Meet the 2026 OPQG Quilt Show Judge: Sandy Gard

We are pleased to welcome Sandy Gard, a NACQJ-certified quilt judge from Oklahoma, as the official judge for the 2026 OPQG Quilt Show. In addition to her judging duties, Sandy will also be presenting two educational lectures during the show.

Walk-and-Talk in the Exhibit Hall with a Quilt Show Judge—Join Sandy on Thursday, June 11th, from 8:00 to 8:45 am for a walk through our gallery of quilts to hear tips on what she looks for when judging a quilt.

Lecture: Proportion and Scale—Join Sandy on June 11th, from 1:30 to 2:30 pm to discover how proportion and scale play a vital role in the art of quilting. This lecture will provide visual examples and practical insights to help you design quilts that are both cohesive and dynamic.

A lifelong quilter with a deep appreciation for the heritage and artistry of quilting, Sandy is a self-taught seamstress who began sewing at the age of six. Her passion for quilting was sparked at her grandmother’s farmhouse in rural Texas, where neighbors gathered to quilt together—lowering the quilting frame from the living room ceiling and sharing stories as they stitched. Those early experiences left a lasting impression and continue to shape Sandy’s love for quilting as both a craft and a community tradition.

With more than 21 years of experience running a home-based sewing business, Sandy became a longarm quilter in 2007. In 2014, she entered the National Quilting Association (NQA) Judging Program, completing four years of intensive training alongside certified judges and evaluating quilts at shows across the region. Today, she holds board positions in four local quilt guilds and serves as the judging coordinator for one guild.

Sandy is passionate about preserving quilting’s rich history while also celebrating its continued evolution. She is deeply committed to mentoring and encouraging quilters of all ages and skill levels, believing quilting to be both a time-honored art form and a vibrant, living tradition.

Understanding the Judging Process

  • Quilt show judging is a thoughtful—but necessarily brief—process. Judges recognize that quilters represent a wide range of experience and skill levels. Each quilt is evaluated using multiple criteria, including:

    • Overall design and visual impact

    • Color choices and fabric coordination

    • Piecing accuracy and construction quality

    • Binding workmanship

    • Quilting density, stitch quality, and design execution

    • Tension, thread selection, and finishing techniques

    • Appliqué precision (when applicable)

    • Start-and-stop handling and attention to detail

    While judges can spend only a few minutes with each quilt, they strive to provide clear, constructive feedback. Written critiques typically highlight both strengths and opportunities for improvement; however, judges are unable to provide step-by-step instructions for correcting issues.

    Once all quilts are evaluated, entries are compared within their categories, and ribbons and awards are determined based on the overall merits of each piece.