First Timer's Guide to QuiltCon
Registering for 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.
We’ve put together a printable guide to our registration system.
Download the PDF, make all the notes you need, and breeze through the registration system like a pro!
Do I have to be a Modern Quilt Guild member to attend QuiltCon 2024?
No, you do not have to be a member to attend QuiltCon. However, it pays to be an MQG member if you plan to attend the event! MQG members receive early registration access before it opens to the general public. When MQG members register during Member Pricing (August 15-November 30, 2023), they can register for a FREE Four Day Show Pass, as well as get a 20% discount on workshops and lectures.
When can I register for QuiltCon? Do workshops fill up quickly?
Member registration opens August 15, 2023, non-member registration opens September 12, 2023. 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! It can be overwhelming at times so we suggest changing up your activities throughout the day: plan to take breaks, walk the vendor hall, visit the Quilt Show, check out the Demo Stage, grab a drink of water, or attend a Lecture. With all the activities available at QuiltCon, you may only want to take 1-2 workshops your first year attending the event. This allows you to experience a little bit of everything! You’ll learn so much in workshops, but definitely don’t overload yourself with any one activity!
What if I don’t get the workshops I want?
After a workshop sells out, a wait list opens in the registration system. You can join the waitlist right in the registration page until it is full – it maxes out at 50 people on a waitlist. A waitlist spot can open at any time, and we contact people via email when a seat opens for them. Waitlists certainly do not guarantee getting into a workshop, but it is the best hope if a workshop you want to take is sold out. Waitlist notifications come from register@themodernquiltguild.com.
How do I get a QuiltCon 2024 goodie bag?
The QuiltCon Goodie Bag is a coveted item for all attendees, filled with goodies from our sponsors. To make the process most equitable, all MQG members who register and pay for their registration during the first week of member registration are eligible to randomly receive a QuiltCon goodie bag onsite. The bags will be distributed onsite and goodie bag recipients will not be notified in advance. Registrants will find out when they check in at registration if they will receive a bag!
You will have an opportunity to pre-order special QuiltCon 2024 merch during registration. You’ll see several different options in the registration system to pre-order popular items, including the commemorative merch pack. All merch pre-orders must be picked up in person, and there are no refunds for merch pre-orders.
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?
You’ll see several different options in the registration system to pre-order popular merch items, including the commemorative merch pack. All merch pre-orders must be picked up in person, and there are no refunds for merch pre-orders.
Preparing for your first Opening Day of QuiltCon Member Registration!
The opening day of QuiltCon Member registration is quite the experience, so we want to help our first-timers plan accordingly!
Make sure your MQG membership login is working. You must use this login to enter our registration system to receive your free Four Day Show Pass and your member discount on workshop and lecture registration.
Use a computer for registration. The QuiltCon registration will work on any mobile device on supported browsers, but you will find it is much easier to use the system on a computer! We suggest using Google Chrome for logging into the system.
Be prepared to wait in the queue. We are really excited to again use the top virtual waiting room system utilized by Ticketmaster, StubHub, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Bath & Body Works, and other high-demand online sales to make sure that QuiltCon registration goes as smoothly as possible! This virtual waiting room will pace the traffic to the QuiltCon registration site to stabilize the system and ensure fair access.
- The Virtual Waiting Room is a first-in-first-out system that will turn on the moment registration begins at 9:00 AM CDT (2:00 PM UTC).
- At 9:00 AM CDT, when the waiting room begins, anyone on that page already will be given a random place in the line.
- Once your turn begins, if you are inactive for more than ten minutes, your turn will end and you will need to rejoin the line.
- Once you complete your registration checkout, your turn will end, and if you return to the registration system you will be placed at the end of the line, so plan accordingly.
Have your schedule planned and prepped. Before August 15th, make sure you have your schedule for QuiltCon 2024 all planned! Make sure to have a list of the course codes for any workshops you are hoping to register for to help you locate them as quickly as possible. Also, be sure to have a backup plan for workshops you may want in case your first choices are sold out. Some workshops will sell out within minutes of QuiltCon registration opening so be prepared!
How do 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. Prior to December 31st, three business days notice is given for an attendee to respond to a waitlist offer. Starting January 1st, two business days notice is given for an attendee to respond to a waitlist offer. Beginning January 31st, one business day’s 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!
Any questions we didn’t answer? Reach out to us at register@themodernquiltguild.com for more assistance!
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 2024, 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.
What are the challenges?
The QuiltCon quilt show is comprised of multiple categories, including several challenges. This year, there are three challenges in total: the 2024 Windham Artisan Cotton Challenge, the 2024 American Patchwork & Quilting Super Scrappy Challenge, and the MQG Maximalism exhibit, a non-judged special exhibit. Challenges provide a prompt or a specific fabric palette to work with and can be a fun way to get your creative juices flowing! For more information on each individual challenge, check out our Challenges page.
When do entries open and close for QuiltCon 2024?
Quilt entries open September 1, 2023, and close October 31, 2023, so you have two full months to complete your entry form.