Final results of the purse / bag contest

Over the last few months I have discussed my entry into a purse / bag contest associated with a quilt show. I detailed some of the construction techniques in used, including embroidery, fusing appliqués, quilting, fancy machine stitching, using a lucet for braiding, and the assembly of the items. I discussed how certain quilt shows are easy to enter, and some require a lot more computer clicks.

In the most recent post on the subject I talked about what it took to ship my entries to the contest, and how much the whole process has cost me so far. I said that it was a good thing I was entering the contest for bragging rights, as it was costing me a bit of money.

Well, the results of the contest are in. Drum roll please. I did not even place. I'm bummed. Here is the final episode, a wrap up if you will.

As the day of the judging approached, I checked the paperwork that the contest had sent me previously. I read the dates that the judging would happen. I also saw that on the evening of the judging I would receive an email stating who had won the monetary prizes plus comments from the judges about my entries. Also promised was the opportunity to check my return shipping information.

With baited breath I checked my email on the appointed evening. Nothing. I was still disappointed after checking a couple more times. Finally I thought to check the website. The winners of the quilt contest associated with the show were all posted. But there was nothing about the bag / purse contest.

Knowing that there was just one day between judging and the show, I fired off an email asking if there were a problem with the website, and to review my return shipping info. The owners did reply the next day. They said that they were so busy with the quilt contest the day before that they would be doing the judging the next day. Finally, the next day I did receive an email stating the winners of the bag contest.

To date the contest's website lists the quilt contest winners, complete with photos of the quilts. However, the website has nothing about the bag challenge. I have not received any information about the evaluation of my entries by the judges. They sent me the tracking information, but I never had the chance to review the shipping info beforehand. Hmpf. I’m disappointed in the contest owners.

I never thought the work on my entries would be as fine as the quilts that tend to win contests. But this was a purse / bag contest, so I thought the "rules" would be different. I may never know what the judges thought about my entries. When you add that to the other difficulties and inaccurate promises, it has somewhat put me off entering another contest.