Entry Categories and Judging

Each entry into Showcase is placed into a single category for judging, or it can be designated as Display Only. Each judged piece is also identified as a Non-Original, Adaptation, or Original work. The categories are reviewed and finalized prior to the entry period for each show and typically include the following, along with subcategories where needed:

• Beading/Jewelry

• Canvas/Needlepoint

• Counted Thread

• Mixed Media

• Multi Technique

• Other Technique

• Quilting

• Surface Embroidery

The Guild carefully selects a group of nationally known and certified judges for each show, typically four for needlework and one for quilting. The judges take into consideration color, design and texture, workmanship and technique, suitability of materials, and finishing and presentation. The judges are asked to judge against a standard of stitching perfection generally accepted by knowledgeable needlework teachers and judges and to judge as impartially as possible. This means that each category/sub-category can have from zero to many First Place, Second Place, Third Place, and Honorable Mention ribbons awarded.

The Stitchery Showcase Committee does not make any recommendations or suggestions to the judges. Guild volunteers attach a registration tag to each piece which gives only the information needed by the judges; the names of the entrants are not visible. In the process of judging, each judge is assigned a different colored dot. During the independent judging within each category, these dots are awarded to the pieces judged worthy of consideration for a ribbon. The dotted pieces are then jointly re-judged by two judges in the category and ribbons are awarded. Each judging division with a category is judged separately which permits like techniques to be judged together.