Please review this information before registering your quilt
Questions? contact registrar@northernstarquilters.com or continue to Registration

  • Quilts must be clean, thread-free and in excellent show-ready condition; pet hair, smoke, or strong odors will disqualify an entry.
  • Quilts may not have been in any prior NSQG “World of Quilts” show; exceptions are invitationals, challenges, and special exhibits.
  • Quilts from kits (or any part thereof) are eligible for submission and judging but must be specified as such on the registration form.
  • The majority of the quilt must consist of three layers: top, middle, and backing.
  • No tied quilts – hand or machine quilted only; exceptions are Special Techniques and Young Quilters Categories.
  • Quilt Sleeves – All quilts must have a 4″ sleeve sewn (not glued) on the back. Category 900 and quilts smaller than 6″x6″ may have a 2″ sleeve.  See this tutorial how to add a sleeve.
  • Quilt Labels – Name, address, phone number must be on the back of each quilt. If judged, that information and any other personal information must be covered temporarily. The quilt number sent to you after registration closes must be sewn on the bottom right hand corner of the quilt back (right hand side as viewed from the back of the quilt).
  • See Special Exhibit Guidelines.
  • See Drop off/ Pickup Instructions.

Traditional Quilts

100 – Hand quilted – Traditional quilt appliqued or pieced (specify if hand or machine appliqued), regardless of size or whether hand quilted by maker or other.

200 – Traditional Quilts – Large  Perimeter Greater than 240 inches – Machine Quilted by Maker – applique and or pieced (specify if hand or machine appliqued)

300 – Traditional Quilts – Small  Perimeter of 240 inches or less– Machine Quilted by Maker – applique and or pieced (specify if hand or machine appliqued)

400 – Traditional Quilts – Large: Perimeter Greater than 300 Inches – Quilted by Other – applique and or pieced (specify if hand or machine appliqued)

500 – Traditional Quilts – Small:  Perimeter Less than 300 Inches – Quilted by Other – applique and or pieced (specify if hand or machine appliqued)

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NSQG reserves the right to reject any quilt and/or to reassign categories as necessary.

Art Quilts – Regardless of size (except for category 900) – Quilted by Maker or by Other

600 – Art – People, portraits, animals or other figures (quilts that illustrate some recognizable aspect of the human or animal form.

700 – Art – Pictorial (quilts that illustrate a recognizable image (other than human or animal see 600 above) such as naturescapes, landscapes, cityscapes, still-life, flowers, rooms, etc.

800 – Art – Abstract – (quilts of original forms and compositions, non-literal designs)

900 – Art – Small – Any type of Art Quilt measuring less than 20” on a side.

Special Categories – Regardless of Size – Quilted by Maker or By Other

1000 – Special Techniques –Unusual techniques such as embroidered quilts, English paper pieced quilts, cathedral windows, miniature quilts (a scaled down version of a full-sized pattern), whole cloth quilts, heavily embellished quilts and quilts using unusual quilting techniques such as sashiko or boro.

1100 – Modern Quilts – Quilts that reflect a modern design aesthetic. Characteristics may include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, alternate grid work, functionality of the finished quilt and the updating of classic quilt designs (“modern traditionalism”).

1200 – Group Quilts – any quilt where the top has been made by two or more persons (and the quilt has been quilted by one or more of those persons).

1300 – Young Quilters – Quilt must be made by someone 16 years old or younger with little or no help from an adult. These quilts may be quilted by the maker or by another person. Please use the Young Quilters form to register.

Category Considerations

  • Traditional Design – A quilt of traditional design is constructed of blocks in a traditional pattern or method of piecing or applique. For example, a “One Block Wonder” quilt is considered traditional design because it is pieced in rows of triangles which form hexagons even though it results in an abstract geometric design. Does your quilt fit into one of the Special Categories?
  • Is your quilt a Modern Quilt? Quilts that reflect a modern design aesthetic. Characteristics may include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, alternate grid work, functionality of the finished quilt and the updating of classic quilt designs (“modern traditionalism”). May be quilted by you or by other.
  • If your quilt has been hand-quilted, whether by you or another, choose Category 100.
  • If your traditional quilt was machine quilted by you, choose Category 200 or 300 based on the perimeter of your quilt.
  • If your traditional quilt was machine quilted by someone other than you (whether or not that person was compensated for the quilting), choose Category 400 or 500, based on the perimeter of your quilt.
  • All quilts where the quilt top or any of its components have been made by two or more persons, whether Traditional Design Quilts or Art Quilts, should be placed in Category 1200, regardless of who did the quilting.
  • If you elect not to have your quilt judged, pick the appropriate category and indicate ‘not judged’ on the registration form.
  • If the Quilt Registrar has questions about the appropriate category for your quilt, she will contact you to discuss it further. The Quilt Registrar will make all final determinations regarding choice of category for all quilts.

Design Permissions

Who Needs to Seek Design Permission? If your quilt is a completely original design, not based on anyone else’s patterns, photographs or artwork, you do not need to get any permissions before displaying your quilt. . However, if you use someone else’s pattern, artwork, photography, or even another quilt as the basis, starting point, or full source of your design, it is important that you ask for and receive that person’s permission before displaying your quilt publicly. Even though the quilt and the hard work are all yours, the design is the intellectual property of its creator. Your quilt, even if the design has been altered, is considered a derivative work of their original design.  This information (along with very useful additional guidance) is found on the AQS website. Many patterns and quilt books include this permission for non-commercial uses, so you might want to check the fine print before seeking permission.

Some Definitions

Original – A completely original design, not based on or inspired by anyone else’s patterns, photographs, or artwork.

Hand Appliqué – Top contains appliqué, which has been sewn on by hand.

Machine Appliqué – Top contains appliqué, which has been sewn on using a sewing machine.

Hand Quilted – Quilted by hand only. No machine quilting has been done.

Stationary Machine – A domestic sewing machine or a sit-down mid-arm or long arm machine like the Handiquilter Sweet Sixteen or the Bernina Q20. The machine stands still and the fabric is moved around under the needle.

Track Machine – The sewing machine rides on a track and is moved around the quilt which is held on rollers and doesn’t move.

Computer Guided Design/Quilting – Automatic machine quilting via a computer attachment which has been programmed with a design and does the quilting.