Badge Program

Objective: To break out of the "flat" plane and explore how quilting can take shape in the physical world. This badge celebrates structure, form, and functionality, challenging you to transform two-dimensional fabrics into three-dimensional masterpieces that have depth, volume, and life.

Requirements: To earn this badge, a member must complete four (4) separate projects that combine quilting techniques with non-flat objects or structural forms.

Guidelines: The goal is to move beyond the traditional wall hanging or flat quilt top. Your projects should occupy space or be designed for a specific 3-D use. The four items can include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Wearable Art: Create quilted clothing such as a vest, jacket, or even a patchwork sleeping bag that contours to the body.
• Structured Bags: Construct a quilted tote, backpack, or duffel bag that holds its own shape through the use of heavy stabilizers or clever geometry.
• Soft Sculpture: Design and quilt a non-flat artistic piece, such as a quilted bowl, a plush creature, or an abstract fiber sculpture.
• Functional Home Goods: Create items that wrap or cover 3-D objects, such as a quilted tea cozy, a fitted sewing machine cover, or a structured storage bin.

Scale: Because 3-D projects vary wildly in complexity, there is no set size requirement. Your items can range from a large-scale quilted garment to a small, intricate fabric vessel.

Objective: To build proficiency and inspire creativity by integrating hand-quilting techniques into modern projects. This badge celebrates the "human element" of quilting—visible, intentional stitches that add texture and soul to every finish.

Requirements: To earn this badge, a member must complete four (4) separate quilted items that feature functional or decorative hand-stitching.

Guidelines: You do not need to hand-quilt an entire project from edge to edge. Instead, the handwork must be a visible, intentional design element. The four items can include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Hand Quilting: finish your quilt top using a needle and thread to sew through three layers (the quilt top, the batting, and the backing) by hand to hold them together.
• Big Stitch Binding: Finish the binding of a quilt or large project using a chunky thread (like size 8 or 12 perle cotton) with visible, decorative stitches on the front.
• Hand-Quilted Accents: A machine-quilted project that includes areas of hand-quilted "pop"—such as echoing a specific shape, "big stitch" straight lines in a negative space, or stitching through a specific block to add dimension.
• Utility Stitching: Use a traditional"utility stitch" (longer, more rustic stitches) to join layers or secure a quilt sandwich on a small project like a wall hanging or pillow.
• Hand-Applied Elements: Hand-stitched applique or "Kawandi" style hand-piecing/quilting on a small scale.

Scale: We are not requiring a set size for projects; your items can be as large as a 100% hand-quilted quilt or smaller-scale projects like pillows, mini-quilts, or a quilted bag.

Objective: To master the art of precision and geometry through the versatile techniques of English Paper Piecing (EPP) and/or Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP). This badge celebrates the "perfect point"—the ability to create complex, intricate designs that are only possible through the structural support of paper templates.

Requirements: To earn this badge, a member must complete four (4) separate quilted items that feature a significant paper pieced component.

Guidelines: You may choose to focus entirely on one method or mix and match both for a well-rounded skill set. The four items can include (but are not limited to) the following:

• English Paper Piecing (EPP): Create a project using the traditional hand-sewn method (like Hexagons, Diamonds, or Lucy Boston blocks) where fabric is basted over paper templates before being joined.
• Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP): Complete a project using the machine-sewing method, where fabric is stitched directly onto a paper or non-woven foundation to achieve sharp angles and perfect intersections.
• Hybrid Projects: A project that intentionally combines both methods—for example, an FPP-heavy background featuring EPP appliquéd elements on top.

Scale: Each of the four items must have a minimum size of 12" x 12" This can be a finished wall hanging, a decorative pillow, a large tote bag, or a block integrated into a larger quilt top.

Objective: To celebrate the vibrant legacy and technical mastery of our own Sarah Bond. This badge honors her unique approach to color, geometry, and tradition, encouraging you to take the lessons learned in her workshops and translate them into your own artistic voice.

Requirements: To earn this badge, a member must complete four (4) new projects utilizing patterns, templates, or specific design techniques taught by Sarah Bond.

Guidelines: While classic quilt tops are always welcome, this badge encourages you to apply Sarah’s signature style to a variety of forms. The four items can include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Signature Renditions: Complete a quilt or wall hanging based directly on one of Sarah’s patterns or workshop lessons.
• Inspired Wearables: Take a Sarah Bond motif and integrate it into a quilted garment, such as a jacket back or a quilted vest.
• Functional Sarah Bond: Apply her geometric techniques to everyday items like a set of bold placemats, a table runner, or a high-impact tote bag.
• Experimental Mashups: Combine a technique learned from Sarah with your own original layout or an unconventional color palette to "stretch" the lesson into something new.

Scale: There is no set size requirement for these projects. Whether you create a grand-scale masterpiece or a series of smaller, technique-focused studies, the goal is to showcase the skills Sarah has shared with our guild.

Objective: To celebrate resourcefulness and creative problem-solving by "sewing down your stash" This badge honors the traditional spirit of quilting—making something beautiful and functional by using exactly what you have on hand, encouraging you to experiment with unexpected color stories and fabric combinations.

Requirements: To earn this badge, a member must complete four (4) finished quilts constructed exclusively from their existing fabric library.

Guidelines: The challenge is to resist the urge to buy "just one more yard" to make a project work. Every element of the quilt top should come from your current collection. The four items can include (but are not limited to) the following:

• True Scrap Quilts: A project utilizing small pieces and "crumbs" to create a cohesive design, such as a postage stamp quilt, crumb quilt, string quilt, etc.
• Stash-Busting Palettes: A project where you curate a specific color story using only fabrics already in your bins, even if they come from different designers or eras.
• Substrate Mixing: Experimenting by combining different fabric types from your stash, such as linen, lawn, or denim, to add unique texture.
• Value Studies: Using your stash to create a design that relies on light-to-dark transitions rather than specific fabric lines or prints.

Scale: To ensure a significant "dent" is made in your stash, each of the four quilts must be a minimum size of 18" x 18". These can be wall hangings, baby quilts, or large-scale bed quilts.

Objective: To break free from the quilt shop bolt and explore the creative potential of non-traditional foundations. This badge celebrates sustainability and innovation, challenging you to look at everyday objects—from candy wrappers to vintage linens—as the raw ingredients for your next masterpiece.

Requirements: To earn this badge, a member must complete four (4) separate items created without the use of conventional fabric yardage.

Guidelines: Unlike other badges, these projects do not need to be quilted! The focus is entirely on the material choice and construction. To keep with the spirit of the challenge, even your batting should be "franken-batted" from scraps. The four items can include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Upcycled Apparel: Create an item using fabric harvested from old clothing, such as a memory quilt from t-shirts, a bag from denim jeans, or a pillow from wool sweaters.
• Found Objects: Incorporate non-textile items into a functional piece, such as weaving candy wrappers into a pouch or using plastic bags to create "plarn" (plastic yarn).
• Domestic Salvage: Repurpose household linens like vintage tablecloths, lace doilies, curtains, or grain sacks to give them a second life.
• Structural Fibers: Experiment with materials like rope, twine, or hardware cloth to create 3D objects, bowls, or home goods.

Scale: There is no minimum size requirement for this badge, allowing you to experiment with both large-scale upcycled quilts and small-scale experimental accessories.

Objective: To conquer the "quilt guilt" and reclaim the creative energy tied up in stalled projects. This badge celebrates perseverance and problem-solving, encouraging you to revisit abandoned works—whether your own or those rescued from others—and transform them into finished treasures.

Requirements: To earn this badge, a member must complete four (4) quilted items that were previously set aside as Unfinished Objects (UFOs).

Guidelines: A UFO is any project that has been "languishing" in a drawer, bin, or closet for a significant amount of time. You choose the challenge level required to bring these pieces to the finish line. The four items can include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Personal Rescues: Revisit a project you abandoned because you ran out of fabric, lost interest, or felt stuck on a specific technique.
• The "Inherited" UFO: Complete a quilt top or block set started by a family member, a friend, or a fellow guild member that was never finished.
• Thrifted Finds: Finish a project found at a yard sale, estate sale, or antique shop, honoring the original maker’s work while adding your own touch.
• The "Mistake" Makeover: Take a project you previously hid away due to technical errors and use your current skills to fix, pivot, or creatively "embrace" the mistakes to reach a finish.

Scale: There is no set size for these projects; your items can range from a full-sized bed quilt to smaller-scale UFOs like table runners, wall hangings, bags, or individual blocks turned into finished pillows, etc.