October brought beautiful weather to North Carolina, perfect for the state fair in Raleigh. Despite the crowds and traffic, I LOVE the state fair. I’ve found if you go on a week day, first thing in the morning, you can have a great time with little to no crowds or lines. That’s exactly what I did.
I took my 4-year-old and my sister, and we had a blast doing the small kiddie rides with him. He was so excited by everything. It was such a joy to watch his little face light up with pure happiness and fun.
Then, I had my moment – I asked my sister to take my little buddy for a while so I could go see the quilt competition. I was not going to leave without seeing all the creativity my neighboring quilters have.
An impressive display of creative talent came with the North Carolina State Fair, where local quilters showcased their incredible creations. Since I was there at such a quiet time, I was the only one looking and could chat with the host who was flipping through the display for me.
I was struck by the variety of quilts on display—from intricate, time-honored patterns to bold, experimental designs that pushed the boundaries of traditional quilting. Each quilt represented countless hours of dedication, and it was inspiring to see the pride and passion stitched into every seam.
Here, I’ve uploaded photos of some of my favorite quilts from the competition, though a photo doesn’t always do them justice.
I would be remiss if I didn’t single out this fun “state fair” quilt, which naturally won a ribbon.
My favorite types of quilts to view are those super busy ones, with so much going on you have to stop and look around for a while. (below left)
And then, this mustard yellow quilt is worth noting. I find it striking for its nontraditional color palette and modern design. (below right)
Alongside the quilts were these amazing other fiber art pieces. I just couldn’t resist documenting these in this post.
After getting my quilty fix, I rejoined my people and we headed to the beautiful garden competitions, which also has the model train set up by the volunteers from the New Hope Valley Railway. They always do an amazing job, and my son was captivated.
With the mid-afternoon crowd starting to arrive, it was time for us to leave. Though my son protested, he was asleep very quickly after leaving the parking lot. 🙌🏻
Are any of these quilts yours? I’d love to know more about it. Claim it in the comments and tell us more!
Check it all out on my YouTube channel. In this video, I talk about it and show you the quilts, along with my recent Halloween project finishes.
