Quilt shows are a lot of different things, depending on your perspective: a chance to display and share your work, a vending opportunity, a fund raiser for your group….lots of things.

But as soon as a show hires a judge, it becomes something else: a contest.  If a quiltmaker has entered a quilt to be judged, that quilt is in competition with other quilts.

Please notice that I did not say the quiltmaker is in a competition against other quiltmakers, at least from the judge’s point of view. The judge looks at the quilt, in the context of the other quilts entered into that particular show. The judge judges quilts, not people. I once had a sort-of-miffed quilter say something to me to the effect of “You’ll never judge me!” and she was right. I would only judge her quilt, and only if she entered it for judging.

I have gathered over the years that many quiltmakers are not terribly comfortable with the whole competition concept; at least not at first. Most quilters I know did not start quilting with an eye toward entering shows or winning ribbons. They started to make something personal for someone special, or honor a loved one, or mark a special occasion.  They started quilting to personalize their environment.  They started quilting to express themselves in a way that family, jobs and responsibilities do not address. They started quilting for a bit of peace, for therapy, for a kind of meditation.

And now they’re supposed to enter a judged show and go all competitive? So what’s the spoonful of sugar that’s supposed to make that go down?

I think competition usually tiptoes in slowly and sneaks up on you.  Here’s how it happened to me.
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I joined my first guild almost 30 years ago. I joined because one rainy weekend I went to a nearby quilt show with my 6 year old daughter. I had about as much time to study and appreciate the quilts as you might imagine, when viewing quilts with a 6 year old. One thing did slow her down, though: a guild challenge that seemed to feature a lot of Halloween themed quilts. While she was quasi-occupied, I got to chat with the extremely outgoing guild member who was white-gloving the exhibit. At some point I realized that she was wearing what I call deely boppers---you know, the headband with two springy bits sticking out with something on the ends that bounce around like deranged antennae.  I think they were pumpkins.

This lady, who has been a quilting companion for nearly 30 years, says she has no memory at all about the deely boppers. She might be right---maybe it was a stress hallucination on my part.

Anyway, I figured that any group that sent out a representative in deely boppers (maybe) was worth joining.

Up until that time I had made a table runner (Which I had neglected to quilt.  I didn’t see why it needed it.) but there I was, signing up as a new member of Undercover Quilters.

I’m a dyed-in-the-wool worker bee, so I volunteered to work on the next quilt show and became the registrar. Lots of quilts got entered.  A few were For Display Only, but most of them were entered into categories (Huh?) for judging (Double Huh?) Somehow, during my previous quilt show fly-by with the 6 year old, I had completely missed this whole judge-winner-ribbon thing that seemed to be a big feature of the show. I know, clueless.....

Two years later, with all kinds of encouragement from my new quilting buddies, I entered a quilt for judging.  It’ll be fun, they said. You’ll get comments back from the judges, they said. (Comments? Triple Huh?) I entered.

I still have the comment sheet.  “Hand quilting will get better with practice.”  It took me years to learn to speak Judge well enough to know that what this meant was that every last aspect of my hand quilting, was so lacking that there was absolutely nothing more positive that they could point out. They didn’t blast me.  They were kind and encouraging and gave me a glimpse of a quilting future where my work didn’t stink quite so badly, although it took me a long time to stop being semi-puzzled and recognize their generosity.

Another comment was “All parts of a 9 Patch should be square.” (Square? Huh.) Corners were not mentioned. Sashing and long seams were left alone. There was no binding comment. Just a final “Keep working.” Again, nice women.

At that time I had never seen or heard anyone else’s comments, so I figured what I got back was normal. I went on my merry non-competitive way, kept quilting, not to win but for fun and camaraderie.

At our next show I volunteered in the judging room and saw how very closely the judges looked at our quilts. (OMG! They really looked! Up close!) I heard the comments that were given to quilts that even I could see were well done. And some little part of me decided that I wanted to have someone, some day, say something like that about my quilt.

And now a judging note:  Often, before a judging begins, one of the things judges and show committees may iron out is how rigorous to be in the awarding of ribbons.  Some guilds want the ribbon bar to be held high and ribbons awarded only if truly merited. It’s OK with them if there are left over ribbons at the end of the judging.

Others want all the ribbons given out no matter what. They have a large supply of ribbons. Their members like ribbons.  Please award all the ribbons.

My guild was pretty solidly in the award-all-the-ribbons camp.

That year I won a third place ribbon in a category that had 3 quilts in it. Did my quilt really deserve that ribbon or was it just caught up in the general ribbon frenzy? I’m really not sure.  But I know I liked seeing that ribbon on my quilt. And when my no-longer-6-year-old daughter saw the ribbon and got excited for me, I liked that too.

Six years after I made the unquilted table runner (which I still use in my classes as an example of what not to do), a competitor was born.

The judged portion of a quilt show is a competition. Some quilters never want to swim in those waters at all. Perfectly fine. Some quilters dip in a toe, pull it out, put their shoes back on and walk away.  Also perfectly fine.  Others dip a toe, then slide their foot in and keep easing their way into the deeper water. And some really competitive quilters have an eye on a ribbon from Quilting Day 1. Fine and fine!

If your personal comfort level allows and you choose to enter a quilt into competition, I hope your quilt is evaluated by certified judges who will be as realistic, but kind and hopeful in their comments, as mine were.
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If you do, they’ll only judge your quilts, never you.
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Next: Where Did You Get Those Standards?

Stacy Koehler, Secretary, NACQJ
NQA Certified Judge
Qualified to Evaluate MasterPiece Quilts
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In my last post, I stated that quilt judging certification is essentially an independent study. However, you're not entirely on your own.
 
NACQJ does offer opportunities for learning.  The queen mother of which is the Quilt Judging Seminar. The seminar has evolved over the years, responding to changes both in the organization and the quilting world in general.
 
Kate Eelkema, our liaison to the seminar instructors, has provided us with both background and current information about the course and upon which the following post is based.
 
The founders of the NQA were committed, from the very beginning of that organization, to advance the quality of quiltmaking by sponsoring an annual show with objective judging. Almost immediately it became apparent that there should be some way of preparing and certifying judges to ensure that consistent criteria were used by all judges hired for the show.
 
A committee was formed to create a certification process. The first group of judges were certified by submitting resumes, answering oral questions, and doing mock judging exercises. These elements are still currently part of the certification process. 
 
Eventually, it became apparent that some formal preparation would be helpful and the “Short Course”, as it was called, was developed.

The first course offered by the NQA met for one evening, three full days, plus an additional morning to take a written final examination. Topics covered in those five days included how to format helpful positive critique statements, the advantages of the elimination method over the point system, and hands-on judging practice. In time, the class was shortened to three days and the exam was sent home and mailed back. 
 
Eventually the seminar was modified and became a two-day “Introduction to Quilt Judging Seminar”, which is what it is today, even though the material covered could easily fill at least three days. This course was offered once a year at the NQA’s annual quilt show. Topics covered include: the job of judging, duties and responsibilities of everyone involved in the quilt judging process, ethics and professionalism, evaluating design, workmanship, quilting, special techniques, and quilt finishings, defining categories and awards, systems of judging and various judging forms, how to formulate positive critiques, contracts and paperwork, and information about the quilt judging certification process. 
 
In 2014 it was decided that the seminar should be offered at other venues besides the annual NQA show, where it had been taught by the same small team of instructors. A group of interested certified judges met together to decide how this would be accomplished. There was a great deal of information sharing to create a pool of material for the seminar, and standards of instruction were established so the quality of the seminar would be consistent across the country. Those CJs became the first group of “Qualified Quilt Judging Seminar Instructors”. 
 
Other interested CJs may become Qualified Quilt Judging Seminar Instructors (after their first three-year certification update) by submitting a detailed seminar lesson plan to the QJSI Standards Committee, which should include all of the topics listed above.
 
When the NQA disbanded in 2015, the original group of QJSI created a website, www.quiltjudgingseminar.com, and a Facebook presence to continue promoting the Introduction to Quilt Judging Seminar. Instead of one opportunity per year, the seminar is now taught in multiple locations across the country. These locations are listed on the website. A request for more information will put you in touch with Kate Eelkema, who can answer any questions you might have.
 
QJS instructors each have their own style of teaching, but today’s seminars include a combination of small group and large group learning and discussions, multimedia presentations, handouts, and some homework. All seminars include judging practicums on both days so participants can actively practice formulating positive, helpful, concise judging comments. 
 
The Introduction to Quilt Judging Seminar is not intended solely for those individuals who plan to become Certified Judges. People sign up who are beginning quilters and want to learn how to make better quilts, long-arm quilters who want to know more about what judges look for to better advise their clients, and people who are or will be helping with a quilt show. Some individuals take it to help them decide if they want to pursue certification.

It is important to remember that this seminar is not required to become a certified judge.  Nor does it confer certification. However, it is, to the best of my knowledge, the most comprehensive source of quilt judging information out there at this time.
 
Personally speaking, I could not have gotten through the certification process without taking the course. It was packed with valuable information to add to my knowledge base. Even more importantly, it showed me what I didn’t know, ranging from points of mild confusion to total ignorance of some topics. After the course, I had a much better idea of where I stood on the road to my goal.
 
One of the most pervasive difficulties for candidates in the certification program is accurate self-assessment. Quilt judging is a funny little world.  Only a few of us do it, we’re spread all over the place and when we do get together and talk judging, we can only be so specific in our discussions due to the confidentiality of the judging room. Because of this semi-isolation, it’s easy to think we know more than we actually do.  Unless you are very lucky in your location, there is just not that much contact with other working CJs to be had, so therefore not a great basis for comparison to evaluate your own skills. While this is true for CJs, it is especially true for candidates.  The seminar is an excellent opportunity to see the big picture, get your questions answered by knowledgeable teachers and plot an individualized course for your independent study. Don’t miss it.

Next: It's a Contest

Stacy Koehler, Secretary, NACQJ
NQA Certified Judge
Qualified to Evaluate MasterPiece Quilts
 
 
 

​This blog is intended to be quilt judging from a certified quilt judge’s perspective, which will require looking at a lot of concepts and terms. I think the one we should start with is Certified.  What does it mean to be certified and what does one have to do to get there?

When NQA first started their certification program, it was with the intention of awarding a credential to people who were already working quilt judges. The credential (NQACJ) was to indicate that the person who earned it had a broad and in-depth knowledge of quiltmaking, held themselves to professional and ethical standards and would, through their words and actions, reflect well on the organization and others who shared their designation. Passing the requirements for certification bestowed a professional legitimacy on a quilt judge.

Notice that, in the paragraph above, I did not mention training or teaching. Acquiring knowledge was the responsibility of the not-yet-certified judge. No one in NQA taught the Candidate (someone in the program but not yet certified) how to be a judge. Candidacy was a major independent study; and under the new organization, it remains so.

This does not mean that NACQJ does not offer opportunities for learning*, but the Candidate is definitely in control of and responsible for their own judging education. This is an extremely important point. The ability to work under this condition is crucial to a candidacy that leads to certification.

Once an individual enters the program and begins their candidacy, they have 5 years to complete the process. Generally, a successful candidate is one who has been actively involved in the quilt and quilt show world prior to program entry. 

A candidate’s experience outside the program lays the groundwork on which they will continue to build their professional skills.  It’s important for the candidate to carefully document that groundwork, assess if it has the necessary breadth on which to build, and fill in gaps as they are discovered. Virtually all candidates will find they have gaps, no matter how well prepared they feel they are when they enter the program.

Given the need to bolster their skills and experience, and the fact that life can get in the way of anyone’s plans, suddenly 5 years starts to look a little skimpy.

The certification program has requirements for time spent judging, observing, working as an aide and attendance at NACQJ partner shows. (Another post topic!).

In addition to judging activities, there is a paperwork component in which the candidate demonstrates the state of their quilting knowledge, their understanding of how a quilt show runs, their understanding of professional and ethical behavior and specific judging points across the entire range of quilting techniques.

The paperwork requirement should not be underestimated; it is rigorous. Each candidate’s paperwork is read by 3 certified judges, each of whom decide independently if it is a passing effort. The candidate may be asked to repeat/correct the paperwork if it is not.

Once the paperwork is accepted, the candidate sits for a panel evaluation.  In preparation for this, 3 different certified judges read the candidates paperwork. During the panel, the candidate may be asked to discuss points drawn from their paperwork.  Finally, the candidate participates in a mock judging, in the role of the judge. They must demonstrate professional demeanor, the ability to think on their feet and appropriately assess any technique placed on the table in front of them.

If the panel is passed, a newly minted NACQJ Certified Judge joins the ranks. And there is general rejoicing!

Once a judge is certified, it isn’t over. Each CJ is required to file an update every three years documenting their continuing education and commitment to professional activities. The techniques, materials, tools and trends in quilting are constantly evolving.  A judge who doesn’t work to keep their skills relevant quickly loses his or her edge.  This will eventually become apparent on the judging floor.

Continuing professional development is an investment in each judge’s career. After all the work needed to become certified, maintaining one’s hard fought skills only makes sense.

NACQJ is a small organization. We encourage CJs to go on to be active within the organization as board and committee members, mentors, paperwork readers and panel evaluators, as well as working within their home quilting community.

If you are thinking of pursuing certification, don’t let all the above discourage you. The challenges are real, but they can be met steadily, step by step.  Here is a link to the Judge Certification Program FAQ page on our website. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you will find a link to the program application.  At the end of the application you will find the contact information for our Judge Certification Program Candidate Coordinator (Yes! Another mouthful of words, many of them beginning with C or J, for extra added confusion!) She’s a lovely lady and would be happy to talk with you, answer your questions and help you decide if the program is right for you.

*Next time: Quilt Judging Seminars, a great big boost to certification preparation.

Stacy Koehler, Secretary, NACQJ
NQA Certified Judge
Qualified to Evaluate MasterPiece Quilts