022 – we do not have the storage space before then.
• Primitive Gatherings will be responsible for shipping back your quilt entry to you. Insurance on the package will be determined by the size of the quilt, up to $500. If you would like to add additional insurance on your quilt, you are responsible for any additional shipping or insurance costs.
• A photograph of your quilt is required to enter for identification purposes. Please include this in the package with your quilt – regular copy paper is fine. Entry into the Challenge automatically grants permission for any and all images of the quilts and/or all parts of the artist’s statement regarding the quilt, to be used by Primitive Gatherings in any and all media productions for this exhibit.
• The quilt artist retains all copyrights to the quilt and will be credited for any usage of its likeness by Primitive Gatherings. No compensation will be granted to the entrant/copyright holder for the use of the quilt, or images of the quilt in any promotional materials.
• Quilts will be hung and displayed at The Gathering from November, 2022 through December, 2022. They will also be displayed online via our social media platforms.
• Commercial patterns will be accepted as long as you give credit to the designer by including their name, and the name of the pattern you used.
• If any part of your quilt was from another quilter’s design, or was inspired by another quilter’s design, please include the designer’s name, name of the pattern, and what part you sampled from the piece.
• Each entry must have a 4″ finished sleeve on the top back of the quilt, securely stitched on both the bottom and top edges.
• Each entry must also include a permanent identification label attached to the bottom, left-hand corner with entrant’s name, the name of the quilt, and the entrant’s address or email address.
• Due to limited space, there is a limit of TWO entries per person.
• Quilts of all sizes are eligible for this Challenge.
• Primitive Gatherings reserves the right to disqualify entries if they do not meet the Challenge criteria including but not limited to size, specific category, or colors of fabrics used.
• Please remember to complete our, “Red and White Quilt Challenge Entry Checklist” before sending your quilt to us! A printable PDF of all forms needed for the Challenge including the checklist is available by clicking the button below!

My dream is to have the retreat house filled with red and white quilts by mid-November this year, just in time for the Christmas season. Imagine the sea of reds and whites such a large collection hanging all together will create! I want it to be something like when the American Folk Art Museum in New York installed 650 red and white American quilts into the historic Wade Thompson Drill Hall back in 2011. Picture that! 650 red and white quilts, all hanging in one 55,000 square foot room… Crazy! What’s even crazier is that all 650 of them were on loan from the collection of one single person by the name of Joanna S. Rose. It was the largest exhibition of quilts ever held in New York City. If you’re not familiar with this exhibit, check out these spectacular photos from the event (photo credit: American Folk Art Museum – Gavin Ashworth)!

I can’t wait to see all the creativity that results from this wonderful challenge! If you would like to submit your finished quilt(s) for display at the Gathering during our 2022 Primitive Christmas celebration in November, you may send it/them in through November 1st, 2022.

Planning to participate but still have yet to choose which quilt to enter? Don’t worry, you still have time to find something spectacular! If you need some help finding just the right quilt for this fun challenge, I have some exciting news. Martingale has a brand new book that’s sure to light your red and white creative fire! Fans of Red & White Quilts I who have been eagerly waiting for the sequel Red & White Quilts II will be happy to know that it is now available at Primitive Gatherings! – and with perfect timing for the Challenge! Red & White Quilts II contains 14 red and white quilt concepts ranging from vintage-inspired beauties, to more modern patterns – all created by some of Moda’s best designers. Styles include antique, contemporary, patchwork, appliqué, and medallion to name a few.

I’m proud to be one of the guest designers in such an awesome book. My featured quilt is called, “Ruby Stars.” This king-sized quilt only has nine total stars so despite its large size, it can be done fairly quickly. Of course the feathered stars are easily done with Primitive Gatherings 1″ finished triangle paper, which you can purchase on our website by clicking HERE! I know small triangles can feel a little challenging, but after the first one your confidence will be fueled and you’ll have the rest of blocks done in no time! I tackled it by making one a day until I was down to the last couple. Then busted the rest out all at once in a final sprint toward the finish line!!!

With all this talk of red and white I should probably also mention that the arrival of my own red and white themed book Red and White Gatherings is coming soon! It is a collection of nine red and white quilts that I designed based on my latest fabric line release, also called “Red and White Gatherings.” “Red and White Gatherings” is a stylish collection of creams and mid to dark reds, combined with both floral and geometric prints that range from tiny to larger scale motifs. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until October, 2022 to get your hands on a copy of the Red and White Gatherings book, however you can pre-order it NOW so you get it as soon as it’s available! Pre-cuts and yardage are also available to pre-order now as well – simply click the link below to order yours!

I hope I got you thinking about this challenge all over again because October is going to be here before we know it! Summer really does seem to be flying by this year, doesn’t it? I wouldn’t mind if things would slow down just a little bit, but of course I know they won’t. There is definitely no room for procrastination around here, that’s for sure!

Well gang, it’s time to call it a day. I will be back here in the studio bright and early tomorrow for “Shop Talk with Shelley“ LIVE at 9:00AM on my “STITCH with Lisa Bongean“ YouTube channel. Shelley will be talking all about wool with special guest Tyler the wool dyer. Heck, I might even stop in! Set your alarms now so you don’t miss it. You can tune in by hitting the STITCH button below! Hope to see you there! Until then, take care and have a great night everyone! ~Lisa