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Quilt Show Judges

Old 08-18-2011, 08:31 PM
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I am curious to know how impartial quilt show judges really are. I would appreciate any and all comments. I ask because I just went to a quilt show and had serious reservations about some of the judging. I understand there are several factors that go into judging (or at least there should be). But when you see 2 or 3 quilts made from the same pattern and the winning ribbon goes to one that is definitely not the best one, it really leaves a sour feeling. Just wondering if anyone else has seen this.
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Old 08-18-2011, 08:32 PM
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Don't know, but will follow this post to see what it really is based on.
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Old 08-18-2011, 08:50 PM
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The judges may have seen something you didnt. They go over the quilt with a fine tooth comb usually starting with the binding.
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Old 08-18-2011, 08:52 PM
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Let me ask you this:
How did YOU decide which quilt of the three was the "best"?

Judges don't usually know beforehand who the quilt belongs to. They judge by the quality of the work.
Piecing: Do corners/points match? Is the stitching visible? If so, does the thread match? Are there "bra cups"?
Quilting: Are the stitches even, top and bottom? How much quilting is done, is it enough? Are threads/knots buried?
Binding: Is the bindng bias? (It matters to some) Are the corners sharp and properly mitered?
Colors: Are the colors visually appealing? Is the fabric choice appropriate for the pattern? This is the area that has the most "give" and "personal preference" when it comes to judging.

I've never judged a quilt, but was the Needlework Superintendant at the county fair where I lived for a few years, and got to watch the judging. You can go to your local County Extension Office and get a list of guidelines, or you used to be able to. :)
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Old 08-18-2011, 08:53 PM
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you never know, i've gotten critique cards that really were off the wall from some judges. also they tend to like a technique at one show and hate it at the next.
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Old 08-18-2011, 08:55 PM
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Here's a thread from this past March that basically asked the same question.
I'm surprised it didn't get locked. :mrgreen:

It contains the information and answers that no doubt will show up again here. ;-)
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-107050-1.htm

And what made the winning quilt not the best of the three?

You'd be surprised how important the binding is in shows. So, all things being equal, the top prize could be decided on that. Or the quilting - did it fit the pattern? Did they all have pantos or custom quilting? Crappy custom quilting could lose out to a well executed panto. Did you inspect the back of the quilt? Maybe it was full of bird nests.

Or maybe you just don't particularly like a style of fabric - they weren't all made from the same fabrics/colors.
I know I tend to look right past Civil War and Aunt Grace quilts. They don't even register for me. But that doesn't mean the AuntGrace quilt wouldn't be the best one if I were judging. Conversely, since the judges are human, it very well MIGHT have entered into the decision making process. I've heard a judge mention in an aside that she has a problem with yellow but she works really hard to keep that out of her critique.

Who knows?
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Old 08-18-2011, 09:40 PM
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There are many shows that if the exhibitor(maker) doesn't pay for "judging" then it's not even in the running for a placing or a ribbon. A good percentage of quilts in shows are exhibition only/not judged so aren't even eligible for a prize. Did you know many guilds charge $10 and up per quilt as a judging fee, at the show to pay for the judges? Shows are different around the country, but believe me it can get very expensive if you want your quilt in competition, and there are many people who just want to show and not compete!
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Old 08-18-2011, 10:59 PM
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I just read through the other thread that MTS posted the link to - I'd missed it earlier. ;)

I entered two quilts at the Festival of Quilts in England recently - which is one of Europe's biggest shows. Of course, I didn't win anything, never expected to as the standard is unbelievable. One of the quilt's I entered had been awarded 'Judge's Merit' in a previous show, our National Quilt Championship, which I would say is in the next tier down in importance. So apparently it was not far off the standard for that show but below the standard for the F of Q - fair enough!

F of Q has separate categories for Art Quilts, Contemporary Quilts, Pictorial Quilts and Traditional Quilts as well as other categories like for group, two person and children of various age groups. Besides 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each category, there are awards for Judge's Choice, a few in each category, an overall award for things like 'Best Amateur' and of course a Best in Show. There were also voting slips available for Visitor's Choice.

The winners in each category all shared the same qualities in that they were technically as near to perfection as one can expect from a human being and there was an originality to the design. When I collected my quilts, there was a piece of paper in an envelope giving judge's comments and grading me on things like Design, Techniques Used, Fulfilling the Theme Rules, Accuracy of Construction etc, etc - you get the idea.

Judge's are human - they judge on the list of criteria but at the end of the day, all other things being equal, it becomes subjective. This year, I happened to agree with them in most categories, sometimes I don't but it's always down to my personal taste and not the standard of workmanship. Of course, it's supposed to be anonymous but some of the more celebrated quilters' work has such a distinctive style that judges will recognise it and also some quilts (like one of mine!) they will recognise from other shows (not saying I'm 'celebrated'!) - I think as well that quilts that are entered over and over again will be passed over. I saw it at the National - beautiful quilts that had won previous shows were passed over and awarded nothing at all while possibly lesser quilts won. This I imagine is because judges have the attitude of 'not THAT again!'.

There is a lot of talk here on the board about the dreaded Quilt Police' - and that's what judges are. ;-) But if you enter a show, you set yourself up to be judged and have no right to complain if you don't win.

I have recently started entering for 3 main reasons - to challenge myself to push myself as hard as I can in terms of technical excellence and design originality, to gain a bit of recognition as I sell my work, do workshops, do talks etc (ie as PR!) and for the sheer thrill of seeing my quilts hanging alongside others whose work I admire and aspire to emulate and to see other ppl looking and commenting and even taking photos of MY quilt! The latter is probably a similar feeling most of us get from posting pics here on the board. :-D

Sorry this is so long, as someone new to entering shows this is an interesting topic. :-D
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Old 08-19-2011, 01:01 AM
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k3n - could I ask if that was one of the shows run by Grosvenor Exhibitions? Everyone always talks about judge's comments, but I had a quilt win a competition and go around six quilt shows with Grosvenor, and I never got any judge's comments at all. I got a yellow rosette and a nice sentence about the in the magazine article on the competition, and that was it.

ETA: Scratch that, I just rang Grosvenor and apparently they don't give out judge's comments unless you ask for them. So mine are now on the way in the post, all these months later. Odd way of doing things, you'd have thought they could just include them when they send the quilt back. Gah, I'm getting nervous all over again!
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Old 08-19-2011, 01:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Lobster
k3n - could I ask if that was one of the shows run by Grosvenor Exhibitions? Everyone always talks about judge's comments, but I had a quilt win a competition and go around six quilt shows with Grosvenor, and I never got any judge's comments at all. I got a yellow rosette and a nice sentence about the in the magazine article on the competition, and that was it.

ETA: Scratch that, I just rang Grosvenor and apparently they don't give out judge's comments unless you ask for them. So mine are now on the way in the post, all these months later. Odd way of doing things, you'd have thought they could just include them when they send the quilt back. Gah, I'm getting nervous all over again!
The F of Q is run by Twisted Thread - I've entered Grosvenor as well (the Nationals as mentioned above) and only got comments on the piece I won with (regional at West Point). Perhaps I'll ask for any comments that were made on the one I entered in the National, that got a Merit. I didn't know you could so thanks for that info! :-D
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