Our panel of 15 judges comprised of quilt designers, quilters, merchandising and marketing folks voted for each collection using a closed-ballot system based on four categories: Personal Taste (how much the judge liked it/whether they would buy it); Marketability (how easy marketing efforts would be/whether the designer had a following); Salability (how well they thought the group would sell to our customers, based on our sales data of past collections); and Usability (how useable the designs would be for quilting).
It was a very close vote, making me glad that we used a numerical voting system. Please help me congratulate our winner, Virginia, and all of the wonderful finalists.
Laundry Day will be available as a Connecting Threads collection next fall.
*If I hear that any of the other finalists' collections are available anywhere else, I will post it here to let you know.
Oct 20, 2011 at 6:48 PM This was my favorite, I just love all the designs in the collection. I'm so excited for you.
Oct 20, 2011 at 1:59 PM Great design! Love the colors & variations in pattern size!
Oct 17, 2011 at 5:57 PM Congratulations, Virginia! They're beautiful designs.
Oct 17, 2011 at 3:52 PM This was one of my favorites from the very beginning. Great job and congratulations!!
Oct 17, 2011 at 12:27 PM Congratulations! Look forward to seeing them.
Oct 14, 2011 at 6:18 PM Love the Colors & the Designs!! Great Job, Virginia!!
Oct 14, 2011 at 12:51 PM Really like your designs and the color combinations. Great work and looking forward to it coming out later next year. Keep up the wonderful work in designing your line of fabrics.
Oct 14, 2011 at 11:09 AM I think its great - love it.
Oct 14, 2011 at 6:50 AM ican not wait to buy you beautiful fabric designes and make a yoyo quilt for my collection way to go girl keep it comming.
Oct 14, 2011 at 3:05 AM Love the fabric design and colors are great. Congrats!
Oct 13, 2011 at 9:41 AM bwhahaha, I am giddy and absolutely, my fabric line sounds great. I'm literally still pinching myself because it's such a dream come true.
For those of you who are wondering, yes, I believe there will be other colorways offered up when this line comes out next Aug. Hooray! While I know my designs don't fit every single persons idea of what they'd buy, I hope to change your minds by maybe having different colorways and maybe some of the blenders will fit just right into a quilt you're making. :-)
A special note to Phillip and all guy quilters (because I know you're out there!). I'd be interested in knowing exactly what kinds of designs you're missing for a more manly look. And what kind of age range is missing from masculine designs. For example, I can find toddler boy stuff fairly easily but adult men may not want toy trucks and baseball mitts.
Thanks everyone, I'm loving all the comments and reading every single one of them.
Oct 13, 2011 at 6:59 AM Great colors and new design ideas. Almost makes you like doing laundry (NOT):-) Congratulations!!!
Oct 13, 2011 at 5:47 AM Congratulations Virginia! A job well done. I always love Blue and yellow together and love your fabric line. Doesn't that sound great - YOUR fabric line!!!!
All the other designer contestants did well also. I hope they continue to pursue their designs.
Oct 13, 2011 at 2:39 AM Love the colors. Can't wait to see evrything.
Thanks for the peek.
Oct 12, 2011 at 8:49 PM Very nice, congrats. Would love to see some designers do something little more manly forus guy quilters. Still love the designs. Great job, done well.
Oct 12, 2011 at 7:45 PM Absolutely wonderful. When will it be for sale?
Oct 12, 2011 at 7:24 PM Congrats on your win. Very cute!
Oct 12, 2011 at 7:18 PM Bravo, Bravo!! Congrats on the win and creating such a marvelous collection!
Oct 12, 2011 at 6:29 PM Oh no, I wish we didn't have to wait until next fall - I REALLY love this fabric!
Oct 12, 2011 at 6:22 PM Wow! I love the line. I can't wait until it is available. Now, to find an appropriate pattern. Perhaps, a bag.
Oct 12, 2011 at 6:00 PM Those falling leaves are beautiful - I can see dozens of uses for them! and that gold pattern in the upper left corner is a fabulous blender that would go great in anyone's stash. My mother would love the bird fabric. Virginia, you've done a great job!
Oct 12, 2011 at 5:51 PM Congratulations, but not something I would ever buy.
Oct 12, 2011 at 5:12 PM Wonderful designs, Virginia. COngratulations!! I look forward to seeing it in 2012..I love this colorway. Hope it's offered in another as well.
Oct 12, 2011 at 5:11 PM Virginia, you did a great job! Can't wait till next fall when I can get some of the fabric for myself.
Oct 12, 2011 at 5:09 PM Congrats Vo!!!!! Fantastic designs. So well deserved! So happy for you.
Oct 12, 2011 at 4:48 PM Congrats on your design Virginia, I love Blue and Yellow
I have just completed a quilt in Blue and Yellow for my Grand daughter
Oct 12, 2011 at 4:22 PM Congratulation! I love it all and am ready to add it to my collection of fabric.
Oct 12, 2011 at 3:44 PM Congratulations!!!!
Great looking combination of colors and design.
Look forward to collection being available.
Oct 12, 2011 at 3:28 PM Very pretty! Two of my favorite colors. And many thank to Connecting Threads for producing their beautiful fabrics here in the USA! That is a big plus in my eyes.
Oct 12, 2011 at 2:25 PM Congratulations to Virginia and to CT for hosting the contest. From the little twist on the bird's stance to the tree limb clothes line, this collection is fresh and fun.
Oct 12, 2011 at 1:55 PM Love it! Love the whimsy!
Oct 12, 2011 at 1:32 PM Proud of you, old friend!
Oct 12, 2011 at 1:25 PM Love it and would definitely purchase when available.
Oct 12, 2011 at 1:05 PM Whoo-hooo.How wonderful for you, Virginia! I can't wait for it to become available.
Oct 12, 2011 at 12:54 PM I like the whole collection including the colors. Congrats.
Oct 12, 2011 at 12:03 PM Yes, Love the blue and yellow. Will be on my shopping list.
Oct 12, 2011 at 11:30 AM Bravo!!! Fun designs with subtle colors. I'm already planning several large totes for my college nieces and nephews as this collection is unisex.
Oct 12, 2011 at 11:26 AM Hooray!!! Absolutely love this entire collection! SO happy for you, Virginia!
Oct 12, 2011 at 10:57 AM WOW! Congratulations! It's like a member of the family just won! I am so happy for you. Most excellent. I can't wait to see the finished collection all printed up proper.
Oct 12, 2011 at 10:36 AM Oh that's so terrific, congratulations Virginia! I'm so looking forward to getting my hands on these fab fabrics! :)
Oct 12, 2011 at 10:16 AM I'm so glad this set of designs won. It's my favorite!
Oct 12, 2011 at 10:13 AM Woo hoo!!! Congratulations, Virginia!! I am so excited to see that you have won. Yeah!
Carol
Oct 12, 2011 at 9:44 AM Thank you all! I am just tickled to no end. The competition was fierce (gulp), and all the designs in the Top 5 collections were fabulous. There were many designs in the collections I'd buy which so yes, I think all of us are winners in that respect.
I want to thank everyone who voted, especially those that gave my collection some big love in comments. I dreamed of getting my designs out there in the world and I'm so happy my dream is coming true. I'm just over the moon over all of it. Putting yourself out there is scary and I'm glad I did. I can't thank the judges at CT enough either.
I also have to give a shout out to Spoonflower for letting me cut my teeth on offering up my designs. My following over there; my customers have helped me a lot over the past 3 years.
Whew! It's been quite a morning and thanks to all of you for sharing it with me. :-)
Oct 12, 2011 at 9:22 AM Congratulations to Virginia. This is such a sweet collection. I can't wait for it to be available.
Oct 12, 2011 at 9:09 AM Virginia, I am super proud of you!!!! This is an amazingly adorable quilting collection with so many applications! I cannot wait to see it in print!!! YEAH I am so excited for you!
Oct 12, 2011 at 9:02 AM Congratulations! All of the designs were wonderful. I hope the others get picked up from someone as they are all winners.
Oct 12, 2011 at 8:57 AM Wow ~ I'm so glad this collection won ~ I love it to bits! Just so beautiful and usable for all sorts of great projects!
Oct 12, 2011 at 8:54 AM Great job Virginia!!!
Oct 12, 2011 at 8:43 AM YAY!~This fabric design is adorable. Congratulations, Vivi!
Oct 12, 2011 at 8:29 AM Congratulations Virginia! With blues and yellows you cannot go too wrong.