General Information and Rules

Archive Mode. Call Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Quilt Contest 2023 ended on 1/14/23, 12:00 AM. Call settings are read only. See Current Open Calls

General Information and Rules

DISPLAY

Selected entries will be displayed in NRG Center February 28 – March 19, 2023. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo reserves the right to exhibit quilts as space and criteria permit. 

DIVISIONS

There are 2 divisions in the quilt contest: Adult and Youth.

Adult

There are 2 subdivisions in the Adult Division, each with five categories:

  1. MACHINE QUILTING
    1. appliqué,
    2. piecework,
    3. pictorial (theme quilt),
    4. wall hanging (minimum size is 18” x 18”; maximum size is 60” x 60”), and
    5. mixed technique (which includes any technique not covered in other specific categories).
  2. HAND QUILTING
    1. appliqué,
    2. piecework,
    3. pictorial (theme quilt),
    4. wall hanging (minimum size is 18” x 18”; maximum size is 60” x 60”) and
    5. mixed technique (which includes any technique not covered in other specific categories).

Youth

There are 2 subdivisions in the Youth Division: Machine Quilting or Hand Quilting. Youth entries may be further categorized at the discretion of HLSR.

  1. MACHINE QUILTING
  2. HAND QUILTING

JUDGING

Quilts will be judged in the following five areas:

  1. Overall Appearance - Condition of the quilt, neatness, pleasing feel, appearance, uniqueness, and relationship of borders to quilt
  2. Workmanship - Accuracy of piecing or appliqué, quality of stitching, bindings, and corners
  3. Suitability / Color - Compatibility of materials to function and to each other, and design and color in relationship to intended use
  4. Originality - Deviations of familiar patterns as well as total design
  5. Design - Scale, placement, unity, distinctiveness, originality, and relationship of quilting design

AWARDS

Adult Division:

Best of Show

Two (2) Best of Subdivision

Ten (10) Best of Category

Blue, red, white, and green ribbons in each category within the subdivisions

Best of Go Texan

Youth Division:*

Best of Show

Two (2) Best of Subdivision

Blue, red, white, and green ribbons

Best of Go Texan Youth

* Youth entries may be further categorized at the discretion of HLSR. If further categorization takes place, additional ribbons may be awarded.

Across the divisions, two (2) Judges’ Choice ribbons will be awarded in recognition of special merit as designated by each judge of the quilt contest. One (1) final ribbon will be awarded to the quilt voted as the favorite by the quilt subcommittee members.

ELIGIBILITY

Entry is open to quilters residing in the following Texas counties: Anderson, Angelina, Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Bell, Bosque, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Colorado, Comanche, Coryell, DeWitt, Falls, Fayette, Fort Bend, Freestone, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Gregg, Grimes, Hamilton, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Henderson, Hill, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Karnes, Lampasas, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Live Oak, Madison, Matagorda, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Panola, Polk, Refugio, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Shelby, Smith, Trinity, Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton and Williamson counties.

Best of Go Texan Award

Eligibility for the Best of Go Texan Award will be determined by Area Go Texan or Houston Metro Go Texan Committee officials. Each quilt entry must be constructed within the geographical boundaries of the Go Texan Committee it represents within the past two calendar years (January of 2021 through December of 2022). Each county/subcommittee may have two official entries, one for the Adult Division and one for the Youth Division.

Contestants for the Best of Go Texan award may represent only one of the following Go Texan committees: Area Go Texan or Houston Metro Go Texan.

Area Go Texan Committee – One quilt entry from each of the following counties:

Anderson, Angelina, Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Bell, Bosque, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cherokee, Colorado, Comanche, Coryell, DeWitt, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Goliad, Gonzales, Gregg, Grimes, Hamilton, Hardin, Harrison, Henderson, Hill, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Karnes, Lampasas, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Live Oak, Madison, Matagorda, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Panola, Polk, Refugio, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Shelby, Smith, Trinity, Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Washington, Wharton and Williamson counties.

Houston Metro Go Texan Committee – One quilt entry from the following subcommittees: Aldine/Spring/Klein, Alief/Southwest, Alvin/Pearland, Baytown/Highlands, Brazoria/Southwest, Channelview/Sheldon, Chambers County, Conroe/Willis/The Woodlands, Crosby/Huffman, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend/Stafford, Galveston Mainland, Humble/Kingwood, Jacinto City/Galena Park, Katy, Lamar/Needville, Liberty County, NASA/Clear Creek/Friendswood, New Caney/Splendora, Pasadena/Deer Park/LaPorte, Spring Branch/Memorial, Tomball/Magnolia/Montgomery and Waller County.

 

CONTEST FORMAT

Quilts will be submitted for judging in a private session by qualified judges. The judges’ comments sheets and award ribbon(s) will be mailed back with the quilt.

RULES

  1. Only online entries will be accepted. Beginning September 1, 2022, entrants must complete the online form available at http://rodeohouston2023.artcall.org. The entry form requires 2-3 photos (full front view, detail/close up of front, and back view), a 150-words or less artist statement, and a $30 entry fee, payable at https://secure.rodeohouston.com/donate/?code=QuiltShow. Please use the same email address at both sites so that fees can be matched with each entry. Entry fees are nonrefundable. No substitutions allowed.
  2. Pieces that have been on prior exhibit at the Rodeo are not eligible for entry.
  3. Quilts must consist of three layers: a backing, a batting and a top, with the exception of yo-yo quilts, cathedral-window style quilts, and crazy quilts.
  4. Quilts may be appliquéd, pieced or any combination of quilting techniques. Quilting and piecing of the quilt may be done by machine or hand. If machine quilted, each block must be 2/3 quilted.
  5. Maximum size permitted: 108" x 108". Smaller quilts and wall hangings will be accepted. When measuring quilts, a metal tape measure should be used.
  6. Quilts must have been constructed within the past two calendar years (January of 2021 through December of 2022) and must be finished/completed at time of entry.
  7. Youth Division: All workmanship (including quilting and finishing) must be done by an individual or group within the youth age range to qualify for the Youth Division. Youth age range is defined as 21 or below on December 31, 2022. If any part of the quilt was worked on by an individual older than 21, the quilt will be judged in the Adult Division.
  8. Only colorfast fabrics that have been pre-shrunk are to be used in the quilts entered in the contest. Any fabric used should be no more than 50 percent synthetic fiber, including backing, except for crazy quilts. Double knits may not be used.
  9. No pre-printed quilt cloth (cheater cloth), pre-quilted fabric, or pre-printed whole cloth quilt tops may be used.
  10. Manufactured quilts will not be accepted.
  11. Quilts made from mass-produced kits will not be accepted. This includes block of the month quilts made from fabrics pre-selected for the quiltmaker. * Block of the month patterns will be allowed only if quiltmaker has selected their own fabrics.
  12. Entrants are responsible to ensure that their entry complies with all applicable copyright laws. 
  13. Entries made using a published design, pattern or digital embroidery must acknowledge book, pattern, and/or designer. Credit must be given to the author, teacher, artist, etc. who inspired the work, if applicable.
  14. Quilt may be made either by an individual or by a group of quilters, but acknowledgement must be given to anyone participating in the execution of the quilt, and all participants must reside within eligible Texas counties. See ELIGIBILITY, above.
  15. Quilts that require special handling will not be accepted. Quilts must be able to be stacked, boxed or folded with other pieces without damage to itself or other quilts stacked, boxed or folded with it.
  16. Quilts must arrive clean and in good condition. Quilts found to be soiled, ripped or torn, stained or to have an unpleasant odor will be disqualified.
  17. Quilts must be delivered enclosed in a sturdy, large, clear, appropriately sized blanket bag with a working zipper and without wire support (wire is hard to pack and/or could break and damage the quilt). Please DO NOT use a pillow case or cloth bag.  To protect the quilt, the bag must be in good condition. Quilts not submitted in such a bag will be subject to a $5 fee for the provision of this bag. 
  18. Each quilt entry must have a 4 in. finished double casing sewn across the full width of the back of the top edge for hanging on a rod in the display. This is called the sleeve. This sleeve needs to be stitched on the top and bottom.  For more information, please see the Sleeve/Casing Instructions below.
  19. A label must be sewn on the back of each quilt. The label must be embroidered, typed, or written with a fabric pen on muslin. DO NOT use ballpoint pen. Label must include the name of the quilt, quiltmaker(s) name, quilt owner’s name and contact information, and the county name for Area Go Texan contestants or area name for Houston Metro contestants, if applicable. This label should be covered by a 3" x 5 " index card using safety pins to attach it temporarily to the quilt in order to preserve anonymity during the judging process.
  20. All decisions of the jurors and judges are final. HLSR reserves the right to decline any entry, including those that fail to follow the quilt contest rules.