I make use quilts, it's part of my my definition of a quilt -- if you can't wrap a sick child in it, it's not a quilt. That is not any sort of implied slight on art or other quilts, it's just part of my working conditions.
I like to think I have/had the skill to make a judged top but I have never entered any of my projects to be judged. I have shown many quilts in guild shows. I believe strongly that we, as a guild, should show all the various stages and progressions and interests of our members.
It happens that once, due to a car accident involving one of the judges, I was called upon at last minute to co-judge a county fair near me. My personal favorite was the viewers choice winner, but my judged winner was technically better in every way, and even if I didn't really appreciate the color palette (sort of strawberry and lime green), it was clearly chosen (not a kit) by the quilter and made perfect design/color sense.
The better we get at the basic levels, the better our projects will be. For me, I press open because I get better results that way -- that also means I do a lot of pinning. I do not like to iron, but I believe it is key to my success. When I cut, my fabric is cut well and straight and correctly. I see some of my friends just drape wrinkly warped fabrics and smash down the ruler and cut their chunks, that is not the way I work!
About 20 years ago, I decided that one nod to the quilt police I could do is that I pretty much always make french double fold bias binding and I miter my corners. Even for donation baby quilts, I make my tubes of binding...