Most fairs have categories they place their different quilts for the judging. When I first started quilting it was by hand and tie & tack, then I progressed to using my home sewing machine, now I own LA. At each new avenue I had a learning curve that took time to learn the new steps and some of them were not so good, but better done then perfect. I teach quilting and tell my students "how do you know you can't do it until you try". There will always be many better than you and many not as good. So what! Jump in and enjoy yourself, what do you have to lose?