| Quilt Show Judging |
So how does one get into judging at Quilt Shows? Well, this is how it happened for me -
In 1999, I was approached to piece a complicated Tree of Life pattern from the book 'Biblical
Blocks' by Rosemary Makhan. The customer wanted the quilt to be the same proportionally as the
ones in the book, but King size, not Queen. So I used my math skills to increase the sizes of the
many templates, redrafting the blocks and figuring out the border sizes. Fortunately the customer
was patient and had chosen the most wonderful fabrics for the quilt. When it was finished, I took a
photo of it lying on the family room floor. She had a dear family friend hand quilt it, and the quilter
entered it in the Stow-Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Spring Needlework Show in 2000 and it
took first place! I even got a ribbon! Wow, this was so cool.
By this time, I was thinking of making a longarm quilting machine purchase and traveled to Houston
in the fall for the International Quilt Festival. This was my first large venue, and what a shocker it
was! I attended 11 lectures and 2 classes in 4 days time. One of the classes was taught by Holice
Chatelain entitled 'Following your passions". I still think of things she taught us to this day.
My longarm came in February 2001, and I got busy practicing and quilting. Then I practiced some
more and quilted some more.
In 2003, Chicago became the home of the new spring International Quilt Festival, and I took a lot of
classes and volunteered as a quilt angel, hanging the quilts for the show the night before it opened.
My classes included 'Picky, Picky, Picky' with Dixie McBride and 'Let's Make a Prize-Winning Quilt'
with Linda M. Fiedler. Also inspiring me to push myself was a luncheon lecture with Charlotte
Angotti, 'Why do we make quilts?'.
2004 - I entered Lake FarmPark 'Quilt 2004' Quilt Show with 'Denise's Quilt'. It took third place!
2005 - I entered 'Grandmother's Stars' in 'Quilt 2005'.
I was a judge at the Stow-Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Spring Needlework Show.
I was a judge at the KISS Quilt Guild Show.
2006 - I entered 'Christmas Kit Quilt', an original design, in 'Quilt 2006' at Lake Farmpark,.
I was a judge at the Stow-Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Spring Needlework Show.
I was a judge for the Geauga County Fair, Burton, Ohio.
I was a judge for the Cascade Quilt Guild in Barberton, Ohio and their 2006 Quilt Show,
'Baskets of Quilts XI'.
In May, I attended the Machine Quilters Showcase (MQS) in Kansas City. My choices included,
'What makes a winning quilt?' - a lecture by Linda McCuean, and 'Through the judge's eyes' - a
discussion style class with Anita Shackelford.
2007 - I entered 'Anniversary Quilt', an original pieced and appliqued quilt for my husband, in the
'Quilt 2007' show at Lake Farmpark. I also had the quilt appraised by Dee Dadik and Molly Butler.
Thanks in a large part to Dee Dadik and Molly Butler, I formally enrolled in the National Quilting
Association's Certified Judging Program, as a candidate.
I entered that same quilt in the Fall Streetsboro Quilt Show and took first place! I then recieved an
invitation to submit it into the Timeless Treasures Quilt Exhibit in Chicago's International Quilt
Festival in April 2008. What a thrill to think my quilt could be one of those hanging at such a
prestigious show! WOW. How cool is that? Now for the scary part - packing it up and sending it
off! I can honestly say it was harder than sending my son to college! That quilt cannot call home!
I judged the Stow Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Needlework Show,
the Geauga County Fair,
the Cascade Quilt Show.
2008 - I requested and was granted permission to shadow two wonderful Certified Judges as they
worked at the Lake Farmpark 'Quilt 2008' show in January. I entered 'Poppies'.
I judged the Stow-Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Needlework Show.
In 1999, I was approached to piece a complicated Tree of Life pattern from the book 'Biblical
Blocks' by Rosemary Makhan. The customer wanted the quilt to be the same proportionally as the
ones in the book, but King size, not Queen. So I used my math skills to increase the sizes of the
many templates, redrafting the blocks and figuring out the border sizes. Fortunately the customer
was patient and had chosen the most wonderful fabrics for the quilt. When it was finished, I took a
photo of it lying on the family room floor. She had a dear family friend hand quilt it, and the quilter
entered it in the Stow-Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Spring Needlework Show in 2000 and it
took first place! I even got a ribbon! Wow, this was so cool.
By this time, I was thinking of making a longarm quilting machine purchase and traveled to Houston
in the fall for the International Quilt Festival. This was my first large venue, and what a shocker it
was! I attended 11 lectures and 2 classes in 4 days time. One of the classes was taught by Holice
Chatelain entitled 'Following your passions". I still think of things she taught us to this day.
My longarm came in February 2001, and I got busy practicing and quilting. Then I practiced some
more and quilted some more.
In 2003, Chicago became the home of the new spring International Quilt Festival, and I took a lot of
classes and volunteered as a quilt angel, hanging the quilts for the show the night before it opened.
My classes included 'Picky, Picky, Picky' with Dixie McBride and 'Let's Make a Prize-Winning Quilt'
with Linda M. Fiedler. Also inspiring me to push myself was a luncheon lecture with Charlotte
Angotti, 'Why do we make quilts?'.
2004 - I entered Lake FarmPark 'Quilt 2004' Quilt Show with 'Denise's Quilt'. It took third place!
2005 - I entered 'Grandmother's Stars' in 'Quilt 2005'.
I was a judge at the Stow-Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Spring Needlework Show.
I was a judge at the KISS Quilt Guild Show.
2006 - I entered 'Christmas Kit Quilt', an original design, in 'Quilt 2006' at Lake Farmpark,.
I was a judge at the Stow-Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Spring Needlework Show.
I was a judge for the Geauga County Fair, Burton, Ohio.
I was a judge for the Cascade Quilt Guild in Barberton, Ohio and their 2006 Quilt Show,
'Baskets of Quilts XI'.
In May, I attended the Machine Quilters Showcase (MQS) in Kansas City. My choices included,
'What makes a winning quilt?' - a lecture by Linda McCuean, and 'Through the judge's eyes' - a
discussion style class with Anita Shackelford.
2007 - I entered 'Anniversary Quilt', an original pieced and appliqued quilt for my husband, in the
'Quilt 2007' show at Lake Farmpark. I also had the quilt appraised by Dee Dadik and Molly Butler.
Thanks in a large part to Dee Dadik and Molly Butler, I formally enrolled in the National Quilting
Association's Certified Judging Program, as a candidate.
I entered that same quilt in the Fall Streetsboro Quilt Show and took first place! I then recieved an
invitation to submit it into the Timeless Treasures Quilt Exhibit in Chicago's International Quilt
Festival in April 2008. What a thrill to think my quilt could be one of those hanging at such a
prestigious show! WOW. How cool is that? Now for the scary part - packing it up and sending it
off! I can honestly say it was harder than sending my son to college! That quilt cannot call home!
I judged the Stow Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Needlework Show,
the Geauga County Fair,
the Cascade Quilt Show.
2008 - I requested and was granted permission to shadow two wonderful Certified Judges as they
worked at the Lake Farmpark 'Quilt 2008' show in January. I entered 'Poppies'.
I judged the Stow-Monroe Falls Friends of the Library Needlework Show.
If you would like me to judge a show for you or your organization, please contact me!
Linda G. Miller
That's Sew Special!
330-877-6546
That's Sew Special!
330-877-6546
Home Address:
1589 Limonis Street NW
Uniontown, Ohio 44685
1589 Limonis Street NW
Uniontown, Ohio 44685
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So What does it all mean to me?
My philosophy about shows and judging.
I think there are many reasons that people enter quilts and quilted art into area quilt shows,
and as a judge I need to encourage them, thank them for their bravery, and help them in their
journey by pointing out what areas of their piece really stood out and what area(s) may be
needing attention or improvement. Anyone can have an opinion, and I am just one that is
willing to put it out there. I don't think that judging should ever discourage those that are
willing to put on the show! After all, without each and every one of those quilts, there wouldn't
be a show. As a longarm quilter, I am in a position to see many, many quilts each month (my
own little quilt show!), and I am acutely aware of the temptation to become too critical, and I
am on guard against it. As I take the necessary steps to complete the paperwork required for
certification, I really have begun to take a step back and try to see the big picture, keeping it
all in perspective. Time will tell how well I succeed.......
My philosophy about shows and judging.
I think there are many reasons that people enter quilts and quilted art into area quilt shows,
and as a judge I need to encourage them, thank them for their bravery, and help them in their
journey by pointing out what areas of their piece really stood out and what area(s) may be
needing attention or improvement. Anyone can have an opinion, and I am just one that is
willing to put it out there. I don't think that judging should ever discourage those that are
willing to put on the show! After all, without each and every one of those quilts, there wouldn't
be a show. As a longarm quilter, I am in a position to see many, many quilts each month (my
own little quilt show!), and I am acutely aware of the temptation to become too critical, and I
am on guard against it. As I take the necessary steps to complete the paperwork required for
certification, I really have begun to take a step back and try to see the big picture, keeping it
all in perspective. Time will tell how well I succeed.......
