Quilting FAQs
1) What is the Online Quilt Museum?
The Online Quilt Museum is an elegant online venue where quilters exhibit their artwork to a worldwide audience. Member quilters log in and manage their own Galleries for a monthly fee of $4.95.
The Museum also features an eclectic variety of quilt Exhibits.
2) Who can have a Gallery at the Museum?
Any quilter/textile artist can have a Gallery of their own.
3) How much does it cost?
The cost to have your own Gallery is $4.95/month, billed quarterly. Pay Pal makes it safe and easy.
4) What are the advantages of exhibiting my quilts here?
Exhibiting your quilts at the Online Quilt Museum has many advantages over the traditional venues such as:
- The Museum is located everywhere in the world where there is a computer, 24 hours per day, year-round.
- The Museum is promoted worldwide in popular magazines and blogs. Your quilts will receive wide exposure.
- While your quilts are on exhibit, you can be sleeping under them. They are not "tied up" while on exhibit.
- Your quilts are safe from theft and damage.
- You are not expected to sell your quilts, as would be the case in a commercial gallery.
- You can keep your quilts on exhibit for as long as you like.
- The viewing public/quilt community can communicate with you if you choose to include your email address.
- You may indicate that your quilts are for sale. Include your email address so buyers can contact you directly.
- You may use your Gallery as an online resume of your artwork. You may write as much or as little as you like.
- You will feel the pride and satisfaction of being a published artist. You may find that this gives you added focus and energizes your artistic endeavors.
- You are a member of an artist's community where each quilter is valued for her unique contributions. We enthusiastically support and encourage each other.
5) Can I indicate that my quilts are available for sale?
Yes. Simply include “For Sale” in the caption below the quilt. Be sure to give your email address so buyers can contact you directly. Please don’t list the price on this site, as the OQM is not legally making an offer to sell.
6) How many quilt photos can I put on my Gallery?
You can exhibit an unlimited number of quilts in your Gallery.
7) How often can I make changes to my Gallery text or photos?
You can make additions and deletions as often as you like.
8) What if I change my mind and want to take my Gallery down?
Simply go to "Contact Us" and click on "Cancel Gallery." You will not be billed in the next billing cycle. You can always join again later.
9) Can I have more than one Gallery?
Yes, you may have as many Galleries as you like. You may want seperate Galleries for different purposes or categories of quilts. For example, you may want one Gallery for your antique quilt collection, one to exhibit the work of your students, one for quilts that are for sale, and one to exhibit your current quilting work that is not for sale. The charge for each Gallery is $4.95/month.
10) If I don't have my own Gallery, may I still participate in contests and contribute quilt photos to Open Exhibits?
Yes.
11) What are Open Exhibits?
An Open Exhibit is one that accepts additional quilt photos after the Exhibit is published. Therefore, if you are inspired by an Exhibit of log cabin quilts to make one of your own, you may send a photo of it to be included in an Open Exhibit.
12) I live outside the US. How do you handle currency exchange?
The billing process is handled by Pay Pal. They will facilitate the currency exchange.
13) How will my friends and family find my Gallery at the Online Quilt Museum?
Tell them to go to www.onlinequiltmuseum.com then click on Galleries in the navigation bar. There is an alphabetical list of quilters where they can find your name and go to your Gallery page.
14) Is there a way to communicate with other quilt artists here?
Yes, click on “Quilter’s Muse.” This is a blog where we talk about the goings-on at the Museum. Also, you may contact any quilt artist who includes her email address on her Gallery page.
15) Do I need help from a computer geek to set up my Gallery?
No. Follow the steps one at a time (reading the help messages along the way) and you will be comfortable navigating around your Gallery in no time.
16) I already have my own website. Is there any point in having a Gallery here also?
Yes. Being part of this quilt museum community that is widely promoted will give you increased exposure. You can direct Gallery visitors to your website, blog, eBay or etsy store. The cost of a Gallery is very small compared to the cost of your own website.
17) I make my quilts from patterns. May I exhibit those here?
Yes. Please remember to give credit to the person who designed the patterns.
18) I have some suggestions that could make the museum better. Are you interested?
19) I have a good idea for an Exhibit topic. Are you interested?
Yes. Please email your ideas to: curator@onlinequiltmuseum.com. If you would like to write the article/exhibit I would be interested in hearing from you too.
20) Does the Online Quilt Museum support any worthy causes?
Yes. We contribute to the work of World Vision, helping children and families worldwide.
21) May I exhibit quilts from my collection that were made by other people, such as antique quilts?
Yes. Please list the name of the quilt maker, if known. Also include the place where it was made and the date when it was made, if possible. If you know the story of the quilt(s) please share that too.
22) May I advertise in my Gallery the fact that I teach quilting or offer programs to guilds?
Yes. Mention that you teach/lecture in your artist’s statement. Include your website or email address so visitors can get details such as your schedule, prices, etc. Please don’t give those details on this site as the Museum is not legally offering these services.
23) Are there any particular qualifications that I need to exhibit my quilts here?
No. Quilters of any age and any level of experience are invited to exhibit their best work. We are all at different stages in our creative journeys and we have different gifts and interests. That variety adds valuable depth to the overall collection here at the Museum.
24) What if I get half way through setting up my Gallery and get interrupted? Will my half-done Gallery be published on the Internet?
No. After you are satisfied that your Gallery is ready to be published, then you will click on “Save.” Only then will it be published on the Internet.
25) How do you define "quilt" at the Museum?
If you can photograph your quilt/textile art, you can put it in your Gallery.
Quilts are generally defined as textile art consisting of three layers: the "top," the batting, and the backing. Some hybrids are usually added to this definition such as: crazy quilts, yo-yo quilts, cathedral window quilts, quilted wearables, small format "journal" quilts, fabric postcards, three dimensional creations, etc. They are all welcome at the Museum.
26) Are there any standards of decency at the Museum?
The Museum is family friendly. In the rare event that any image is disturbing or offensive, the Curator will remove it.
27) Will my Gallery have any advertising on it? Will pop up ads annoy visitors?
No. Isn’t that refreshing?
28) What is the difference between Exhibits and Galleries?
Exhibits are written and assembled by the Curator on a wide range of quilt topics.
Galleries are individually managed by the member quilters and exhibit only the work of that quilter (or their collections).
29) Do I need to have my quilts professionally photographed?
No. You can get high quality photos with your digital camera. If you have any trouble uploading your photos, email them to me and I'll resize them and put them on your Gallery for you. E-mail karen@onlinequiltmuseum.com
To take low resolution photos, simply go to the Menu on your camera. Under "Quality," set your camera on "UGA" or "640x480" or "E-mail." Low resolution photos will load fast and look great on the website.
Photograph quilts “straight on,” rather than spread over a bed. You may also want to take some close-up detail photos showing the quilting or other areas of particular interest.
30) I have never written an artist's statement. How do I start?
A Google search of “writing an artist’s statement” will give you plenty of suggestions to get you started. Also, read some of the statements in the Galleries already published. Basically, you want to tell visitors something about you and your quilting.
Spend a few minutes thinking about what you love about quilting, art, and life. Are you also an engineer, a seashell collector, a jazz musician, or an incurable optimist? Make your story as long or short as you like. You can always change it later.
31) How can I start my own Gallery?
Simply click on “Sign Up” and follow the steps. Welcome to the community of quilters at the Online Quilt Museum. I hope this will be your favorite website.
32) Is it okay to exhibit photos of my works in process?
No, the Museum is a place to exhibit our best finished quilts. A blog would be a better place to show works in progress and tutorials.
33) Will my email address be made public?
No. When you sign up you'll provide your email address so that I can contact you if necessary. It will not be made public by me.
But you could include your email address in your Gallery so that viewers can contact you if you wish. That's up to you. You might want to have a seperate email account just for your Gallery.
