It goes without saying that a quilting judge must have a sharp eye for details, but there’s more to it than that. Sure, “things like originality, consistency in the length of quilting stitches, square corners, levelness in hanging, and matching points (joints of fabric) play into awards,” says Linda Boone, chair of the Charlottesville Area Quilters Guild Biennial Quilt Show. But it’s the ability to find the “final spark,” an understanding of the quilters’ approach and how they take on a challenge, that shows a mastery of the craft.
The CAQG biennial marks 50 years for the organization, and though it is not judged professionally, it is an opportunity for locals to view and vote on the work from four area chapters: Crozet Quilters, Moonlighters, Tuesday Morning Quilts, and Nelson Quilters.
Whether piecing a nap or throw quilt, creating a modern pattern, or designing an art quilt to hang on the wall, quilters face crucial decisions at every stage in sewing, beginning with the selection of a style, which may include appliqué, art/innovative, pieced (small), pieced (medium), pieced (large), or challenge.
“Some quilters find choosing fabrics harder than the piecing,” says Boone. “Some find quilting the layers…curves…small pieces challenging. Some find it most challenging to make a quilt a certain size and color (boundaries can be challenging!).”
Then begins a journey of dedication, precision, and incredible patience. The 2019 Best of Show winner Julie Davis’ current entry is a work of stars, dedicated to pandemic frontline workers, that includes 620,680 stitches.
Beyond their utility and beauty, quilts can also tell stories, and in some cases pass down history—a tangible artifact that holds a social and economic origin story through its fiber and composition.
Antique, new, decorative, or traditional, “each quilt made is a learning experience…quilters never stop learning,” says Boone. The mostly female group (at press time, the CAQG counted one man among the four chapters) supports each other by sharing tips, patterns, and lighthearted banter to keep everyone stitching in stitches. “Finished is better than perfect!” says Boone. “There is no such thing as the quilt police.”
Decoding quilters
Sewing circles are no joke, but their members do have a sense of humor when communicating about the status of their work. Here’s a glossary:
WIP: Work in Progress
UFO: Unfinished Object
PHDs: Projects Half Done
PIGs: Projects in Grocery Bags
WOMBAT: Waste of Material, Batting, and Time
NESTY: Not Even Started Yet
PFC: Professional Fabric Collector
STABLE: Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy
WITHWIT: What In The Heck Was I Thinking?