Let's Go Quilting

Are you ready for the Spring quilt show season? Here in our AQS office, the quilt show staff is busy preparing for the spring AQS Quilt Shows in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and in Paducah, Kentucky.

LANCASTER...
The Lancaster AQS Quilt Show, March 16 - 19, is in the heart of Amish country, where you can spend four wonderful days at a national AQS Quilt Show, take an Amish buggy ride, and visit other Amish attractions in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country.

* All quilts and vendors are at the Lancaster County Convention Center this year.

* Park at the Burle Business Park for $7 (that includes shuttle service to/from the convention center).

* It is EASY to register -
____ Book your hotel room online, or call toll free:  800-723-8824

____ Register online for workshops, lectures, and special events, or call 270-898-7903

____ Purchase admission to the show online, or call 270-898-7903

If you need help in registering, watch this video where Marcelle Cashon, Education Coordinator, walks you through the registration website.

Contestants: Letters have been sent notifying quilters who entered the Lancaster Quilt Contest. It's going to be a great show. Good luck to all of the contestants. Someone will win that $10,000 Best of Show award!

PADUCAH...
The 27th Annual AQS Quilt Show, April 27 - 30, is held at the Paducah Expo and Convention Center and the Pavilion (near the Convention Center).

* The quilt exhibits are in the Paducah Expo Center, both levels of the Convention Center, and the Pavilion. The city is tearing down the Executive Inn but the Expo and Convention Centers will still be there for us to use.

* Vendors are located in the Paducah Expo Center, both levels of the Convention Center, the Pavilion, and the AQS Vendors on Kentucky in the Finkel Building (home of the AQS "Hurt" Book Sale).

* Parking is available at the Convention Center (with more parking available in the Executive Inn area), downtown parking lots, and additional parking with shuttle service at Carson Park.

* Participating hotels provide shuttle service to/from the Convention Center - check with your hotel to make sure they are providing this service.

It is EASY to register for Paducah too:

____ Book your room - check hotel availability on the Paducah Visitors Bureau site or ask about the AQS Home Bed & Breakfast (stay in a private home) on February 1 on their website or by calling 1-800-PADUCAH

____ Register online for workshops, lectures, and special events, or call 270-898-7903

____ Purchase admission to the show online, or call 270-898-7903

Contestants: The deadline has passed for entering the Paducah quilt show. The quilts will be juried in February and contestants will be notified in March.

See you soon in Lancaster and Paducah!

Do You Have an AQS Christmas Wish List?

What is on your Christmas wish list? AQS Gift Certificates might just be the answer for that gift for your friends, mothers, and sisters who are quilters. Or tell your significant other how to order one just for you.




AQS Gift Certificates can be used to purchase any of these items from the American Quilter's Society:

* AQS and other books, eBooks, calendars, software, and souvenirs in the AQS Catalog

* AQS Membership which includes six issues of American Quilter magazine and much more... ($25 per year for U.S. residents)

* Workshops, Lectures and Special Events at AQS Quilt Shows

* Subscribe to: The Quilt Life: Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson   ($24.99 for six issues per year)

Order your gift certificates by Friday, December 17 and we'll do our best to get the certificate to you in time for Christmas giving. The gift certificates can be purchased for any amount you wish and there is no expiration date on them.

You can order online or by calling toll free: 1-800-626-5420.

We hope Santa brings you lots of quilting supplies!

Copyrights Getting You Down?

Do you like to attend quilt shows… and see lots of quilts? Shows across the country are seeing fewer entries in their shows. One show has put their contest for 2011 on hold due to lack of entries so they can consider other possibilities. Are you not entering your quilts because you don’t know how to get copyright permission for a pattern you used?

If you have a quilt that you want to enter in a show but don’t know what to do about getting permission from a pattern maker or designer, AQS Contest Coordinator Erin Ulrich will be happy to help you. We work with copyrights every day and it is nothing to be afraid of. E-mail Erin at erinulrich@AQSquilt.com or call her at 270-898-7903, ext. 174, with your questions.

From the beginning, the American Quilter’s Society has produced quilt shows for you to be able to exhibit your quilts and be recognized for your artistry. When you enter the AQS Quilt Shows, you are vying for thousands of dollars in cash awards; we are giving $252,750 in 2011. The deadlines are approaching for the Lancaster (November 5 extended to November 19) and Paducah (January 3) shows.

The contest quilts let us show the variety of quilts being made today, from very traditional to those made from unique materials and designs. These contest quilts are what everyone wants to see when they attend shows. So why not enter one of your quilts today… and don’t hesitate to give Erin a call. We are here to assist you. If you need a copy of the rules, just click here and then choose Contests for the show you want to enter.

Bonnie Browning
Executive Show Director

Attention: Quilt Instructors

The American Quilter's Society is accepting applications from quilt instructors for the 2011 AQS Quilt Shows in Lancaster, PA (March 16 - 19); Paducah, KY (April 27 - 30); Knoxville, TN (July 13 - 16); and Des Moines, IA (Sept. 28 - Oct. 1).

Information on becoming an AQS instructor is available on the AQS Web site; click here. You will want to send your class information on the Instructor Application form also available on the Web site; one form for each class. The form is in pdf format and you can copy and paste information into it, save it, and e-mail to: Marcelle Cashon, Education Coordinator at marcelle@AQSquilt.com or mail the forms to: AQS, Attn: Marcelle Cashon, PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290.

Most classes are three hours in length so your best opportunity to teach is if you have a good variety of 3-hour classes from which to choose. Remember, quilters do not want to purchase a ton of supplies for a 3-hour class. Kits can be used with a recommended kit fee of $5 - $20. We are always looking for new techniques, and fun and colorful projects. Please send photos of your projects with your application form. Indicate your availability in a cover note when you send the application forms.

If you have any questions, call Marcelle at 270-898-7903, ext. 141.

AQS will contact you when you are selected to teach at one of our shows; otherwise we will keep your information on file for future consideration.

Marcelle Cashon, Education Coordinator
Bonnie Browning, Executive Show Director

Interested in Teaching at AQS Quilt Shows?

We have been receiving calls from authors and quilters who would like to teach at the AQS Quilt Shows. There is a brochure on our AQS Web site with information on what you need to send to our office for consideration as one of our teachers.

Suggestions: Make sure you have a good variety of 3-hour classes. The 3-hour classes fill the best at our events. Keep your supply lists to a minimum; no one wants to purchase a lot of supplies for a class and not use them. Colorful projects that other quilters will want to make help to sell the classes.

Here is the link for the brochure with Instructor Information:
http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/instructor_information.php .