THE COMPETITIVE EDGE IN QUILTING
- Tilly de Harde
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
WHY ENTERING YOUR QUILT MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK.
Every second year, as the South African National Quilt Festival approaches, I start hearing the same quiet concerns from students and fellow quilters:
‘My quilt isn’t good enough.’
‘I can’t compete against master quilters.’‘
The judges terrify me.’
Every year, I want to gently shake you and say: you’re missing the point of quilt competitions entirely! I am not only talking about the South African quilters! Many of you are from countries far away where quilt competitions happen all the time.
Let’s talk about the competitive edge in quilting — not in the sense of beating others but in the sense of growing, learning and being part of something much bigger than your own sewing room.
QUILT COMPETITIONS ARE NOT ONE BIG CATEGORY
One of the biggest misconceptions is that all quilts compete against all quilts. They don’t.
At the National Quilt Festival, there are categories for everyone!
Beginners
Intermediate quilters
Advanced and master quilters
Traditional quilts
Modern quilts
Art quilts
Have a look here for rules and categories: https://sewawareness2026.co.za/south-african-national-quilt-festival-competition/
Your job is not to ask, ‘Is my quilt as good as theirs?’
Your job is to ask, ‘Which category does my quilt belong in?’
When you enter in the correct category, you are being judged alongside quilters at a similar level — not against someone with 30 years of experience and a suitcase full of international awards. That levels the playing field more than you realise.
YOU ARE NOT COMPETING AGAINST MASTER QUILTERS
You are competing alongside them — just in different spaces. Master quilters didn’t start out as masters. Every single one of them once entered a first quilt, nervously filled in an entry form and worried about what the judges might say. The only difference between them and someone who never enters a competition is this: They kept putting their work out there!
If you wait until you feel ‘ready’, you may never enter at all.
WITHOUT ENTRIES, THERE IS NO EXHIBITION
This is something many quilters don’t think about. A quilt exhibition doesn’t magically appear. It exists only because quilters are brave enough to enter their work. No entries means no exhibition. No exhibition means no inspiration, no learning and no shared experience. When you enter a quilt, you’re not just entering for yourself —you are contributing to the entire quilting community. Your quilt might be the one that inspires a beginner to keep going or gives someone the courage to try a new technique. Believe me, that matters!
JUDGES ARE NOT THE ENEMY
Let’s clear this up once and for all. Judges are not there to intimidate you or tear your work apart. They are experienced quilters who understand construction, recognise good design and see potential and not just flaws! Their feedback is one of the most valuable learning tools you will ever get — if you allow it to be so. Instead of asking, ‘What did I do wrong?’ Ask, ‘What can I improve next time?’ That shift in mind-set is where growth happens!
THE REAL COMPETITIVE EDGE
The real competitive edge in quilting is not perfection, flawless points or comparing yourself to others. It is choosing the right category, being willing to learn and having the courage to show your work. Every quilt you enter teaches you something — even if it doesn’t win a ribbon. Often, the biggest wins aren’t hanging around your neck — they’re happening quietly in your skills, your confidence and your creative voice.
THIS IS YOUR INVITATION
If you’re thinking of entering a quilt in the Sewawareness quilt competition at the National Quilt Festival or in any of the many competitions abroad but feel overwhelmed — please know this:
There is space for you.
There is a category for your quilt
and there is value in your work!
Enter your quilt.
Trust the process
and let the experience grow you!
Most importantly — remember that quilting has always been about community, shared knowledge and stories told in cloth. I hope to see your quilt hanging on those walls.
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