Quilt Show Definitions

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Bed Quilts

Bed quilts are intended to be displayed or used on a bed. This category also includes sofa or couch throws, bed runners, and lap quilts. Bed quilts are divided by size and technique, with a special classification for children’s quilts.

  • Large – King or queen bed sized
  • Medium – Double or twin bed sized
  • Small — Bed runners, throws, and lab quilts
  • Traditional pieced – a pieced quilt using a traditional block design.
  • Modern / Innovative – a quilt using a new design or reinterpreted traditional design, improvisational piecing, alternative block structures, or use of negative space and asymmetry.

  • Appliqué – a quilt containing a significant portion of appliqué.

  • Embroidery/Mixed – a quilt containing a significant portion of embroidery, cross-stitch, etc.

  • Child’s – a quilt intended for a child.
  • Rookie Bed – category for new quilters. You may enter this category if you have been quilting for less than 2 years OR if this is the first show you have ever entered.

Wall/Art Quilts

Wall/Art quilts are intended to be hung or displayed on a wall and may be any size. Wall quilts are further divided by technique and subject matter.

  • Traditional Pieced – a pieced quilt using a traditional block design.
  • Modern / Innovative – a quilt using a new design or reinterpreted traditional design, improvisational piecing, alternative block structures, or use of negative space and asymmetry.
  • Appliqué and/or Mixed – a quilt containing a significant portion of appliqué, embroidery, cross-
  • stitch, etc.
  • Original — refers to a newly created design, it may be inspired by other work, but should not be derived by an alteration of size, fabric, or color from an existing design.
    This category is further divided into:
    • Abstract – original design with a focus on shape, pattern, and texture.
    • Nature – original design with a focus on plants, animals, or landscape.
    • Pictorial – original design with a focus on people or things and may be whimsical.
  • Rookie Wall – category for new quilters. You may enter this category if you have been quilting for less than 2 years OR if this is the first show you have ever entered.

Whole Cloth

A Whole Cloth Quilt is a quilt with a top made of one solid piece of fabric where the design is only created by the machine or hand quilting. The top may have seams to achieve a particular size, but these seams should not be noticeable nor become a part of the design.

Miniature

A miniature quilt is 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”.

Two Party

Two party quilts are quilts made by two people, usually one who completes the top and another who quilts it.

Collaborative/Group

Quilts made by 3 or more people and may include, round robins, or quilt blocks obtained from a bee or guild and assembled by one or more people.

Wearable/Accessory

Garments: jackets, vests, ensembles, dresses, skirts, slacks, and other articles of clothing. This also includes purses, bags, hats, scarves, and other wearable accent pieces. Due to space limitations we must be able hang the entry along a wall.

Home Decor

Quilted decorations for the home, including table toppers, table runners, and Christmas tree skirts (does not include wall hangings).

Special Awards

The following Special Ribbons will be awarded by the Judge (or by votes from attendees in the case of Viewers’ Choice and Challenge) from the entire field of entries in all categories.

  • Best of Show
  • Best Movable Machine Quilting
  • Best Stationary Machine Quilting
  • Best Hand Quilting
  • Best Use of Color
  • Embellishment
  • Innovative
  • Judge’s Choice
  • Viewers’ Choice
  • President’s Choice
  • Donation Quilt Challenge

Definitions of Quilting Methods

Hand Quilted includes 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 includes use of any sewing machine that is table-mounted/stationary, allowing the quilter to move the fabric rather than the machine.
Movable Machine Quilted includes any sewing machine mounted on a frame, allowing the quilter to move the machine head rather than the fabric.