2027 QUILT SHOW Category Descriptions

For printer-friendly version: Quilt Show Category Descriptions -  Category Description 2027.pdf

Categories:

General information:

Please note that your quilt may fit into more than one of the categories listed below. You should select the category that best fits the quilt. The registration committee will divide categories by size based upon the measurements provided on the registration form. Should a category have too few entries to fill it, Quilt Show Chairs reserve the right to move those entries to another category and eliminate the underutilized category. Should a category have too many entries, Quilt Show Chairs reserve the right to split that category into two or more categories. As stated in the General Info and Rules document: “Entries are limited to quilts that have not been entered or judged in a previous PQG quilt show. Quilts must have been completed within the last 10 years and be of show quality.”

Quilt Top Construction:

Pieced: Piecing is the primary design element of the quilt, accounting for 75% or more of the design. May not be a kit/BOM.

Applique’: Applique is the primary design element of the quilt, accounting for 75% or more of the design. May not be a kit/BOM.

Mixed Technique: Applique and piecing are equally important design elements in the quilt. May not be a kit/BOM.

Kits/BOM: Quilts made from a purchased pattern with pre-selected fabric or where most of the fabric is pre-selected or pre-fused. A BOM quilt may be placed in a different category if its maker has selected different fabrics (greater than 50%) than described by the pattern.

Modern: Quilts with high contrast, bold colors, simple shapes, increased use of solid fabrics with neutrals as background; may contain re-interpreted traditional blocks, alternative block structures, or a lack of visible block structure; inspired by modern art and architecture, frequently uses improvisational quilting; embraces minimalism and simplicity. May not be a kit/BOM.

Special Quilt Techniques: This category may include quilts that are not quilted or have three layers. It includes quilts that do not fit into any other category such as whole cloth quilts, yo-yo quilts, crazy quilts, cathedral windows, wool applique quilts, machine or hand-embroidered quilts etc. The quilts may include innovative techniques such as flower pounding, rusting, embellishments, embroidery, painted surfaces, silk screening, photo transfers or digitized designs/machine embroidery. May not be a kit/BOM.

Art Quilts: Quilt of original design and composition. No commercial patterns are allowed to be used when making quilts for this category.

Panel Quilts:   The front of the quilt must include at least one panel used in its entirety. This category includes quilts using One-Block-Wonder or other kaleidoscope techniques where the panel is not apparent. May not be a kit/BOM.

Newbie Quilts: The quilt is constructed, using any technique, by a quilter with less than two years of quilt-making experience. These quilts may include kit/BOM.

Holiday Quilts:  The quilt was made for use during a specific holiday and identifiably represents the holiday. It is not reflective of a season (spring, summer, fall or winter) but a specific celebrated event such as Valentine’s Day, 4^th of July, Halloween or Christmas. May not be a kit/BOM.

Hand Piecing: Quilts constructed entirely with hand piecing; including English Paper Piecing or other Millefiori techniques. May not be a kit/BOM.

Group (3+ people): Three (3) or more persons created the quilt. May not be a kit/BOM.

Miniatures: Width no more than 24"; length no more than 24". All aspects of the quilt are reduced in scale.  A true miniature uses a 1/12” scale, where a 12” block in a regular quilt would finish at 1” in a miniature quilt. May not be a kit/BOM.

Theme: "Pieces of America". To be considered a theme quilt for the 2027 quilt show, the quilt must identifiably represent a place, state or region in America; or an important event in American history. (Theme quilts do not have to be red, white and blue.) In addition, the quilt must be scrappy with a minimum of 20 fabrics used in the quilt top. The theme quilts are judged initially in their respective categories (see above), then pulled for judging a second time as a theme quilt.

Quilting Technique:

Hand quilting – the quilting design is more than 51% hand quilted

Fixed Arm - the quilting was performed on a machine where the quilt was moved under a fixed needle.

Moveable Arm – the quilting was performed on a machine where the machine needle was moved over the surface of the quilt by the quilter in a free-motion style.

Computerized/Digital – more than 51% of the quilting design was performed where the computer moves the machine or the fabric to complete the design. (such as an embroidery machine, Statler stitcher or Intelliquilter).

Size:

Generally, quilts will be considered:

Small               Up to 30” wide and long                                 perimeter less than 120”

Medium          31–56” wide and up to 72” long                    perimeter 124”-256”

Large               57-84” wide and up to 96” long                     perimeter 228”-360”

X-Large            over 85” wide and up to 120” long                perimeter 360+ inches

Perimeter is used as the final decision for categorizing the size of a quilt. Odd-shaped or round quilts may be assigned to size categories after individual consideration by the registration committee which has discretion to assign size categories to each quilt.

General information about selecting the category for your quilt prior to and during registration: