Inspect your quilt
thoroughly before it leaves home and remove any pet
hairs. Make sure it is clean, and free of odors,
especially if you have a smoker in your home. Remove
any quilt markings that are obvious. Eliminate lines
made with water erasable blue pen markers by
completely rinsing your entire quilt... if the lines
are only sprayed with water, the markings will often
just wick into the batting and then later reappear
(sometimes during the quilt show!) Check for thread
tails caught in seam lines, quilting knots popped out
to the surface, forgotten basting threads, pins, or
plastic tacks from basting guns.
Strive to make
piecing intersections meet precisely, and sew all
seams securely. Sew on appliqué pieces invisibly as
possible, with small, close stitches, using the same
color thread as the appliqué. Try hard to make points
sharp and curves smoothly rounded. Attach borders
straight without waving or wobbling. Make
"square" corners really measure 90 degree
square. Binding is often the most neglected part of
the quilt ... it should be completely filled with
batting, be even in width, and have a flat, smooth
connection. Make quilting stitches even, consistent,
and straight, but it is not necessary to have 20
stitches per inch! Help your quilt lie flat and
smooth by evenly distributing the quilting overall.
Don't be afraid to
enter your quilt in a show. Remember that no one
aspect is likely to make or break an entry. A judge
is not trying to check for details that are not
perfect, but is looking for what all is right with
the piece. An award on an entry means that, with all
things considered, it is the best in its category.
Not all quilts in a show will receive an award, but
all quilters who design, construct, and complete
those quilts ARE winners to those who come to view
the show! And who knows? The next quilt show you
enter may have a ribbon waiting for you!
Carol Larimer is
a quilt judge certified by the National
Quilting Association. Carol hopes that her
judging evaluation will encourage improvement
and instill confidence to entrants, as well
as provide recognition to those whose efforts
have resulted in winning an award.
You may
contact Carol for show judging at: clarimer@isgroup.net or write her at Rt. 13 Box 348,
Lake City, FL 32055
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