First Timer's Guide to QuiltCon

We know that QuiltCon can be a huge investment, not only in time and money, but in planning also! We get a lot of questions from first-time attendees, so we put together the most common ones to help make your first QuiltCon experience a great one. 

Do I have to be a Modern Quilt Guild member to attend QuiltCon 2025?

No, you do not have to be a member, but it sure does pay to be an MQG member if you are planning to attend QuiltCon. MQG members get to register early, before registration opens to the general public. Any MQG member who registers during Member Pricing (July 31st, 2024 – November 30th, 2024) can register for a FREE Four Day Pass, as well as get a 20% discount on workshops and lectures. Find out more about becoming an MQG member today!

Registering for QuiltCon

When can I register for QuiltCon? Do workshops fill up quickly?

Member registration is now open, non-member registration opens October, 2024. If there is a specific workshop you see in the schedule that you wish to register for, we highly recommend registering as soon as possible. Many workshops sell out very quickly, some within the first hours of registration opening. 

I am so excited to take as many workshops as I can! How many do you suggest? 

There are so many wonderful things to do at QuiltCon! Many first-timers can feel overwhelmed, so we suggest changing up your activities throughout the day. Plan to take breaks, shop the vendor hall, visit the Quilt Show multiple times, and check out the Demo Stage. With all the activities at QuiltCon, you may only want to take 1-2 workshops your first year attending QuiltCon. This way you can experience a little bit of everything. Learning in workshops is great, but definitely don’t overload yourself, and be sure to leave room for other activities.

What if I don’t get the workshops I want? How to waitlists work?

When a workshop sells out, a waitlist begins. You can join the waitlist for any sold-out workshop you hope to get into. When a waitlist spot opens up, the first person on the waitlist will be contacted and offered the spot to them via email. These emails come from register@themodernquiltguild.com. Before December 31, 2024, three business days’ notice is given for an attendee to respond to a waitlist offer. Starting January 1, 2025, two business days’ notice is given for an attendee to respond to a waitlist offer. Beginning January 31, 2025, one business day notice is given for an attendee to respond to a waitlist offer, and multiple waitlisters will be contacted at once, with the waitlisted who responds fastest being given the spot, due to the short time remaining before the event. When offered a waitlist spot, attendees have the ability to request to drop any sessions that conflict with the waitlist offer with no penalty.

Please note: Waitlist seats can become available at any time, from now until QuiltCon happens! We never know how much or when a waitlist will move so this is why we always recommend registering for your backup workshops!

How do I get a QuiltCon 2025 goodie bag?

All MQG members who register and pay for their registration by September 15, 2024, will be entered to win a QuiltCon goodie bag. The bags will be distributed onsite and goodie bag winners will not be notified in advance. Registrants will find out when they check in at registration if they have won a bag!

I wasn’t able to get any of the QuiltCon merch last year because it sold out so fast. How can I make sure I get some this time?

Pre-order your merch pack right now!

Entering a quilt for the first time

Do I have to be an MQG member to enter a quilt into the QuiltCon Quilt Show?

Yes, to enter a quilt into QuiltCon 2025, you must be an MQG member. You can find more information about becoming a member here

For all the details, including rules, member challenges, important dates, and judging information, please refer to the Quilt Show tab in the menu or click the link below. 

Any questions we didn’t answer? Reach out to us at register@themodernquiltguild.com for more assistance!