Great Fun & Beautiful Surroundings at the Knoxville Quilt Show

It is almost time for the AQS Quilt Show in Knoxville, July 14 - 17.

You can still call AQS at 270-898-7903 (ask for the Quilt Show office) and we can hold tickets for you to pick up and pay for at the show to hold your space in the workshops, lectures or special events. We have now closed the online registration so the staff can make final preparations for the show. ALL registration for the Knoxville show will close at 3:00 p.m. on July 2. After that date, you will need to check at the Workshop Desk at the show for ticket availability.

Speaking of special events, have you signed up for the Quilters' Fun Night with Alex Anderson and Bonnie Browning? Wait until you see the prizes we have for this event - they already total more than $1,000. Here are some hints: fabric cutter, fabric kits, note cards, books, crystals, special umbrella, fat quarter kits, and more. You won't want to miss having a fun evening with Alex and Bonnie on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.!

The Step Back in Time Progressive Dinner on Wednesday evening is now sold out.

Tickets are still available for An Evening with Alex Anderson on Thursday at 7 p.m., and for Down on the Farm with Eleanor Burns at 7 p.m. on Friday. Learn and laugh with Alex and Eleanor at these special events.

There are still some openings in some great workshops - learn how Bethany Reynolds has adapted her Magic Stack-n-Whack method to some new designs, find out how Margaret Miller puts together Strips That Sizzle, how Joan Shay makes those beautiful 3-D flowers, or see how Cynthia England makes her pieced pictures.

You can view the class descriptions and see the project photos on the AQS Web site. Once you've made a choice, you can call AQS at 270-898-7903 to have your tickets held for you. You can also just view the printed registration guide by clicking here if you need to check your supply lists.

Don't forget to sign up for the three free Janome sewing machines that will be given away. The drawing box will be located near the Admissions Desk just inside the exhibit hall. One name will be drawn at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It could be your name that AQS Vice President Rick Loyd reads to win a brand new Janome sewing machine.

Before you get busy celebrating the July 4th holiday, secure your tickets for the Knoxville show. We'll see you at the Knoxville Convention Center, July 14 - 17.

The AQS Quilt Show Staff

Des Moines Registration Is Now Open Online!

 Good Afternoon ... we just opened the online registration for the AQS Quilt Show in Des Moines that will be held October 6 - 9, 2010.

You can view or print the registration guide online, or click here to just see the Class Directory of all of the special events, lectures and workshops at this year's Des Moines AQS Quilt Show.

Our quilt show staff has been busy preparing a fun week for you in Des Moines. Don't miss these special events with some internationally-known personalities:
* Kick off your week at the show by attending The Quilter's Link at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, when staff from the Greater Des Moines Visitors Bureau, Iowa Events Center and AQS give you information to make the most of your week - around the city, the convention center and the show.
* Eleanor Burns: Quilt Block on American Barns at 7 p.m. on Wednesday - See what our favorite farmer's daughter is up to now as she pays tribute to rural America's Barn Quilt Blocks.
* If you've ever wondered what's involved with writing a quilt book, learn the ins and outs from four AQS authors: Jean Biddick, Joe Cunningham, Kimberly Einmo and Zena Thorpe, moderated by Andi Reynolds, AQS Executive Book Editor - it's all at 5 p.m. on Thursday. 
* Joe Cunningham shares the life of Joseph Hedley, the original Joe the Quilter, who lived in England from 1750 to 1830 through quilts and songs at 7 p.m. on Thursday
* Jim Shore, internationally renowned artist and creator of the Heartwood Creek collectibles will appear at 2 p.m. on Friday for a signing event of his collectibles and book, A Passion for Quilts, in The National Quilt Museum's booth inside the exhibit hall.
* At 7 p.m. on Friday, attend An Evening with Jim Shore and learn about the artist Jim Shore and how he came to include quilts in his work.
* Are you addicted to quilting? Learn the symptoms at Brunch with Flavin Glover at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Treatment goals include elimination of dishes, redefining the meaning of clean, and finding time to quilt. :)
* Learn many techniques at the All-Star Review at 1 p.m. on Saturday when the instructors each demonstrate a different technique - you'll receive a booklet with handouts from each instructor.

Advanced registration is recommended as many classes fill very quickly. You can register by mailing the Registration Form to AQS, PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42003, by faxing the form to 270-898-1173, or click here to register online. Telephone registration will not open until July 28.

To book your hotel room, click here for a listing of the hotels that have given special rates to the AQS Quilt Show attendees. Call the hotel directly to book your room, and be sure to tell them you are attending the AQS Quilt Show.

Make your plans now to attend the 3rd Annual AQS Quilt Show in Des Moines, Iowa.

Kudos to our Lancaster Volunteer Quilters

Congratulations to Beth Bigler, Vicki Bowman and Jeanne Riley of the Red Rose Quilters Guild, who coordinated the volunteers who assisted with the AQS Quilt Show held in March at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, PA. It takes many hands to produce a show as large as the AQS Quilt Show, and the quilters in the area provided more than 1,000 hours during this 2010 event. This was the largest event ever held in the city of Lancaster and these quilters helped blaze the way to holding other large events in this new convention center.

Recently the Lancaster New Era newspaper recognized the quilters with the Red Rose Award. Congratulations quilters! This is a well-deserved honor.

Des Moines Registration Guide is at the Printer

The AQS Quilt Show in Des Moines, Iowa, will be held October 6 - 9, 2010, at the Iowa Events Center (730 Third Street).

The Registration Guide for this show is at the printer now. You can order a printed copy of the Guide by sending your name, address, and $2, or call the Quilt Show office and provide this information and your credit card -- you will be on the list to receive the Registration Guide as soon as we receive it.

We are currently working on getting the information ready for on-line registration. Within a few days we will have online registration ready to go.

We have a great line-up of instructors:
Jean Biddick, Betty Blais, Mary Blythe, Eleanor Burns, Karen Combs, Joe Cunningham, Kimberly Einmo, Nancy Fiedler, Flavin Glover, Diane Gloystein, Jeana Kimball, Dorothy Koldeway, Jan Krentz, Laurie Malm, Cheri Meineke-Johnson, Sharon Meisenheimer, Marti Michell, Sharon Pederson, Andi Reynolds, Jim Shore, Helen Squire, Zena Thorpe

There are no evening classes this year, but we have planned some fun, special events for you. Don't miss seeing what is new with Eleanor Burns on Wednesday, learn about Joe the Quilter with Joe Cunningham on Thursday, and discover the art and the man behind the Heartwood Creek Collectibles, Jim Shore, on Friday; and have brunch with Flavin Glover on Saturday morning.

There will be more than 1,000 quilts on display at this year's AQS Quilt Show in Des Moines. Make your plans now to attend. You can book your hotel rooms -- click here for the listing of hotels with special rates for AQS attendees. Call the hotel directly to book your hotel room. Be sure to tell them you are attending the AQS Quilt Show, October 6 - 9, 2010.

Demolition of the Executive Inn - Lastest News

Many of you have been wondering what is going to happen to the Executive Inn that is attached to the Julian Carroll Convention Center here in Paducah. Today Patrick Kerr wrote an article in the Center's Conventional Wisdom newsletter. I thought you would like to read the "real" word on what is happening.

The Demolition Of The Adjacent Hotel

The highlighted (pink) area shows the portion of the Hotel that is slated for demolition. 

The Convention Center, along with the River Ballrooms (formally the International Rooms) 

and all the upstairs meeting rooms will remain.

What’s the real story?
What’s coming down? What’s not?

It seems that just about everyone knows the Executive Inn Hotel, which is adjacent to the Julian Carroll Convention Center, is slated for demolition. However, there seems to be a fair amount of confusion as to exactly how the Hotel will be razed, when the demolition will begin and exactly what part will be torn down.

Because the Hotel is physically attached to the Convention Center, we thought we would take a few paragraphs to clear up some misconceptions and, more importantly, assure our clients and potential clients, that the Convention Center is here to stay, newly renovated and ready to host your next event!

So, let’s address those misconceptions one at a time: 

How Will The Hotel Be Demolished?

Here at Conventional Wisdom, we have heard everything from "blown up" to "pushed into the river." When all is said and done, the actual demolition of the Hotel will be pretty anti-climatic. Demolition will be done over the course of several months with clawed cranes and bulldozers. The work will begin at the Convention Center and construction crews will work their way toward the south parking lot near the Farmer’s Market downtown. The Hotel will not be imploded and it will take some time to complete the tear down.

When Will This All Start?

Razing of the Hotel will begin around the end of this summer. The first few days will be spent “surgically” removing the Hotel from the south wall of the Convention Center and then work will continue toward downtown. After the Hotel is separated from the Convention Center, repair work on the wall that connected the two buildings will begin. Disruption to the Convention Center will be minimal. Further, demolition work on the Convention Center end of the Hotel will not be done on days when meetings or events are being held in the facility. On those days, construction crews will do their best to keep the work on the far end of the site.

What’s Going To Happen To The “International Rooms?”

The simple answer is, Absolutely Nothing! If you take a look at the photo accompanying this article, you will see where Hotel demolition will begin. The old Silver Saddle also will be razed. The Convention Center, the Ballroom, the small meeting rooms across the hall, the Atrium Lobby, and the downstairs meeting rooms will not be torn down. As a matter of fact, if you haven’t been in the Convention Center in the last year or so, you probably haven’t seen the multi-million dollar renovation that includes the entire Convention Center space.

What Does All This Mean For The Convention Center?

In the long run, the Convention Center will be in great shape and will be an important part of a new complex that will include a first-class downtown hotel. In the short-term, the construction and demolition of the old Hotel will have very little impact on the Convention Center and will in no way hinder events already planned or future events that have been waiting to book because of the uncertainty surrounding the Hotel. 

And, so now you have heard the real story (article used with permission) about the demolition of the Executive Inn from J. Patrick Kerr, Executive Director of the Paducah-McCracken County Convention and Expo Center. That will be a step in the right direction.

Bonnie Browning
Executive Show Director, AQS

 

Deadline Approaching for AQS Quilt Contest in Des Moines

Time is almost up - the deadline for entering quilts in the AQS Quilt Contest in Des Moines is June 7, 2010. Entries must be received in the AQS office or postmarked by June 7.

There are five categories:
*Bed Quilts - Hand Quilted
*Bed Quilts - Machine Quilted
*Wall Quilts - Hand Quilted
*Wall Quilts - Machine Quilted
*Fabric Art

More than $44,000 in cash awards will be given to the winners of this contest. The Best of Show winner will receive $10,000. Other special awards are: $5,000 each for Best Hand Workmanship, Best Machine Workmanship, and Best Longarm Workmanship. The Best Wall Quilt will receive $3,000. There are additional awards in each category: $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $750 for third place.

Enter today - you can't win if you don't enter. Last year's Best of Show winner in Knoxville entered a show for the very first time.

If you have any questions about entering the contest, call AQS at 270-898-7903 and ask for the Quilt Show office.