Mary Vaneecke

How do you learn more about quilt show judging?  

• Ask your quilt show committee how quilts will be judged for the show.
• Surf the ‘net for criteria from other shows (know that criteria can differ from show to show and judge to judge).
• Volunteer to help during the judging process at your show so you can see and hear the process for yourself.
• Attend workshops given by judges about the criteria they use.
• Read books and articles on the subject .

Once you know about some of the criteria for judging, go to a local show and see how the ribbons match the quilts in your estimation (because you generally can’t see the back of a quilt at a show, or all the other quilts in its category, you will not have the same perspective as the judges).  Evaluate  your own work and ask yourself where you could improve your technique.  Take a class at a local shop from an award-winning teacher to brush up on the basic skills you need to perfect.  And when you are ready to quilt for show judges, go for it!

A word to the art quilters out there:  Know that your work will primarily be judged on quilting criteria and not artistic merit.  Some (but certainly not all) strikingly original work that would do very well in art venues will be judged harshly when compared to quilts.  Many art quilters choose not to place their work in quilt shows for this reason.  Other art quilters take the opposite tack and try to push the boundaries of show quilting (I’m reminded of some  Warren Zevon lyrics, where he sings about being a ‘thorn trying to find a side’)…it just depends upon your perspective and where you are in your career and whether you want to shake things up a little at the local guild.

So what experiences have YOU had having your quilts judged?

On quilt show judging:    Having your quilt judged in a show is not for everyone.  Many of us make quilts for those we love and the love of quilting.  These are WONDERFUL reasons to quilt, and you don’t need anyone nitpicking over the pointiness of your points.

Having your work judged is strictly voluntary and a choice YOU get to make.  There is no need to subject yourself to  the pressures of show quilting unless you:

• Wonder how your workmanship stands up to others in your quilting community,
• Would like some external validation of all your hard work, and/or
• Are quilting for others who want their quilts judged.

Quilts are typically judged on over 50 criteria.  Keep this in mind when reviewing judge’s comments.  If you are a fabulous quilter, but your piecing is not so great, you may not get a ribbon in your category.  The judging criteria depends both on the guild instructions to the judge(s), and the show judge(s) themselves.  They can be categorized into these areas:

1. Piecing (i.e., are your points pointy?
2. Applique (i.e., are your curves smooth?)
3. Quilting (i.e., is your stitch length consistent?)
4. Binding (i.e., is it straight?)
5. “Other” (i.e., are embellishments secure?)

and –sometimes–

6. Design (i.e., is the composition strong?)

Now you know what judges are looking for.  Tomorrow, I’ll write about why.

The art part of quilting came more easily to me when I read Sally Terry‘s book Pathways to Better Quilting and learned about the five shapes….

Did you know all line drawings are made up of lines in these five shapes:

1. straight line,
2. arc,
3. S curve,
4. spiral, and
5. loop

in different combinations?  Look at a line drawing or quilting design you want to reproduce and analyze it by breaking it down into the shapes that apply.  Repeat the shape names to yourself as you quilt/draw the design.

Understanding this simple concept will give you the courage to try complex shapes without marking.  It was a major breakthrough for me.

What worked for you?

Stabilizing the quilt:  This is pretty straightforward for most quilts.

If you are using a domestic or George-type machine, you will want to pin or baste the top, batting and backing together.  A longarmer can do this for you quickly and at a very reasonable price.

Like many longarmers, I float the quilt top, which means I attach the backing only to the machine, layer on the batting and top and baste those edges as I go.  It’s fast, and I save time pinning, which is my least favorite part of quilting.

The only time I have had a problem doing it this way is with large medallion quilts.  You know, the kind where the borders get increasingly smaller as you approach the center.  I  have sometimes ended up with pleats on the backing of larger quilts.

To avoid this, I take a tip from quilter extraordinaire Sharon Schamber and baste a stitch line across the width of the quilt each time I advance it, before that section is quilted.  Works like a charm every time, no matter how densely I quilt the sections–no pleats!

How do you load your quilts?

Back it up:  Quilting is the only art form that judges the back of a work, so pay attention! Here are some tips for dealing with the quilt back:

Make your backing seams 5/8″  and press them open.  This makes the seams more secure and will allow them to lie flat during quilting.  Be sure your quilt back is square:  90* angles and straight sides when longarming.  Backing that is on the straight or lengthwise grain is best for quilts that will hang on a wall.

Be sure to arrange the quilt top on the backing so that the back seams are NOT centered.  We know that quilts are usually folded in the center with the back out.  This means the seam (the weakest part of the back) is on an outside fold, and we want to avoid that if possible.  It will wear quicker on a fold line.

Avoid heavily pieced backs.  It is difficult to center the backing exactly in relation to the top, and biases can lead to pleats on the back.

When you load your quilt on the longarm, your long backing seams should be parallel to your rollers if possible.  This will prevent sagging of the backing between the seams if seams are perpendicular to the rollers.

I’ve got your back.  Do you have any tips for backing your quilt?

Invisible Stops and Starts Part I:  If you are quilting for show, this is a critical skill to master.  It is one of the criteria that judges use to separate the wheat from the chaff.  You will want to avoid making a ‘wad’ of stitches when you start a stitch line.  It is a bit more time-consuming, but we all know this art form of ours is not a speed sport.  You will want to train yourself early to do this so it becomes a habit.

My preferred method for invisible starts:

1.  First, if possible, make your start (or stop) at a place on the quilt where it will be the least noticeable.  This may be at a seam line, or where the color on a certain fabric changes, or on a particularly busy fabric.

2.  Hold both bottom and top thread ends in your hand while taking several TINY (think one thread-width) stitches with your single stitch button (longarm).  Keep the thread in your hand taut as you do this.  Your hand will move with the thread as it remains taut and slips through the fabric.  When the thread stops moving (at about 3 tiny stitches), you know the end is secure in the fabric.  I stitch 2 more tiny stitches just to be sure.   A video of this technique is here.

3.  Now, you can clip your thread end, if you wish, or bury the thread.

To make end your stitchline invisibly, you can end your stitchline with several tiny stitches.  If your bobbin thread has run out, you don’t have this luxury.

In that case, remove the last remaining 3-4″ of stitches.  Go back far enough so that your stitch line ends at an inconspicuous place (at a seam or where the color changes on your fabric).  Tie a square knot, and bury the thread.

Tomorrow:  bury threads, or Six Feet Under.