Welcome

Seven years ago, International Quilt Festival created In the American Tradition, a beautiful showcase for traditionally influenced quilters. This special annual exhibit features the very best in contemporary traditional-based quilting.

You are invited to submit work for consideration for the eighth year of In the American Tradition. We are looking for both contemporary interpretations and traditional quilts, either by hand or machine, appliqued, pieced, or wholecloth. In the American Tradition 2010 will premiere at International Quilt Market and Festival, October 30--November 7, 2010. We would also like to retain quilts for possible exhibit at our spring edition of International Quilt Festival in Chicago, April 2011; our spring Quilt Market in Salt Lake City, May 2011; and our summer International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA July 2011.

To be considered for inclusion in the 2010 exhibit, please submit your on-line entry by Wednesday, March 31, 2010. We will gladly accept good quality digital photos of the quilts. You may submit up to 5 works for consideration. Please do not submit any work included in previous In the American Tradition exhibits. To submit on-line you will upload your artist information, quilt information and upload your photos.

Quilts must be no smaller than 25" x 25" (width x height). There is no maximum size.

Visual Instructions:

• We recommend using a minimum 4 MP (megapixel) camera, on highest resolution setting, saved as a JPEG file. The images should be saved at the highest resolution "baseline" or "standard jpeg" setting (do not save as a progressive jpeg). Lower megapixels and resolution settings can produce poor results that can eliminate a quilt because its color, design, and detail can't be viewed clearly.
• Please provide your images at 300 dpi with 1900 pixels on the longest side.
• Please provide one overall image and one detail image.
• If selected, the entry arrives and it is determined to differ significantly from the digital image submitted for jurying, the 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.

How to register

No further registrations will be accepted at this time.

You will be notified no later than Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 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 Wednesday, August 25, 2010. If your quilt is selected and you agree to the full travel schedule, your quilt will be returned to you in January 2012. If you do not agree to the full travel schedule, your quilt will be return shipped by Tuesday, November 30, 2010.
There are very few exhibits in quilting today which emphasize and encourage the traditions of quiltmaking. We have stepped forward and assumed that role. In the American Tradition is one of the most important venues for traditional values in the quilt world today. We hope you will want to be included in this year's exciting exhibit.

*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.

We look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please contact Carmen Valls, Special Exhibits Assistant, at 713.781.6864 ext. 105, spexhibits2@quilts.com or Vicki Mangum, Manager of Special Exhibits, at ext. 106, spexhibits@quilts.com. If you have technical questions about the on-line system, please contact Lisa Ellis at lisa@ellisquilts.com.