Entering Competitions

Our Class Act Chat topic last week was entering needlework competitions. I realize many of us simply love to stitch, and competing is not something we all choose to do. For others, the challenge provided by entering a needlework competition is something they enjoy. I've entered several, primarily to see how my work stands up with the work of other stitchers. But as with nearly all things having to do with needlework, this is a matter of choice. :-)

Where does one find needlework competitions? There are many of them available. Probably the most convenient in terms of travel and delivering a piece of needlework are the county fairs. The majority of counties or parishes even within a state vary greatly, as I can attest from entering in 3 different Ohio county fairs at different times and having seen the needlework entered at others. The quality of the needlework entered can vary, as can the categories for needlework and the quality of the judging. You'll find more about categories and judging later in this article. It was noted by several chatters that fairs are not often the cleanest places to exhibit needlework that isn't protected by glass simply because of the environment. Although needlework is shown inside a building, fair grounds can be very dusty.

State fairs also provide an opportunity for stitchers to show off their needlework in competition. Generally, I've found state fairs draw better quality needlework than do county fairs because they have a larger base of stitchers who are eligible to enter.

The Spirit of Cross Stitch Festivals also offer cross stitchers the chance to enter a juried competition, as do some local stitchery shows and festivals. The Embroiderers' Guild of America provides its members a variety of possibilities and challenges for competition, as well. Juried shows may be held at the local, regional, or national level.

Many cross stitch shops will choose occasionally to have shows consisting of the needlework of their patrons. Sometimes, these are judged; other times, they are not. Organizations in communities will also give needle artists the chance to show their work for special occasions. Again, sometimes, these shows are juried, and other times, they are not.

Also, some of the companies who make needlework supplies will have competitions for stitchers who use their products. The most notable one recently was an anniversary competition done by DMC. Along these same lines, various stitchery magazines give needle artists chances to create items for competition.

In most competitions, the needle artist will have to choose to enter work in one of a number of categories, which are different from one show to the next. Some competitions will offer categories for different stitch counts, for a variety of themes (such as samplers), for different techniques (cross stitch, needlepoint, particular types of stitches, etc.), for stitcheries of a particular size, for holiday pieces, for original designs, etc. To find out what categories are available for any competition you are considering entering, you'll need to request from the organization sponsoring the show a list of categories. In the case of county and state fairs, premium books are available several months before the event occurs. They can be requested from the fair boards. Other competitions should provide you a list of categories upon request. One thing I did when I was entering county fairs was to plan a year in advance. I'd get the premium book, look at it, and decide whether anything I was going to stitch within the next year would qualify to show. I never stitched anything specifically for competition. I did the projects I enjoyed. I would, however, sometimes alter them to meet requirements.

In many cases, there will be an entry fee for each project you enter in a competition. This can vary from a small fee per project to purchasing a pass to go to the event sponsoring the competition. Once again, you'll need to contact the sponsors of the event to get this information. Of course, there are events that do not require entry fees. I have not seen a stitchery magazine that requires an entry fee for a contest, although I have not read ALL the stitchery mags out there. ;-) The stitchery shops near me do not ask an entry fee, either. Some may require you to provide proof you purchased the materials for the project from them, but this is not always so.

For the majority of shows, you will be required to register in advance. Some competitions limit the number of pieces that can be entered by one needle artist, primarily because of space limitations. There are competitions that will require you to send a photo of the completed project, and they select the final entries from those photos.

In most shows, there will be specific rules you must follow. Some may have to do with size, meaning the needlework cannot exceed certain measurements. Some competitions require no glass be used on any framed piece. Usually, this is so the judges can get "up close and personal" in examining the stitching itself. Most competitions require that framed pieces be ready to hang. You will also have to be sure your stitchery meets the criteria specified in any category. In some cases, needlework that doesn't meet requirements may be refused. In others, the needlework may be shown but will not be considered for premiums or prizes. I can give you an example here. Soon after 16-count Aida became widely available, I stitched a Saturday Evening Post cover on it, framed it, and entered it in my local county fair. The category was for 15-18 stitches per inch. The judges did not consider it, as I learned later from a note they attached to the back of the picture, because they claimed it was stitched on 14-count Aida. I knew better but decided it wasn't worth the time it would take to file a complaint. The entry fee and the premium being paid were small. I just chalked it up to judges who didn't know what they were looking at. And yes, the fabric was indeed 16-count. But the point is, you have to follow any rules set forth by the competition, or you may be disappointed. Rules should be available to you in entry information, and competitions believe it's your responsibility to see that your work conforms.

You will also find most needlework competitions offer some kind of premiums or prizes for winning entries. In the case of both county and state fairs in my area, premium money is paid to the first 3 places in each category. In addition, some fairs will offer a higher premium for the piece that wins Best of Show. In my experience, fair premiums are small, so one doesn't enter needlework at a fair for the monetary rewards. Some of the shops that have customer shows will offer merchandise for winning needlework, if it's judged by judges or voted upon by customers. Magazines and needlework supply companies often offer nice prize packages that may include publication of an original design, if that's one of the criteria for the competition. The supply companies often give prizes that include the products they sell. Makes sense. :-) I do know the Spirit of Cross Stitch Festivals have nice prize packages. It's been a while since I spoke with anyone who'd won there, but as I recall, cross stitch supplies were the prizes. Depending upon the show itself and the sponsors, other competitions offer a variety of awards for winning entries.

Now, to what everyone always wants to know: What do judges look for? As I begin this section, I want to comment that, IMHO, the quality of judging varies greatly depending upon what the event is. I have entered county fairs that have excellent needlework shows, excellent judges who know what they're seeing and who know how to judge, and even sessions for the entrants to hear the judges' comments. The Ohio State Fair also offers a session in which the judges critique the needlework. I like this kind of thing because it's educational for me. Many of the EGA challenges, etc., provide valuable critiques of needlework by very experienced and knowledgeable judges (EGA, as well as some of the other needlework guilds do offer classes for judges). So do the correspondence courses offered by EGA, although they are not competitive. This makes sense, too, because EGA's main focus is upon education about embroidery. They also encourage creativity.

I would also like to thank Mbroidry, who attended the Friday Class Act Chat and, as an experienced judge, offered us some valuable insights. :-)

1. In a quality needlework competition, framing is not supposed to be considered; however, the overall effect of a piece of needlework is judged. While it would seem not to be a priority, if I'm entering a competition of any kind, I do try to be sure framing and matting fit the needlework.

2. Judges for needlework competitions focus primarily on the stitching itself. This makes sense because that's what the competition is about. In fact, in some competitions, the entry is not permitted to have glass covering it at all because the judges want to look very closely at the stitching. And yes, at some competitions, judges DO indeed bring their Dazor lamps to examine very closely. Although they may not be able to see the back of a finished piece of needlework, they can tell what it's like simply by using light and magnification.

A. Cross stitches should all cross the same way unless you are altering them to achieve a particular effect. That's one of the few "musts" about cross stitch.

B. The stitches should not be twisted--that is, the floss strands should lie next to each other.

C. The stitch tension should be the same for all stitches of the same kind.

D. If specialty stitches are used, they should be used for a reason and not indiscriminately just to use them. (Thanks to Embroidry for this one.) Judges do like to see a variety of stitching or techniques used if they're done appropriately.

E. No tails on the back of the stitchery. Yup, they do show through the fabric.

F. Most major competitions do not allow the loop method of anchoring floss. I have not yet had the opportunity to research why that is, but I'll let you know when I find out.

G. There is still a great deal of controversy about the "right" and "wrong" ends of most flosses. Some judges look for that, while others don't. The best researched article I've ever read on the subject was in an issue of Needle Arts, the EGA national magazine. The author concluded that for silk and cotton fibers, there is no right or wrong end because of the nature of the fibers and the way they're made.

H. I have both read and heard that judges in high-level competitions want to see cross stitches worked so the majority of the back of the piece has vertical stitches. Again, this is a subject I haven't researched thoroughly, but I plan to do so.

I. No long carry-overs of threads on the back. The rule of thumb I try always to use is not to carry floss more than 2 stitches.

3. The majority of shows DO allow stitchery designed by someone other than the stitcher, so in many cases, you can enter something you stitched from a published chart. In many competitions, there may be one or more categories for original design. There may also be categories for adapted designs, for professionals and amateurs, etc. Again, this is information you'll need to find out before you enter.

4. Needlework should be clean and free of wrinkles.

5. Judges like originality, so creating a unique design can help you. IMHO, so can a unique use of a stitchery, creativity in choosing fabric color, and creativity in choosing fibers.

6. No marks from use of hoops.

7. Overall appearance. For example, if you've stitched a bellpull, the backing, the hardware, and any piping or other finishing you do can either add to or detract from the overall appearance.

As I've tried to point out throughout this article, every competition is different in some way. So are judges. If you can possibly get some insight into any competition you're thinking of entering from someone who has entered needlework in the same competition in the past, do so. The ultimate would be to have access to one or more judges who are willing to tell you specifically what they're looking for, but that is not often possible.

For more insights into entering competitions, check out the section of the Cross Stitch FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) available through Kathy Dyer's website at this address:

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