AQS Quilt Contest - Des Moines - Deadline is Approaching

Now is the time to prepare your entry form for the AQS Quilt Show & Contest in Des Moines, Iowa.

Your quilt images on a CD-ROM (one of full quilt and one detail), completed entry blank, and entry fee must be received by AQS or postmarked no later than June 7, 2010.




Quiltmakers will be vying for $44,250 in cash awards. The five categories are:
Bed Quilts - Hand Quilted
Bed Quilts - Machine Quilted (Home sewing machine or longarm/midarm)
Wall Quilts - Hand Quilted
Wall Quilts - Machine Quilted (Home sewing machine or longarm/midarm)
Fabric Art - Quilted by Hand or Machine

You could win one of these special awards:
Best of Show award is $10,000; $5,000 each for Best Hand Workmanship, Best Machine Workmanship, and Best Longarm Workmanship; and $3,000 for Best Wall Quilt.
Plus, in each of the five categories, the first place winner receives $1,500; 2nd place receives $1,000; and 3rd place receives $750.

Be sure to check the measurements of your quilt to make sure it meets the size requirements for each category. Each quiltmaker can enter up to two quilts, one per category. Click here to download the rules and entry form.

If you have any questions about entering your quilt, contact Erin Ulrich, AQS Contest Coordinator, at erinulrich@AQSquilt.com or call 270-898-7903, ext. 174.

Today's News from AQS

AQS Authors featured on www.thequiltshow.com: Starting today you can see Episode 609 on TheQuiltShow.com featuring Judy Woodworth on Freeform Feathers and Bonnie Browning with Happy Endings.

You'll get to see Judy's beautiful quilting. Judy is a new AQS author and her book, Free Motion Quilting Handbook, will be out this summer.

Bonnie will be sharing her no-math method of making sure your borders fit every time and several edge finishes that are featured in her book, Borders & Finishing Touches 2.

There is plenty to learn from these two AQS authors...so tune in today to http://www.thequiltshow.com/ .
More photos from the Paducah Quilt Show: Dana Lynch was the roving reporter at the AQS Quilt Show for thequiltshow.com and she interviewed Annabel Baugher. Annabel won a 3rd place award in the Professional Patchwork category at the very first AQS Quilt Show in 1985. Today she is 90 years old and still quilting. Her quilt, Forever Spring, was juried into the Bed Quilts, Hand Quilted, category this year. Click here to go The Daily Blog of TheQuiltShow.com to read more and see photos of Annabel and her beautiful quilt.

Countdown to Knoxville Quilt Show - 79 Days

Our summer show will be here before you know it...

It is now just 79 days until the AQS Quilt Show & Contest in Knoxville, TN, that will be open July 14 - 17.
The show will be held at the Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley Street, Knoxville, Tennessee.

The exhibit hall will be filled with contest quilts, special quilt exhibits,

and the merchant mall featuring vendors with the latest products for quiltmaking

If you haven't made your room reservations, book your room using this online link, or call 865-588-7426 or 1-800-753-3823.

We are currently offering an Early Bird Booking Contest for the Knoxville Show. Book your hotel rooms for the AQS Quilt Show & Contest - Knoxville online or by calling 800-753-3823, using the reservation system, and be entered for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate to a local Knoxville quilt store! Reservations for this early bird booking contest must be made by May 15, 2010. The winner will be announced May 18, 2010 and notified prior to the show by email/mail. Certificate provided at the Knoxville Show (details will be provided to winner on where to pick up certificate). No other promotions apply.

Registration for workshops, lectures, and special events is open online, by fax (270-898-1173), or by mail (AQS, PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290). Telephone registration will open for Knoxville on May 5.

We have some great teachers for Knoxville, including:
Alex Anderson, Eleanor Burns, Elsie M. Campbell, Susan K. Cleveland, Kathy Delaney, Cynthia England, John Flynn, Renae Haddadin, Klaudeen Hansen, Vicki L. Johnson, Gwen Marston, Margaret J. Miller, Andi Reynolds, Bethany Reynolds, Joan Shay, Sarah Ann Smith, Helen Squire, and Merikay Waldvogel.

Tickets are selling quickly for our special events - seating is limited so reserve your seat today:
Wednesday: Step Back in Time Progressive Dinner & More (3 Historic Homes)
Thursday: An Evening With Alex Anderson
Friday: Down on the Farm with Eleanor Burns
Saturday: Brunch with Gwen Marston

Any questions? Call Laura Davis or Marcelle Cashon at 270-898-7903.

Paducah Quilt Show Photos

Here are a few photos from around the show. Quilters from all 50 states and 14 other countries are enjoying the beautiful quilts, classes, and Southern hospitality this week in Paducah, Kentucky.

Best of Show winner Sue McCarty up at 5 a.m. for a live interview on Wednesday morning.

The hallway of the Paducah Expo Center

Kaffe Fassett and Liza Lucy are signing my copy of their new book in the Pavilion on Thursday.

Meet the Yoyos of Paducah in the Atrium of the Convention Center.

Winners from the AQS Quilt Show in Lancaster are exhibited on the 1st floor of the Convention Center.

Viewing the wall quilts in the contest on the 2nd floor of the Convention Center.

The food tent gave us some shade while we enjoyed BBQ, burgers, ribs, curly fries, and more.

Don't miss getting The Works Strawberry Shortcake from the Boy Scouts!

Paducah Winners Now Online

The winners of the 26th Annual AQS Quilt Contest are now online -- click here to go directly to the list.

Congratulations to Sue McCarty, Roy, UT, who won the Janome Best of Show with her quilt, Tribute to Tolkien, and to all of the other winners in this year's contest.

We'll will have some show photos posted later today...come back and see what's happening at the quilt show.

Volcano in Iceland Affects Quilt Show Instructor

Mother Nature has affected the AQS Quilt Show. Flights from England have been suspended due to the danger of flying through the volcanic ash that has spread over Europe. Lynne Edwards, who is scheduled to teach at the AQS Quilt Show is not able to fly out of England to get to the show. You can click here to check out what is happening.

We are therefore cancelling these classes that Lynne Edwards is scheduled to teach:
Wednesday, April 21, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.: #9151 Keep on Folding
Thursday, April 22, 1 - 4 p.m.: #7506 All Cut Up Nine-Patch
Friday, April 23, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.: #3507 Patchwork Set in Stone
Saturday, April 24, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.: #7515 Patchwork in Perspective

Lynne sends her regrets to all of her students. She was all packed and ready to fly out today. Her airline says the earliest she could possibly fly would be Friday, and there is no guarantee that they will be able to fly then.


If you are registered for any of these classes, AQS will send you a refund after the show; our show office is closed during quilt show week since all of our staff is working at the Workshop Desk. If you would like to switch to a different class, there will be a sign at the Workshop Desk showing which classes are still available and the Workshop staff will assist you with transferring to another class. Otherwise, you can expect a refund the week after the show.

Kaffe Fassett, who also lives in England, flew to the U.S. on Thursday, so he beat the eruption of the volcano by a day. There are still some tickets available for Kaffe's lecture on Wednesday evening - you can order a reserved seat by calling the Carson Four Rivers Center at 270-450-4444, or you can purchase a general admission (not reserved) ticket at the Workshop Desk during the show. The Workshop Desk will be open Tuesday, 12 - 8 p.m., and will be open from 8 a.m. to show closing time on show days.

The vendors begin moving into the Dome Pavilion today - I can't wait for you all to see this new facility!

Hope to see you at the Awards Presentation at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Carson Four Rivers Center. We are going to have a real treat that evening - a special performance, Variety! Music & More by the Badgett Playhouse from Grand Rivers, KY., followed by the announcement of all of the winners in the quilt contest.

See you there. It's Quilt Show time in Paducah!

Bonnie Browning, Exec. Show Director

Ribbon Cutting Today for Dome Pavilion in Paducah, KY

The ribbon cutting at the new Dome Pavilion was celebrated on this beautiful sunny day,

April 14, 2010, at 3:00 p.m.

Mark Thompson, Director of Paducah Parks Services, welcomed the crowd to the festivities. Mark oversaw the Pavilion project and thanked all of the city departments that were involved.

Mayor Bill Paxton addressed the crowd, and acknowledged the many people who worked on a very short timetable to complete this facility in time for the AQS Quilt Show.

Commissioner Watkins told the group that Paducah "gets it" when it comes to tourism and what facilities like this do to make Paducah a better place to live.

Representatives from Arizon Structures from St. Louis, manufacturers of the Pavilion, thanked the City and the crews with whom they worked to complete the facility on time.

M.P. Lawson Construction was the contractor on this job. They recognized the crew members that were on the job from beginning to end.

Peck, Flannery, Gream, Warren, Inc. was the architectural company for the project...and once again they oversaw a project for the City that was completed on time.

Mayor Paxton and Commissioner Watkins wielded the giant scissors to cut the ribbon to officially open the new Dome Pavilion in Paducah. Representatives of the companies involved in the construction, as well as staff members from the American Quilter's Society looked on.

Refreshments were enjoyed inside the Pavilion following the ribbon cutting.

AQS will officially receive the keys to the Pavilion on Thursday when Freeman, the show decorator, arrives to begin marking the floor for placement of the quilt exhibit areas and vendor booths. Vendor load-in will begin on Sunday.

Following the ribbon cutting, I went out the back door of the Pavilion to check out the restroom facilities. These trailers are air conditioned and not any regular porta-potty. There is water to wash your hands, pictures on the wall, and they are very clean.

Just outside the handicapped door is a handicapped restroom, complete with ramp for easy access.

One of the local reporters asked me what I thought of the Pavilion. I can't wait to get it all set up and full of quilts and vendors. No space we ever used inside the Executive Inn will compare with how light and bright this new facility is.

As many of you prepare to head to Paducah, the city of Paducah is putting the final touches up to welcome you. Next week, the city truly does become Quilt City USA! Are your bags packed yet?

Don't forget to take our photo quiz on "How Well Do You Know Paducah?" If you don't know the answers, look for them when you are in town next week. The sights in the photos will be all around you.

Bonnie Browning, reporting from the Ribbon Cutting of the Dome Pavilion at 3 p.m. today

How Well Do You Know Paducah?

How well do you know the sites around Paducah? Today I was out taking photos of dogwoods - which are just beautiful right now - and decided it would be fun to test your knowledge of the architecture and other attractions in the city... of course, I'm only giving you a piece of the photo for now.

Okay, this starts the quiz:

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

And just to make sure you get to see our beautiful dogwoods, here are a few of the photos I took today.

It's always fun to drive the Dogwood Trail where the dogwood trees line the streets.

The red dogwood is my favorite.

Stay tuned... and I'll give you the locations of each of the photos.

The Pavilion is almost ready...

The AQS and Freeman (show decorator) staffs visited the new Pavilion on Wednesday.

Here's what we saw...

The front entrance has a revolving main door, with a handicapped entrance next to it. These special doors keep the air inside the dome.

AQS President Meredith Schroeder visits with Paducah Parks Director Mark Thompson. Mark has spearheaded the project of preparing the ground and getting the Pavilion into place in time for the Quilt Show.

Billy Schroeder, Rick Loyd, Bill Schroeder, and Troy Holshouser get to see the 37,000 square feet of space in this new facility.

Natural light comes through the top of the Pavilion; there are additional lights hanging around the perimeter of the facility. While there is plenty of light in the daytime, for evening events, vendors may want additional lighting in their booths.

In this photo, work is underway to level the driveway behind the facility. This is the load-in portico that will be used by vendors to load their materials into the Pavilion. When the outside doors are open, the interior overhead door remains closed; then the outside doors are closed and the interior doors are opened - this maintains the air inside the building. Since AQS is the first group to use this new load-in procedure, we have added an additional day for unloading the vendors who will be in the Pavilion. Contact Kelly Meyer (kelly@AQSquilt.com) if you will be in Paducah and want to beat the crowd by unloading in the Pavilion on Sunday, April 18. Load-in will continue on Monday and Tuesday. Vendors should watch their e-mail for more information from Kelly about load-in at the Pavilion.

Today, the concrete pad for unloading was poured around two sides of the load-in portico. This will allow several vehicles to back up to the pad to unload at one time.

They are almost ready to lay sod around the Pavilion. By the time you all arrive, the booths and carpet will be in place, ready for a quilt show. A special quilt exhibit by Kaffe Fassett & Liza Prior Lucy and the winners of the 2009 AQS/Hobbs Bonded Fibers Fashion Show will be displayed in the Pavilion.

The main entrance to the Pavilion is just down the street from the AQS Bus Stop. You will be able to pay admission inside the Pavilion if this is your first stop at the show.

It's almost Quilt Show time in Paducah - have you made your plans to attend?

Still need lodging? Call the Paducah Visitors Bureau at 1-800-PADUCAH and ask about the AQS Home Bed & Breakfast program - lodging in private homes here in Paducah.

See you soon -
Bonnie Browning
Executive Show Director

Congratulations AQS - Top 10 Event in Kentucky!

Paducah-McCracken County Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Mary Hammond and Paducah Mayor Bill Paxton present Meredith Schroeder, President of the American Quilter's Society, with a certificate acknowledging the AQS Quilt Show & Contest as one of the Top 10 Events in Kentucky.

American Quilter’s Society National Quilt Show
April
Paducah, Kentucky

Paducah is a a mecca for quilters and quilt enthusiasts during the American Quilter's Society Annual Quilt Show & Contest each April.

In addition to the juried exhibit of the finest workmanship and most creative quilts in the world, the festival features a merchant mall, workshops and special events throughout the community.

With extended hours during the AQS Quilt Show week, internationally recognized National Quilt Museum highlights the vigorous international rebirth of quiltmaking that began in the 1970s.


The quilt show runs from April 21 - 24, 2010. Admission at the door is $9 for AQS members, and $11 for non-members. For more information, go to http://www.americanquilter.com/ . Advanced registration is now closed; check at the Workshop Desk in the Paducah Expo Center (One Executive Blvd.), at the show for ticket availability. The Workshop Desk will be open on Tuesday, April 20 from 12 - 8 p.m., and opens at 8 a.m. on show days.

Tickets can still be purchased for the three evening events: An Evening with Kaffe Fassett, Eleanor Burns Live on Stage, and Music & More: Ricky Tims Concert. Order your reserved seats for these events by calling the Carson Four Rivers Center at 270-450-444, Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Models Needed for AQS/Hobbs Bonded Fibers Fashion Show

Wanted: Models for the AQS/Hobbs Bonded Fibers Fashion Show on Friday, April 23, 2010. We have several contestants who are not able to attend and model their own garments this year, so we are looking for some models for their garments.

If you are available on Friday, April 23, we can use models in sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 18.

What do you need to do?
* Models need to be available from 8:30 - 11:00 a.m. for practice, and from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 23. We will have a modeling consultant at the practice to work with each model to show off the garments to the best advantage for the runway.
* Send an e-mail to Erin Ulrich, Contest Coordinator, at erinulrich@AQSquilt.com, and let her know that you are available and what size you wear.
* Erin will notify you of a time and place to try on the garment.

It's a fun day - let us know right away if you can model.

Bonnie Browning
Executive Show Director

More Photos from Lancaster

If you missed the first AQS Quilt Show in Lancaster, PA, here is a pictorial review of the show.

Women's Journey in Fiber special exhibit - this exhibit included many differentl kinds of fiber and techniques.

Pat Delaney, winner of the Best Machine Workmanship Award

Checking out the techniques

Viewing the quilts

Studying the workmanship in Filigree - the Best of Show winner - by Marilyn Badger, St. George, UT

New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Burgoyne Surrounded special exhibit,

a contest held each year by The National Quilt Museum in Paducah.

AQS President Meredith Schroeder presents a check to Beth Bigler, Volunteer Co-coordinator, of the Red Rose Quilters Guild. Thank you to all of the guild members for helping with the show.

Did you find a new tool or fabric at the show? The AQS Quilt Shows are an excellent place for you to find the latest and greatest tools and products for quiltmaking.

There were more than 200 contest quilts on exhibit and another 200 quilts in special exhibits.

Before the show opened, the AQS staff readied the show souvenirs and books in the AQS booth.

The show pins and tote bags were so popular that we ran out of both.

We are already working on next year's show - March 16 - 19, 2011.  You can make your hotel reservations now by calling 1-800 PA Dutch. The PA Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau coordinates the housing using the Passkey system. Please remember that the shuttle schedules are set based on the reservations on Passkey - that's how we can count how many buses we need on any specific route.