Diane LeClair
National Quilting Association Certified Quilt Judge
National Association of Certified Quilt Judges
Originally from Maine, Diane (De) is a self-taught appliqué artist who has been crafting quilts since 1981. Her quilts feature the colors of nature and showcase her love for appliqué and embroidery. De is known for her fine hand quilting but is also an avid long arm quilter. Her work has appeared and won awards at local, regional and national quilt shows including six Best of Show Awards, six Viewer’s Choice Awards, Merit Hand Quilting Awards and Best Machine Quilting Award. She is the recipient of the distinguished Masterpiece Quilt Award given by the National Quilt Association for Coeur du Vigne .
“Judging is a natural extension of my passion for quilting. I believe it is important to encourage and promote growth in quilting at all levels. I am continually amazed at the creativity quilters’ display in their art. Most of all I love the art of quilting and the closeness it fosters in all of us.” De obtained her Judging Certification through the National Quilting Association in 2002 and was qualified to evaluate Masterpiece quilts in 2003. De is a charter member of the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges (NACQJ).
Shawn Sickle
Quilting was something that Shawn Sickle admired from a far while she was busy raising a family and running a business. Her mother was an avid quilter, and they would regularly go to quilt shows over the years. Then in 2010 the opportunity came to make a quilt for her first granddaughter and the rest is history, as they say. That first quilt sparked an interest that has since blossomed into a passion. In 2018 she was introduced to longarm quilting which expanded her repertoire and catapulted the progression into quilt judging. Since becoming a candidate of the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges (NACQJ) in 2022 Shawn has been actively judging and working in shows throughout the country. She was a finalist in the 2023 and 2024 Cherrywood Fabric Challenge and the 2023 Hoffman Fabric Challenge, as well as being juried into two Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) exhibits. She was also selected to serve on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Quilt Show Committee. Shawn is driven to pursue a judging certification through the NACQJ to share her passion for the craft as well as empower and encourage fellow quiltmakers.