DEPARTMENT QUILT QUEST
Co-Superintendents:
Kelly Vincent & Jackie Ropers
A. 4-H entries must be made according to the printed 2026 Custer County Fair Premium Book and entered online by 5:00 p.m. on June 26. Instructions for online entries will be emailed to 4-H families on approximately May 15.
B. Entries may be entered 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, at the 4-H Building.
C. NUMBER OF ENTRIES PER INDIVIDUAL - Each individual is limited to one entry per class.
- IDENTIFICATION - Label each separate piece of the exhibit, including the supporting information card or sheet, with exhibitor's name and county.
EXHIBIT GUIDELINES
In Quilt Quest, 4-H members learn skills as they progress through the project. The least experienced 4-H member will select fabric, cut, and sew together only squares or rectangles in making the quilt top. They may have additional guidance in piecing the quilt block and layering together the quilt top, inner batting and the quilt bottom. Another person can do the quilting for them. If someone else does binding, the quilt must be entered in the intergenerational class.
In the Premier class, the 4-H member has developed skills to be able to do all of the work by himself/herself. This includes pattern and fabric selection, cutting and sewing individual pieces, layering the quilt top/batting/backing together, and quilting. Quilting may be done by hand, by sewing machine, or by a commercial-grade quilting machine. After quilting, the 4-H member must finish the quilt by "squaring it up," put binding on the edge, and placing a label on the quilt which provides details about the quilt making process for historical purposes.
RULES:
Please note the description of classes, which denote the degree of difficulty in construction and not the number of years in the project. A quilted exhibit consists of three or more layers. All quilted exhibits must be quilted (machine or hand) or tied. All quilt piecing and finishing must be the sole work of the 4-H member. Quilting, whether machine or hand quilted, may be done by another individual, except for the Premier Quilt class. No pre-quilted fabric may be used. Wall quilts must have a
hanging sleeve on the back of the quilt or some method for hanging. All quilted exhibits must be clean and finished for intended purpose.
Supporting Information for classes 50-83: On a half sheet of 8½ ” x 11” paper, include an explanation answering the following questions:
A) How and why did you select the design?
B) Why did you select the materials and what materials did you use?
C) Explain what you did and what was done by others.
D) What did you learn that could be used on your next project?
Exhibits without supporting information will be lowered a ribbon placing.
All support information must be attached using a safety pin. No straight pins.
When judging Quilt Quest exhibits, the judges consider SF209 “Standards for Judging Quilts and Quilted Items.”
For all classes, 4-H members can choose fabrics for the quilt by selecting fabric from fabric bolts. 4-H members may also use “fabric collections” offered by manufacturers in a particular designer or fabric line. Examples of fabric collections include:
- Jelly Rolls are made of (up to) 40 different strips of 2½” wide fabric laying on top of one another and rolled up to look like a jelly roll. The fabric is created by one designer or fabric line and compliments each other. In many cases, less skilled 4-H members find it difficult to cut narrow strips with a rotary cutter and ruler, so this fabric selection may make it easier as they learn.
- Honey Buns are made like Jelly Rolls with 1½” strips of fabrics.
- Layer Cakes are 10" squares of fabric from a manufactured designer or fabric line with different pieces of fabric “layered” on top of one another to look like a piece of cake.
- Charm Packs are made of 5" squares of coordinating fabric and may be tied up with a string or scrap of fabric.
- Candies are 2½” squares of fabric from a manufactured designer or fabric line.
- Turnover is a collection of coordinating fabrics that are cut into 6” triangles.
- Fat Quarters are ½ yard cuts of fabric which are cut in half to make a rectangle that is approximately 18” x 21”. (One half yard of fabric yields 2 fat quarters). The “fat quarter” can be more economical to purchase for a smaller quilt because the purchaser does not have to buy the entire yardage width.
- Fabric Kit is a collection of fabrics cut in large pieces to accommodate the requirements of a particular quilt pattern. The 4-H member must cut out all of the smaller squares, rectangles, etc. to make the quilt top according to the pattern directions.
After fabric selection, youth can use a variety of tools for cutting the fabric and completing the quilt. Cutting into pattern pieces may include hand roller die cutting machines that cut various shapes which can be appliqued to fabric. This is allowed in the construction of the quilt.
• A quilted exhibit is made up of at least 3 layers. Exhibits must be quilted or tied through all layers.
• Fleece blankets are not eligible in this division.
• Quilts must have a permanent label on the back in the bottom right corner with quilter’s name and date of completion.
Ribbons P. B. R. W.
$3.50 $3.00 $2.50 $2.00
EXPLORING QUILTS
CLASS C229010 Exploring Quilts - Illustrate some aspect of quilts or quilt making. Examples include, but are not limited to: language arts, quilts of different cultures, chemistry, design, preservation, history, construction, math-conversion of quilt patterns, textiles/fabrics, computerization, and entrepreneurship. History may include history of an old quilt or history/research of a particular style of quilt such as Baltimore album quilts or Amish quilts. Exhibit may be a 14” x 22” poster, a three-ring notebook that is 8½” x 11” in size, or the use of a digital platform. Multi-media presentations and exhibits are to be uploaded to a video streaming application and 4-H member must provide a hard copy QR code for viewing. 4-H members are encouraged to test their codes or link on several devices to check for appropriate permissions for public viewing. All items in an exhibit must be attached together and labeled. NO quilted items should be entered in this class. Supporting information is not needed for this class.
CLASS C229030 Computer Exploration - Exhibit may be a 14” x 22” poster or a three-ring notebook that is 8½” x 11” with a minimum of six computer generated quilt designs or color variations on a quilt design. Include information on type of program used, process used to generate designs, or how you used color to create different quilt designs. Supporting information is not needed for this class.
QUILT DESIGNS OTHER THAN FABRIC
Supporting information is required for this exhibit. On a half sheet of 8½” x 11” paper, include an explanation answering the following questions: A) How and why did you select the design? B) How and why did you select the color choice(s)? C) Explain what you did and what you learned by doing this project. Exhibits without supporting information will be dropped.
CLASS C229020 Quilt Design Other Than Fabric - Two or three-dimensional item with quilt design made using medium other than fabric, such as wooden quilt block, stained glass, paper, etc.
BARN QUILTS
A barn quilt is a large piece of wood that is painted to look like a quilt block.
Supporting information is required for this exhibit. On a half sheet of 8½” x 11” paper, include an explanation answering the following questions: A) How and why did you select the design? B) How and why did you select the color choice(s)? C) Explain what you did and what you learned by doing this project. Exhibits without supporting information will be dropped.
CLASS C229021 Barn Quilt created that is less than 4’ x 4’.
CLASS C229022 Barn Quilt created that is 4’ x 4’ or larger.
QUILTED EXHIBITS - Classes 40-42
CLASS C229040 Wearable Art - Quilted clothing or clothing accessory which must have a recognizable amount of quilting and may include fabric manipulation. Quilting must be done by 4-H member. On a half sheet of 8½” x 11” paper, tell how you selected the design and fabrics including whether or not you used a kit, jelly roll, charm squares, etc.
CLASS C229041 Inter-Generational Quilt - A quilt made by a 4-H member and family members or friends of different generations. On a half-sheet of 8½” x 11” paper, include an explanation answering the following questions: A) How was the quilt planned and who did what in the construction of the quilt? B) How did you select the design and fabrics including whether or not you used a kit, jelly roll, charm squares, etc.? C) What did you learn that you can use on your next project?
CLASS C229042 Service Project Quilt - A quilt constructed by a 4-H member or group to be donated to a worthy cause. On a half sheet of 8½” x 11” paper, include an explanation answering the following questions: A) Why was the quilt constructed and who will receive the donated quilt? B) How did you select the design and fabrics used including whether or not you used a kit, jelly roll, charm squares, etc.? C) What did you do and what was done by others? D) What did you learn that you can use on your next project?
Supporting Information for classes 50-83: On a half sheet of 8½ ” x 11” paper, include an explanation answering the following questions:
A) How and why did you select the design?
B) Why did you select the materials and what materials did you use?
C) Explain what you did and what was done by others.
D) What did you learn that could be used on your next project?
Exhibits without supporting information will be lowered a ribbon placing.
QUILTED EXHIBITS - Classes 50-52: Pieced quilts made up of squares and/or rectangles
CLASS C229050 Small - length + width = less than 60”. This size includes miniature quilts, wall hangings, table runners, placemats (4), and pillows. All items must be quilted. Pillows must have a quilted top, not just pieced patchwork.
CLASS C229051 Medium - length + width = 61” to 120”
CLASS C229052 Large - length + width = over 120”
QUILTED EXHIBITS - Classes 60-62: In addition to any of the methods in classes 50-52, quilts may have triangles, and/or may be embroidered.
CLASS C229060 Small - length + width = less than 60”. This size includes miniature quilts, wall hangings, table runners, placemats (4), and pillows. All items must be quilted. Pillows must have a quilted top, not just pieced patchwork.
CLASS C229061 Medium - length + width = 61” to 120”
CLASS C229062 Large - length + width = over 120”
QUILTED EXHIBITS - Classes 70-72: In addition to any of the methods in classes 50-62, quilts may have curved piecing, applique, Celtic style, stained glass style, paper piecing, art quilt style (An art quilt is an original exploration of a concept or idea rather than the handing down of a “pattern”. It experiments with textile manipulation, color, texture and/or a diversity of mixed media. An Art Quilt often pushes quilt world boundaries.), or other non-traditional styles.
CLASS C229070 Small - length + width = less than 60”. This size includes miniature quilts, wall hangings, table runners, placemats (4), and pillows. All items must be quilted. Pillows must have a quilted top, not just pieced patchwork.
CLASS C229071 Medium - length + width = 61” to 120”
CLASS C229072 Large - length + width = over 120”
PREMIERE QUILT - Classes 80-83: Entire quilt is the sole work of the 4-H member, including quilting (hand or machine). The youth may receive guidance but no one else may work on the quilt. Tied quilts are not eligible for this class.
CLASS C229080 Hand quilted
CLASS C229081 Sewing machine quilted
CLASS C229082 Long arm quilted - non-computerized/hand guided
CLASS C229083 Long arm quilted - computerized