Each year, the Quiet Valley Quilters issue a “Challenge” to the members. Quilters are asked to design and construct a unique quilt, following the directions laid out in the Challenge. The protocols may require using a specified fabric, color, or theme. The Challenge quilts are judged for quality of the design and the technique. Ribbons and awards are given out the weekend of Bennington Quiltfest.
2026 Quilt Challenge - "Fun and Games"
Let’s think about Happy Times playing games, or playing with favorite toys. Many game boards even look like they could be quilt designs – a chessboard, a parchesi board, even Monopoly, RISK, CLUE, CandyLand, Chutes and Ladders, etc.
Feel free to think outside of that board game box – hopscotch, baseball, soccer – Card games , too… ALSO – We grew up with some iconic toys! Maybe your happy times were spent playing with TinkerToys, Lincoln Logs, “Etch-a-Sketch” – – I could go on and on! Perhaps there are games you still play with the next generation 🙂
Any interpretation works – Let’s share our happiest times through Fun and Games remembered!
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Each entry should measure between 12 x 12 inch minimum and 36 x 36 inch maximum. Any shape entry is fine within those limits.
Any method or technique can be used: Piecework, applique, paper-piece, paint, fabric marker, photo-transfer, embroidery – as long as your medium is fabric/fiber.
Please include a 4-6 inch sleeve on the back of your entry.
Entries will be due at our JULY 1st meeting.
Please be sure to have your Challenge piece registered, turn it in with your regisration number attached, and obtain a receipt for it.
As always – Have FUN !
2025 Quilt Challenge - "Miniature Quilts"
Choose a full-quilt pattern, and “shrink” it down to make a mini-quilt. Your mini-quilt’s longest measurement should not be more than 24 inches.
Use any quilt-making techniques you wish – patchwork, applique, embroidery, embellishment, etc. Just keep to the idea that your medium is fabric or textile.
2024 Quilt Challenge - "Ancestry.Quilt"
Depict your family’s uniqueness/history/ancestry in a 30″ x 30″ wall quilt. Use any quilt-making techniques you wish – patchwork, applique, photo transfer, painted fabric, fabric markers, embroidery, embellishments with laces, ribbons, yarns, etc., or any combination. Your medium must be fabric or textile.
Abbie LaBatt Dansereau
“All in the Family/ Original”
Avis Hayden
“Fire and Smoke: Peshtigo, Wisconsin, 1871”
Sharon Shorey
“My Family”
2023 Quilt Challenge - "Birds of a Feather"
Birds are the inspiration for this years challenge. Any interpretation works – a literal bird or birds depicted in your piece; use of a traditional quilt block with a bird-related name; use of fabrics that have bird or bird-related images; use of a bird-related quilting design…. anything goes! Spread your “wings”, and try something you don’t usually do! Any method or technique can be used : Piecework, applique, paper-piece, paint, fabric marker, photo-transfer, embroidery, etc, etc – as long as the medium is fabric/fiber. Each entry should measure between 12 x 12 inch minimum and 24 x 24 inch maximum.
“Blue Footed Booby”
Avis Hayden
“Paisley Peacock”
Charlene Adams
“Bird of Prey”
Joyce Eves
2022 Challenge Quilts
“Welcome to Our Library” Each participant has made a 20-inch square block that represents one portion of a bookcase – The challenge is to use whatever skills, techniques. materials that best suit you, to fill your portion of the bookshelf with whatever you want. The only limitations were: to keep the completed piece size uniform, to have a white background, and use a common wood grain fabric as the frame for each piece.
Sharon Shorey, “A Quilters Compendium”
I love all things quilt! So small quilts had to be included on my book shelf. I also collect buttons, I have them everywhere in jars, in tins, and in cups all around the house! I love to read.
Foundation piecing, Machine applique, Machine quilting.
Mostly inspired by Pinterest.
Charlene Adams, “A Few of our Favorite Things”
I created my shelf like a curio cabinet with a curved arched top. The blue vase represents a Bennington Potters one that I have. The vase with the flowers is like my husband’s cut glass collection. Many beautiful fabrics create the books. The white is quilted to remind my of wainscoting. The mini quilt was made from scraps from a quilting friend’s stash. She passed away recently.
Machine pieced, Machine appliqued, Machine quilted, Beading.
Gail O’Brien, “Ode to Dr. Seuss”
Three books by Dr. Seuss with Seuss’s Fish and S unique bookend!
Machine embroidered, Raw edge applique, Outline stitching with fabric painting, Free motion quilting writing.
2020 Barn Quilts Challenge
1st place: Cheryl King “Dancing Tulips”
Tulips in each corner, stems leading to the center square. Flying geese between tulips.
Machine pieced and appliqued, machine embroidered