Prize Categories & Submission Guidelines

PLEASE NOTE: Associate Award prizes are available to some Prize categories and not others. The organisation offering the Associate Award might have their own specific criteria for judging that means only specific categories qualify. For more information on the Associate Awards and their judging criteria please see the awards page.

If you have never entered the Hand & Lock Prize before you might be unsure how it works and what you should be working towards. This page is designed to give you a better understanding of how you should proceed if you want to impress the judges and win the top prize.

Please see below for information about what to make for your designated category and what to submit for each stage of the judging process.

More information can be found on our Prize FAQs page.

The Fashion category is for anyone who has incorporated embroidery into a fashion look. Fashion entrants should design a fashion garment that takes inspiration from the prize brief. Your submission should be an entire outfit, you may have one standout piece but please consider the full look.

Your submission should showcase your design skill as well as your ability to embroider. Judges will look at your concept, execution, construction, embroidery skill and overall presentation.

Again please note, you will be required to enter one full outfit. (All types of hand embroidery, hand-guided machine embroidery and digital embroidery will be accepted).

UK Female clothing size 8: Due to the mannequins we use, please do not make your designs smaller than the following measurements:

Bust 81cm / 32″
Waist 66 cm /26″
Hips 86.5 cm / 34″

UK Male Clothing size Medium: Due to the mannequins we use, please do not make your designs smaller than the following measurement:

Chest 96 cm / 38″
Waist 88 cm /35″

The Textile Art category allows entrants to enter any piece of embroidery that falls under the textile art remit. Textile Art entrants should design an art piece or object that takes inspiration from the prize brief. We welcome submissions of jewellery, interior design, fashion accessories, art installations and more.

If your piece incorporates embroidery and isn’t a fashion look, we want to see it. However, please do not submit samples and swatches. Your submission must be a fully-rendered object showcasing your design and embroidery skill. Judges will be looking for originality, embroidery technique, execution and overall presentation.

Again please note, you will be required to enter one completed art work/object. (All types of hand embroidery, hand-guided machine embroidery and digital embroidery will be accepted).

For the first round entrants should only submit images. These images should convey a combination of your overall vision, your design journey, your research and include fine details. If your submission is incomplete, images of your work in progress and a rendering of your overall scheme can be submitted.

Our judges will use these images to asses your embroidery vision and how you have chosen to interpret the brief. Judges will look for evidence of your inventive and original interpretation, as well as your technical ability and overall design.

For the online submission you will be asked to upload 4 images. These images should meet the following criteria:

Your images must be JPEGs, preferably in square format. 

The 4 images should show;

Image 1 – The concept of your design, research and development e.g the beginning of your story and how your design connects to the brief. (This can be a collage of images but do not include text or images of your Pinterest board.)

Image 2 – Samples, progress and where you will be heading e.g the middle of your story (DO NOT submit multiple images or text)

Image 3 – A close up of your work e.g something important that you feel is important that the judges see and showcase your strengths and techniques (DO NOT submit multiple images or text)

Image 4 – Finished piece/Work in progress e.g the end of your story, if not yet completed, a clear idea of what your final design will look like. (DO NOT submit multiple images or text)

– There is also an option to add supporting text to explain each of your photos, your concept and relationship to the brief, and techniques/materials used and about your final piece (max 200 words per image).

– Please note that judges will use these images to determine who goes through to the next round and it is vital they understand your overall vision. Please ensure the images are in focus and not too light/dark.

– No physical work needs to be submitted at this stage, you are only required to send your work to Hand & Lock if you become a finalist in the Competition.

– Your images should demonstrate that you have followed the specially written brief.

– Your images should not be doctored, edited or filtered, obscuring your overall design vision or your embroidery skill.

If you are selected by the judges to become a finalist, only then will you need to send your physical work to Hand & Lock. Your piece will be photographed and then exhibited at a live public event. As such, your physical submission must meet the following criteria:

– If submitting for the Textile Art category you may submit any embroidered object that is not considered a fashion outfit. This includes, but is not limited to, jewellery, fashion accessories, interior design, art-works and sculpture. It should be ready to hang or display.

– If easily prone to damage or especially delicate please supply adequate packaging and a sturdy container.

– If submitting a fashion garment please ensure that you submit one full outfit (designed to be worn by a model/mannequin).

– If submitting a fashion garment, your submission should showcase your design and embroidery skill.