Judging Standards

Terry Whitmell

Grand Quilt Guild

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Terry’s History

• Quilter for more than 30 years – machine piecing, hand quilting
• Exhibitor at Dunchurch Fair for almost 40 years – crochet, sewing, knitting, etc.
• Teacher since 1983 – Music and Computer Science
• Retired as Principal – Peel DSB – January 2019
• PhD OISE - UT – 2020 – Dissertation “Teachers Going Gradeless”
• Qualified OAAS judge: Quilting, Sewing, Needlework, Crafts, Woodworking, Knitting & Crocheting
• OAAS Board Director - representing District 11 (Severn Bridge to Powassan, to Parry Sound

Tonight’s Agenda

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• Canadian Quilters’ Association Standards
• Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies Standards
• Applying our knowledge
• Q & A

National Juried Show Quilting Standards - CQA�

Overall Appearance, Design and Construction

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Regardless of the type of entry, the workmanship and construction techniques should be suitable to the function of the piece. Whether using traditional or innovative construction techniques, they should be well executed.

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National Juried Show Quilting Standards - CQA�

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The Entry should:

• have visual impact.
• have unity in all components of its design.
• be well executed with special attention paid to overall construction.
• have materials that are suitable to its design and function.
• have appropriate embellishments that are securely attached (if applicable).
• lay/hang flat or as appropriate for design, construction and function.
• be neat, clean and odour-free.

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Entries Using Traditional Techniques�

Definition of Technically Traditional: made with two layers of fabric with a filler/batting; three layers joined by stitch.

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Seams

• construction should be smooth and firmly stitched.
• seams should be sharply pressed with no thread showing.

Piecing

• points should be sharp.
• intersections should meet evenly and be flat.
• curves should be smooth.

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More on Traditional Techniques

Applique

• edges should be firmly attached with consistent stitches.
• where stitches are meant to be inconspicuous, the thread should blend with the appliquéd piece.
• where stitches are meant to be visible, such as running or decorative, the thread may be coordinated or contrasting.
• shadows showing through appliquéd pieces should be visible only where appropriate.

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More on Traditional Techniques

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Filler/Batting

• should be evenly distributed.
• should be suitable to the technique used.
• should be suitable for the end use.

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More on Traditional Techniques

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Border and Sashing Strips

• should be straight and even if appropriate to quilt design.
• sashing segments should align.

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More on Traditional Techniques

Quilting and other traditional means of joining

• stitching should be uniform and evenly spaced; no knots or thread build-ups.
• design marking lines should not be visible.
• stitches on the back should be as neat and even as those on the top.
• thread tension should be evenly balanced.
• spacing of the quilting should be appropriate to the type of batting chosen and the quilting design.

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More on Traditional Techniques

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Binding

• should be neatly and securely stitched, front and back.
• should be uniformly filled.
• should be appropriate to the design of the quilt top.
• curved corners should flow smoothly without puckers.
• square corners should be 90 degrees.
• mitered corners should be 45-degrees front and back, lie flat, and be neatly finished.

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Entries Using Innovative Techniques�

As quilting continues to expand with non-traditional applications, techniques and materials, it is important that innovative pieces and fibre art in general meet with the standards already established with traditional quilts.

These general guidelines include the following areas:

• An entry must hang flat when intended as a wall quilt, unless deliberately 3D. Bulging due to heavy quilting in isolated areas, heavy crusted beading, needle felting or insufficient finishing will be considered in the overall judging process.
• An innovative piece consists of three layers and has quilting visible on the front.
• Any loose threads and/or embellishments must be an integral part of the overall design.

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More Entries Using Innovative Techniques

The overall impression/design must be enhanced by the addition of the following techniques. It must support the overall design and should be securely attached.

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• needle felting
• wet felting
• silk fusion
• Tyvek ®
• angelina fibres
• confetti
• burnt edges

• foiling
• beads and sequins
• metallic embellishments: should not cause discoloration of the fabric due to surface tarnish/rust, unless intended
• fabric paint and inks: including textile oil sticks must be made permanent to avoid rubbing off or transfer to other areas of the quilt or quilts that may be stacked for judging

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More Entries Using Innovative Techniques

When incorporating the following techniques ensure that permission has been granted and credit is given to the designer. If these are your original designs, they should be identified as original.

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• machine embroidery
• photo transfer
• digital printing
• thread work or thread painting: also ensure threadwork does not create uneven hanging and bulging in the quilt.
• discharge/dyeing/painting: must support the overall outcome of the creation.

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Wearable Art

• Garment must be wearable – form follows function.
• fit should be flattering to body shape, particularly if meant for street wear.
• a wearer must be able to put on the garment and must be able to move freely in it.
• fabrics and embellishments must suit the end use of the garment.
• grain-line needs to be appropriate for style because it will affect how the garment hangs, or clings to body.
• curves should be smooth.
• hem and edge finishes must lie flat.
• neckline should be flattering and lie flat without gaping.
• sleeve line should flatter the body shape and have no unwanted tucks or puckers.

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Wearable Art

• lining fits smoothly and does not interfere with the hang of the garment.
• overall design and placement of special motifs must be appropriate to the design with integrated design interest in all sections (front, back, sleeves).
• large motifs must be placed attractively and appropriately on the garment; avoid bulls-eye design on the center back or bust area, as well as on sleeves.
• fasteners must support and complement the design.
• buttons must compliment the design of the garment. Inappropriate size, shape, placement or colour of buttons may draw attention away or distract from the overall garment.
• a quilted wearable may be made with two layers, if more appropriate for the style of the garment.

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Reminder - Quilt Canada 2026

See previous years’ winners at:

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https://canadianquilter.com/njs-award-winners-2025/

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https://canadianquilter.com/njs-award-winners-2024/

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Watch for news about a new Judging Qualification Program this September.

Quilting Standards

• The quilt must be solely made and quilted by the exhibitor unless otherwise specified.
• Quilts to be measured on the perimeter. Total perimeter measurement to be a minimum of 280 inches (New this year… reduced from 324). Note the quilt can be square, rectangular etc. All four sides must be measured to determine the perimeter measurement. Picot/Prairie Points and scallops are included in the measurement.
• The quilting must be through all three layers (top, batting and back) and not be mounted on a frame. The quilt may have a sleeve attached to the back for the purpose of hanging the quilt, which does NOT have to match the quilt.

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General Appearance & Design (25%)

• Attracts attention (outstanding colour, design, etc.)
• Neat, clean, no chalk, pencil marks or blood stains
• Must be smoke-free
• No rippling edges
• No basting threads or knots showing on front or back
• Backing smooth and free from wrinkles and must complement the top
• Design of quilting suitable to design of quilt
• Scale and proportion of pieces and shapes relate to each other and to size of quilt
• One focal point, or eye travels around
• Pleasing proportion of border to rest of quilt
• Scallops, picots, or additional features complement design of quilt and quilting

Colour and Materials (20%)�

• Attractive combinations
• Top and back harmonize – back may be pieced
• Prints and solids used in pleasing relationships
• Any interesting combination of light and dark, large and small print
• Fabrics are of good, uniform quality, colour fast and durable. Selvage must be cut off.
• Thread is durable, and of a suitable colour
• Filling is smooth and evenly distributed, of a suitable weight for article, and should launder well.

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Quilting (30%)

• Single thread used
• Stitches uniform and evenly spaced on both front and back
• If pieced or appliqued, more quilting than stitching in the ditch needed to give texture
• Quilting should be adequate to the design and materials

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Borders (10%)

• Straight and even
• If pieced, seams are inconspicuous and balanced

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Binding and Picots/Prairie Points (15%)

• Square corners mitered or neatly constructed using alternative method
• All binding padded to edge
• Separate binding is preferred to the backing fabric being brought to front
• If a separate binding, it should be cut on the bias, rather than straight grain.
• Separate bindings should be sewn on top by machine and on back by hand.
• If the backing is brought to the front as binding it should be hand hemmed
• Binding on machine quilts may be machine stitched
• Dark binding is better than light (doesn’t show dirt and acts as a frame)

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Types of Quilts

Pieced:

• Design on top made by joining pieces of fabric together with hand or machine seams
• Points and corners meet
• Blocks line up accurately with each other
• Seam allowance trimmed to ¼” (6mm)
• Seam allowances are pressed consistently open or closed, and generally toward darker fabrics

Types of Quilts

Appliquéd:

• Design on top made by applying pieces of fabric to another background fabric, sometimes with machine stitching
• Raw edge of appliqué turned under and stitched as per style of applique
• Hand appliqué stitches small and invisible
• Embroidery stitches may be used for decoration only
• Machine appliqué stitches even and close together
• Grain of appliqué matched grain of background when possible
• No shadow of appliqué seam allowances showing
• Art quilts may have the raw edges of the applique visible if they are well stitched with tiny machine stitches close to the edges to prevent further raveling and loosening of the appliqué.

Types of Quilts

Embroidered:

• Has quilting and embroidery as principle decorations
• Attractive colour combination of threads and fabrics
• Embroidered design and quilting design coordinate
• Stitches neat and accurate
• No transfer lines visible
• No knots or carry-over (float) threads visible

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Types of Quilts

Pieced and Appliquéd:

• Design is pieced, then appliquéd to quilt

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• Parts of the quilt are pieced, and parts are appliquéd,

OR

• The quilt is pieced, and appliqués are added to the top.

Types of Quilts

Whole Cloth:

• Principal decoration is created by quilting stitch itself on a plain solid colour

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Types of Quilts

Preprinted (Cheater Quilts)

• Stamped or preprinted design top with no added pieces, quilted only

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Types of Quilts

Quilt as you Go / Flip and Sew

• Top, batting and back all stitched as item is created
• For this to be under the machine stitch category it must have a visible quilt design

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Types of Quilts

Modern Quilts:

• Must have 3 layers, but no limit to size, fabric finishes
• Tend to be more open design

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Machine Quilting

Domestic Self-Guided:

• fabric is manipulated by hand using a Domestic machine

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Mid or Long Arm – Hand-guided:

• Machine rides on wheels and moves over the fabric guided by the person

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Long Arm – Computer-aided:

• Machine rides on wheels and moves over the quilt guided by a computer program.

NOTE: ALL qualify for provincial competition, so long as all work has been completed by a single exhibitor.

Machine Quilting

Computerized Patterned Stitching

• repetitive pattern throughout
• must not run off the edge

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Machine Quilting

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Pantograph and Ruler work

• continuous line quilting pattern
• using rulers or templates

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Machine Quilting

Free Motion

• Curved designs consisting of loops and vines and fancy motifs.
• Stipple quilting is free motion quilting done with very small meandering stitches close together to fill a background.
• They generally do not cross over each other.
• Meandering can be small and close together or larger pattern and can cross over as in loops and circles.
• Fancy motifs such as feather and cables can be done with free motion.

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Types of Machine Quilting

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Straight Lines

• can be done in the ditch,
• can be beside seam lines, and/or
• an even distance away from seam lines, and/or
• in grids to fill in a background.

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Other Quilted Articles

Bags, Clothing , Cushions, Pillows, Wall hangings, Table runners, Placemats

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• Use score for handcrafts
• Use score for quilts when judging quilting techniques.

Other Quilted Articles

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Comforters

• thick filling extends right to outside
• generally with no binding
• space between rows of quilting may be 5”
• hand quilt stitches may be larger than for a regular quilt.

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Other Quilted Articles

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Miniature Quilts

• are under 64” perimeter.
• are representation of a large
• therefore block size should not be larger than 3”.
• single block is NOT a miniature quilt.

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Other Quilted Articles

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Tied Quilting

• tying is evenly spaced over the whole quilt
• using a securely tied square knot
• thread trimmed to 2”.

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Other Quilted Articles

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Wall Hangings

• Should be ready to hang
• are judged by the same standards as full size quilts
• special consideration should be given to the fact that the design is meant to be viewed on a wall, as opposed to laying on a bed.

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Interested in becoming a Judge?

• Attend a Judging School
• Apprentice with three different judges at three different fairs.

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Check out: https://ontarioagsocieties.com/judging-schools/

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(There is a judging school for Quilts in Schomberg on June 13, 2026)

Now changed to minimum 280” perimeter

Some may be quilted by another

May be quilted items

Are you over 60?

Specials

Fergus Fall Fair has 24 possible quilt categories, plus one more if you are older than 60 years, plus 10 specials!!!

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Of these, four may be quilted by someone other than yourself.

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And then there are the hotpads, tea cozy, tree skirt, stockings, placemats, etc.

So, where would you enter each of Terry’s quilts?

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Thank You!��Please share any questions you might have.

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twhitmell@gmail.com

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@terrywhitmell

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terrywhitmell.com

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