For two full days, there was A Lot of commotion going on in a wing of the Ontario Convention Center prior to the start of Road. While the official program listed the names of five judges (three for the regular showcase and two for the new modern quilting category), there were a lot more people involved than just the judges to insure a credible judging experience. How did they do it?

Over a dozen volunteers were on hand to assist with the judging process. Everyone from quilt handlers (individuals who move the quilts to the various judging stations), to scribes (individuals who write down notes from the judges’ comments), to an awards clerk (the person charged with keeping track of the various awards assigned to the quilts) are in the room. Even the quilt show floor designer is present so she can learn firsthand who the eventual winners are so she can make last minute adjustments. Road does not double ribbon any of their entries. Awards are first assigned within each category. From there, high ranked quilts are pulled from their entry category and reserved to be considered for the contest awards.    

The judging process is the same for each category. First, the name of the category is announced and volunteers bring all quilts submitted in that category to a large table in front of the judges, laying them down in a pile. One by one, the quilts are reviewed from the pile by the judges.

The judges talk among themselves regarding the merits of each quilt. One judge represents the group as the “spokesperson judge” and offers the official comments which are written down by a set of scribes. Each set is made up of two people; one to hand write the judges’ comments and one who transcribes the comments on the computer. This is to insure accuracy. There are two sets of scribes so that the process can keep moving.

When all of the quilts in a category have been reviewed, volunteers then take the quilts held for award consideration from the judging table and hold them up so the judges can place them in first, second, third and honorable mention order. All of the first place quilts in each category are pulled and become eligible for the top prizes. Should one of these quilts win a top prize, the awards clerk goes back to the category and bumps up the rankings of the remaining quilts. Some categories are so strong that there might be 5 or 6 representatives as eventual contest winners.

When the judging is completed, winning quilters are announced via email. Said one winner, Sharon Beyer, on Road’s Facebook page, “I am on cloud nine…. and rising……just got the e-mail from Road to California Quilters Conference & Showcase.” Sharon won Honorable Mention for the category, Traditional Wall Applique.

Nothing but thorough, thoughtful judging for the best in the west quilt show.

For a complete listing of all the winners, go to: www.road2ca.com

Quilt submissions for Road to California’s 2014 Contest were due October 1st.  All accepted entries have been notified by email. During the next few weeks, qualifying quilts will begin arriving at the Road office. Soon, the judging will begin!!!

With over $50,000 in cash prizes to be awarded, our judges work earnestly in considering each eligible entry.  Judging for Road is unlike judging for other shows. According to Stevii Graves, Road’s  Judging Coordinator since 2002, there are Five Reasons why judging for Road to California is so unique: 

1. How they are judged. Most quilt contests judge the quilts as they hang in the exhibit hall by categories. At Road, quilts are judged laying flat on tables.

2. Experience. Many of the volunteers working Road’s judging floor have been working on the floor since 1997. They know their jobs and are the key to a smoothly operating judging floor.

2013 Bet of Show “Red Feathers”

3. Expertise. Several volunteers working on the judging floor are judges in their own right.

4. State of the Art Record Keeping. Road to California has a fantastic computer program that allows judging comments to be entered on-line. It also keeps track of which quilts have been judged, what special awards they may be awarded, and more. The judges’ comments along with the final results are emailed to the quilters Tuesday evening when the judging has been completed.   

2013 Masterpiece Winner: The Peaceful Ones

5. Recognition. Every quilt entered into the Road to California quilt competition is returned with a quilt label that can be sewn to the quilt that says that this quilt was entered into Road’s quilt competition. In the past, these labels have been silk screened. This year, the labels have all been machine embroidered.

2013 Director’s Award: Carousel Stampede

I can’t wait to see which quilts will be judged Road to California’s  2014 Quilters’ Conference and Showcase  Award Winning Entries. How about you?