Show Categories & Awards
One-Party Bed Quilts
- Large Traditional Pieced – width 70” or more
- Small Traditional Pieced – width less than 70”
- Modern, Innovative or Abstract – any size
- Appliqué/Embroidery/Mixed – any size
Two-Party Bed Quilts
- Large Traditional Pieced – width 70” or more
- Small Traditional Pieced – width less than 70”
- Modern, Innovative or Abstract – any size
- Appliqué/Embroidery/Mixed – any size
Rookie Bed Quilts – any size or technique and may be professionally quilted.
One-Party Wall/Art Quilts
- Large Traditional Pieced – width 40” or more
- Small Traditional Pieced – width less than 40”
- Modern, Innovative or Abstract – any size
- Appliqué/Embroidery/Mixed – any size
- Mixed Media – Any size. Original design that incorporates non-traditional materials.
- Nature – Any size. Original design with a focus on plants, animals, or landscape.
- Pictorial – Any size. Original design with a focus on people or things and may be whimsical.
Two-Party Wall/Art Quilts
- Large Traditional Pieced – width 40” or more
- Small Traditional Pieced – width less than 40”
- Modern, Innovative or Abstract – any size
- Appliqué/Embroidery/Mixed – any size
Rookie Wall/Art Quilts – any technique, size or design.
Miniature – maximum size 24 x 24 inches
Youth Quilter – maker is 17 or younger
Collaborative/Group
Wearable/Accessory
Home Dec
Special Awards
The following Special Ribbons will be awarded from the entire field of judged entries across all categories, except where noted.
- Best of Show – Bed Quilt
- Best of Show – Wall Quilt
- Best Movable Machine Quilting – Computer generated
- Best Movable Machine Quilting – Pantograph or Free Motion
- Best Stationary Machine Quilting
- Best Hand Quilting
- Best Use of Color
- Embellishment
- Innovative
- Judge’s Choice
- President’s Choice (includes display-only quilts)
- Viewers’ Choice (includes display-only quilts)
- Children’s Donation Quilt Challenge (challenge quilts only)
Category Definitions
- Traditional Pieced – a pieced quilt using a traditional block design.
- Modern, Innovative or Abstract – a quilt using a new design or reinterpreted traditional design, improvisational piecing, alternative block structures, or use of negative space and asymmetry. The emphasis is on design and artistic impression rather than functionality.
- Appliqué/Embroidery/Mixed – a quilt containing a significant portion of appliqué, embroidery, cross-stitch, etc. This category also includes whole cloth.
- Mixed Media – a quilt that incorporates non-traditional materials. It must have cloth, but can also have plastic, metal, leaves, sticks, or other objects.
- Original Design – not from a kit or pattern, but may be influenced by other works.
- Hand Quilted – a series of running stitches made by hand through all layers of a quilt with needle and thread without the use of a machine.
Stationary Machine Quilted – use of any sewing machine that is table-mounted/stationary, allowing the quilter to move the fabric rather than the machine. Sewer may use a stitch regulator.
Movable Machine Quilted – any sewing machine mounted on a frame, allowing the quilter to move the machine head rather than the fabric. There will be a separate Special Award Ribbon for Computer generated and for Pantograph/Free Motion.
One-Party – a quilt entirely made by one person (sewing the top, quilting, and binding).
Two-Party – A quilt made by two people, usually one who completes the top (and adds binding) and another who quilts it.
Collaborative/Group – a quilt made by more than two people, such as round robins or blocks obtained from a bee or guild and assembled by one or more people.
Rookie – a category for new quilters. You may enter this category if you have been quilting for less than 2 years.
- Youth Quilter – the maker must be aged 17 or younger. Any size and technique are acceptable. Construction of the top and quilting must be primarily the work of the entrant. Minimal assistance by an adult is acceptable. These quilts will not be judged. All quilts will be awarded a special ribbon.
- Bed Quilt – a quilt intended to be displayed or used on a bed. This category also includes sofa or couch throws, bed runners, children’s and lap quilts. Designs may be from a kit, pattern, or original.
- Wall/Art Quilt – a quilt intended to be hung or displayed on a wall. Designs may be from a kit, pattern, or original.
- Miniature – a scaled down version of a large quilt, with blocks no larger than 4”. A miniature is NOT a small quilt made with full size fabrics or blocks. Fabric prints, appliqué, and borders should all be scaled proportionally. The maximum size is 24” x 24”.
- Wearable/Accessory – a garment or accessory such as jackets, vests, ensembles, dresses, skirts, slacks, hats, bags, scarves, etc.
- Home Dec – a decorative item for the home, including table toppers and table runners, Christmas tree skirts, and pillows (does not include wall hangings)