What Do The Judges Look For?

A few of you asked what quilt judges are looking for; in response to that, and as a follow up to my last post, I thought I would give you a 'top ten' list. If you are entering your quilt into any judged show or competition keep these points in mind:
1. Enter you quilt into the correct category, read the show rules and be respectful of the parameters.
2. Your quilt should be clean and show-ready. No pet hair, stains, or odors.
3. Visual impact is the first impression, a visually striking quilt stands out from the others.
4. Piecing technique is very important. Points should be sharp, corners should match, etc.
5. Applique technique is judged equally to piecing, curves should be smooth and pointed leaf tips should be sharp and not blunted.
6. Workmanship should be neat and tidy.
7. All threads tails should be buried and shadow-through from darker seam allowances should be trimmed before the quilt is layered for quilting, judges really dislike shadow-through!
8. Long, straight seams should be straight.
9. Quilting should be evenly distributed across the body of the quilt.
10. Finishing is your last area to impress. Be sure that your mitered corners are sharp and square and that the batting fills the binding all the way out to the edges. Long straight edges should be just that, no waves or ripples!

Those are (what I can remember) to be the finer points that can make a difference in placing your quilt into ribbon consideration. Of those listed above I probably heard numbers 8 and 10 dictated to judging sheets the most often.

Personally, the most important bit of advice that I can offer is to make quilts that you love and enjoy every step of the process; do your best work and the rest will take care of itself.

Life is Good!

Lessons I've Learned While Scribing...

I was asked to scribe for a couple of NQA certified officials during the judging process at our local guild quilt show yesterday. I'm not a stranger to this procedure, I've done it in years past, but quickly remembered that there's always something new to learn if one keeps their eyes and ears open. The judges take their job seriously and are extremely professional and open minded with their comments and critiques. The judging room is not the place to be for the extremely sensitive, or the uninitiated, when one's own quilt comes under scrutiny. There are actually very few people besides the judges in the room, as it should be, during the process. The room is quiet, the quilt name is called out and the judging begins. The judges study and inspect each quilt; nothing escapes their trained eyes. They dictate their comments to the scribe for notation on a judging sheet which the quilter will receive, with their quilt, after the show is over. I had to laugh to myself yesterday as I stood, with pencil poised, ready to jot down each and every word as it exited the judge's mouth. Who else gets as much rapt attention as a quilt judge while they're working? Few people, I daresay. The completed judging sheets are valuable tools on the road to improving techniques, if that is important to the quilt maker. It is to me; I like the feedback from someone qualified to inform me what areas need work, I enjoy the challenge and will likely try something different next time hoping for a better result. Understanding that the act of judging by another human being is, in and of itself, a completely subjective act, I prepare myself for the brutal truth. My friends are much too kind to be that honest! In the setting I was in yesterday I heard not only critique of my own quilts but learned of many things that would improve my own work that I would not have even thought of otherwise. I know that I grow from these experiences, I have kept the judging sheets from every quilt show I have ever entered. It's interesting to see how the comments have changed over the years, too. I don't quilt for awards and ribbons, although I wouldn't be honest if I said I didn't enjoy receiving them, of course I do; but it's not the reason that I enter quilts into judged shows. I put my quilts into competition because I truly desire to hear what the judge has to say and look for ways that I might stretch and improve as the quilt maker that I strive to become. There's so much to learn, but it sure does take courage to listen! That's the lesson I have learned from scribing, how to improve technically; but it's not why I quilt. It's important to understand the difference and keep it all in proper perspective. I quilt to express myself. I quilt to fill my home, and wrap those whom I love, in quilts that come from my hands and heart. My grandson certainly doesn't understand the finer points of a perfect binding but he does know that the quilt he adores is temporarily missing, (it's in the show) and this pint-sized quilt 'judge' is the one who gets my full attention these days; is there any better affirmation than that? I don't believe so.

Life is Good!

The Judging Conundrum

It's an uncomfortable subject among people I know; and yet, when asked, everyone has a strong opinion. The subject is judging, specifically quilt judging. To enter a quilt into competition takes courage. The quilt is categorized and then judged by comparison to those 'like' quilts within it's division. People will tell you that judging is unfair and subjective, people who feel this way shouldn't enter judged competitions without keeping a few things in mind:
1. Judges try their hardest to be fair, it's often next to impossible due to the fact that there's very rarely a level playing field, even within like categories.
2. As long as you have human beings judging quilts its going to be subjective, there's no way around that. Just as you have your favorites, and may be drawn to a certain quilt's design or color, so will a judge. They will most assuredly attempt to check personal feelings, likes and dislikes, at the door. But remember, they are human and they are being as objective as possible. The judges can only judge what's in front of them, they don't know the story behind the quilt, they can't, and yet they know that indeed, every quilt has a story.
Strolling around a judged show you'll see ribbons attached to some quilts that won't appeal to you and then happen upon a stunner without one. You may wonder why, you may even question this seemingly glaring omission out loud. Keep in mind again the categories: baby quilts against baby quilts, wallhangings against wallhangings and the possible divisions, too, within categories... hand against hand, machine against machine, and now the ever-increasing gray area of: "constructed by one and quilted by another" and you'll begin to understand the task that the judges face.
If you are courageous enough to enter judged competition please enter your quilt in the appropriate category, follow the show's rules for deadlines and size requirements and submit a clean quilt. Remember that the judges are quilters too, they understand the anxiety associated with leaving your prized possession for scrutiny, they do it too. If a course in quilt judging is offered in your area consider signing up, or attend a judge's lecture, even if you never plan to judge any quilts other than your own. Do keep an open mind to the entire process and be ready to reap the rewards, you'll learn and grow as a quiltmaker, guaranteed.

Life is Good!