After having read this thread, I find myself chuckling .... To those who hold these titles, I am sure it means a lot ... but really:???
"quilt master" (small letters) or
Master Quilter
and being accepted as a member into NQA
(If not accepted, is there a National Quilters' Association Court of Appeals?)
and then named as one of the "NQA Certified Master Quilt Judges" ......
Do we ever get as high as Supreme Master Quilt Judge? ......
Who appoints the people to these levels (you've answered the basic Master Quilter thing ... but what about these other levels?) .... and after Supreme Master Judge, would we finally get to someone higher? .... maybe God?
From a by-stander's view, this is rather silly....
Americans seem to be overly competitive these days ..... in EVERY area of life! What's the point?
When it comes to my hobby, competition means an abundance of concentrated pressure .... not simple, leisurely-pleasant productive use of one's time.
Yes, some people have made a lucrative career within the quilting community .... and I can only think: what would grandmother say to that? ....probably: " God Bless 'em"
To me, all of this is too reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's "Star-Bellied Sneetches" ..... ever read it? It's a hoot.
Depending on the context of the original statement, perhaps "quilt master" was apt .... I can't tell if it was said matter-of-factly, snootily, overly-stressed, or just-in-passing ..... If it had been said to me, I would have asked her to explain the term -- perhaps she had some greater knowledge to impart that may not have occured to me.
But since you brought up the subject, we have all been better informed about NQA. Thanks....