Originally Posted by Cuilteanna
If you are talking about categories in a quilt show, I do think there should be separate ones for different types of quilting. If I buy a design, download it, and let the machine stitch it for me (something I do on my embroidery machine now and then), it's not the same as someone who did a similar design free motion. It might be the same pattern, but in one case there is skill in stitching it properly and in the other there is none. I wouldn't call it "cheating" though!
It's not cheating any more than following a pattern to piece is cheating because you didn't design the block and quilt yourself! It's not a picnic in the park to hoop and embroider - it's a learned skill like every other part of making a quilt. I agree that separate categories in contests are a good idea so apples and oranges are not being compared with each other - LOL!