Call Now to Register for the Knoxville Show, July 14 - 17, 2010

 

The Knoxville AQS Quilt Show & Contest is just around the corner and we hope you are planning to attend! Registration is a breeze by phone! If you just call 270-898-7903, a representative will be happy to assist you whether you are registering for the first time, or are adding classes to your schedule. You may also register for your friends by phone as well! Don't miss out on this easy way to get your admissions, workshops, lectures, and special events before they sell out.

Registration for workshops, lectures, and special events is also open online, by fax (270-898-1173), or by mail (AQS, PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290).

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.

Ticket are selling quickly for our special events - seating is limited so reserve your seat today:
Wednesday, 5:30 - 10:00 p.m.: Step Back in Time Progressive Dinner & More (3 historic homes)
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.: Quilters' Fun Night with Alex Anderson & Bonnie Browning
Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.: An Evening with Alex Anderson
Friday, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.: Down on the Farm with Eleanor Burns
Saturday, 9::00 - 10:30 a.m.: Brunch with Gwen Marston
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.: All-Star Review

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

Knoxville AQS Quilt Expo - A Pictorial Review

Quilters around the country are telling us what a great time they had in Knoxville. If you missed it, here are a few photos from the show...



Congratulations to Linda French, the Best of Show winner. This is the first contest that Linda has every entered. Just like playing the lottery, you can't win if you don't enter. I bet we see more quilts from this talented quilter in future AQS shows now that she knows that her work is that good!

Barry Buchanan and Mary Beth Head man the AQS Booth. Did you get your show T-shirt?

A view of part of the exhibit hall from the AQS staff office. There were 350 booths full of goodies - all quilt-related.

Quilters visit with AQS authors at the AQS Book Fair. It's a great place to get to meet authors and have your books autographed.

The New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Burgoyne Surrounded exhibit is being studied by quilters. Right behind those quilts is the Artfull Bras exhibit of 50 bras created by the South Carolina Quilters to draw attention to breast cancer. They certainly did draw a lot of attention at the show - you couldn't walk by this exhibit without hearing giggles from those viewing them.

One of the most popular contests is the Ultimate Guild Challenge, where guilds have their own challenge and submit eight entries in the AQS contest in Knoxville. It's always fun to see how the eight quilters portray the challenge (theme, block, fabric, or whatever the guild chose).

Quilter are enjoying viewing the American Quilt Study Groups' Red and Green study quilt exhibit.

The dates for next year's show in Knoxville are July 14 - 17, 2010. Mark your calendar and plan to join us in Knoxville

Winners' List for Knoxville Show

The list and photos of the winners for the AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee are now available on the AQS Web site. Here is the link that will take you to that page:

http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/knoxville/2009/quilt_contest/quilt_winners.php

Congratulations to Linda French, Centerville, Ohio, who won Best of Show with her quilt, Circles of Life. This is her first entry in any quilt show! It is a beautiful quilt that certainly deserves this honor.

Bonnie Browning - reporting from Knoxville

AQS Quilt Expo Opened Today!

The exhibit hall at the Knoxville Convention Center features quilts galore - more than 500 quilts, and 350 vendor booths with the latest quiltmaking supplies, antique and new quilts, and quilt-related gifts.

Kathy Drew, quilt designer, and Arliss Barber, project coordinator, unveil Under Tennessee Skies, a quilt made by the Village Quilters in honor of the American Quilter's Society holding the AQS Quilt Expo at the Knoxville Convention Center. Mayor Bill Haslam looks on as a poster of the quilts is unveiled. The quilt was donated by the Village Quilters to the Knoxville Convention Center and hangs in the Clinch Concourse.

Mayors Haslam and Ragsdale present Meredith Schroeder with proclamations naming today, July 22, as American Quilter's Society International Quilt Expo Day!

Mary Bogart, Knoxville Convention Center; City of Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam; Kim Paul, Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporaton; Meredith Schroeder, President, AQS; and Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale cut the ribbon to open the first AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee, at 8:45 a.m. this morning.

Show hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday thru Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Come see us at the show!

It's Quilt Show Time in Knoxville, Tennessee

It's Showtime in Knoxville!

Office Phones: The AQS office phones will be shut down from Monday, July 20 thru Friday, July 25, 2009. All of our staff will be at the show in Knoxville.

Show Information & Supply Lists: All of the show information is available on the AQS Web site, http://www.americanquilter.com/ . You can still view the class project photos and supplies by logging into our registration site. This link will take you to the opening page:

https://events.americanquilter.com/getdemo.ei?id=42&s=_25K0P3MKE .

The City of Knoxville is excited to host AQS and the quilters attending the Quilt Expo.

See you all at the show!

Bonnie Browning

Executive Show Director

Don't Miss the Fun & Beautiful Quilts in Knoxville

Don’t miss the fun, the beautiful quilts, and the shopportunity in the Merchant Mall at the AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 22 – 25, 2009. Knoxville is ready to welcome you!

There is still time to register – registration is open until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8.
This link will take you directly to the online registration site:
https://events.americanquilter.com/getdemo.ei?id=42&s=_25K0P3MKE .
The supply lists and photos of the projects are available at the registration site too.

Book your room now.
You can stay at one of the downtown hotels with a city trolley stop right at the hotel. You can park your car and ride the trolley to/from the show.

Call the Crowne Plaza Hotel directly at 865/522-2600.

You can book a room at the Knoxville Marriott Downtown by calling 865-588-7426 or 1-800-753-3823, Monday – Thursday (Friday is the 4th of July Holiday this week),
or book online at: https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_gi_new&groupID=125209 .

We have an exciting show planned for you, with more than 500 quilts and 300 vendor booths in the Merchant Mall.

Have a great 4th of July and we’ll see you soon in Knoxville!

A Quilt-cation in Tennessee

Have you made your plans for a Quilt-cation in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the AQS Quilt Expo, July 22 - 25, 2009? What a great place for a family vacation - there is something for all ages.



Knoxville, Tennessee is a mid-sized city along the Tennessee River just outside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Park has 520,000 acres that encompass more than 850 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding; 735 miles of streams for fishing; many developed and back country campsites; spectacular scenery and views from peaks over 6,000 feet; several visitors centers with interpretive exhibits and artifacts. This is the most visited National Park in the U.S.

Wayne and I have taken the driving tour through the Park several times and have been lucky enough to see some black bears...once we even saw a mother bear and two cubs strolling across the road.

An afternoon drive will give you some scenic views of the waters rushing right along side the roads. Cade's Cove is an eleven-mile loop that offers 4,000 acres of the best the park has to offer. In addition to the lush natural landscape, you'll run across several preserved historic structures, churches dating back to the 1800's, and a working corn mill that is open throughout the summer.

Or, if you want a city tour, there is plenty to see there too. Take the children to the Knoxville Zoo, or if history is your thing, visit the Civil War Bethel Cemetery or the Museum of Appalachia - the most authentic and complete replica of pioneer Appalachian life in the world. In nearby Oak Ridge, TN, you'll find the American Museum of Science & Energy - a friend told me not to miss seeing this museum.

Next to the Knoxville Convention Center (the location of the AQS Quilt Expo) is the Sunsphere, a golden glass ball that was built as the signature structure for the 1982 World’s Fair. It is 266 feet tall and has 26 stories. The actual ball itself houses only five levels. There is a restaurant in the top of the Sunsphere, along with a great view of the city!

There is a lot of history in Knoxville. Founded in 1786, Knoxville was named for the first United States Secretary of War Henry Knox. Ten years later, after Tennessee's admission to the Union, Knoxville served as the capital of the state until 1819. Today Knoxville is the seat of Knox County and the third largest city in the state of Tennessee with approximately 184,000 residents. Its nickname, "the marble city" comes from the pink marble supplied by Knoxville quarries to build such famous structures as the National Art Gallery in Washington, D.C.

And you won't want to miss a stroll in downtown Knoxville...and a visit to Mast General Store that has big barrels of candy like we used to buy as kids. Just up the street is the Knoxville Visitor Center, where you an stop any weekday and listen to live music at lunch time, as well as pick up some great Knoxville souvenirs.

And to top off all that the city has to offer, there is the AQS Quilt Expo at the Knoxville Convention Center. The AQS Quilt Expo offers hundreds of quilts on exhibit, a gigantic merchant mall, and lectures and workshops - open from Wednesday, July 22 through Saturday, July 25. Check out the AQS Web site, http://www.americanquilter.com/ for more information on the show.

Do you have your reservations made yet for your QUILT-cation? Join us in Knoxville, Tennessee.

We'll see you there July 22 - 25!

Bonnie Browning & all of the AQS Quilt Show staff - Terry, Marcelle, Mary Beth, Kelly, Tracey, Erin, and Laura

A Trip to the Museum of Appalachia

During our planning meeting in Knoxville this week, Terry Guill and I had the opportunity to have lunch and tour the Museum of Appalachia near Knoxville. You know you are in quilters' territory when you see the barn quilt on the front of the building. This design is from one of the quilts in the museum's collection. This is a "must do" event during the 2009 AQS Quilt Expo.

One of the first animals to greet us in the parking lot was this white furry looking chicken. They even have feathers between their toes (ummm, do chickens have toes?)

Look at this beautiful peacock sitting on the rail fence in the garden. We saw a couple peacocks with their tail feathers all spread out but I wasn't close enough to get a photo of that. As quilters we can appreciate the brilliant blues and greens in this magnificent bird.

A peacock eats bread from Terry Guill's hand. The peacocks didn't pay much attention to us as we moved around the grounds. They certainly showed off their brilliant colors in the bright sunshine.

Take a look at this steel guitar made on the top of a wooden ironing board. Now who thinks of these things? You can find out though because the history of the guitar is attached to the ironing board.

Take a look at this embellished guitar. The entire top of the guitar is covered with beads and doodads...just like we quilters might do to our quilts.

More photos from Museum of Appalachia

Look at these beautiful handmade baskets! They have a wonderful collection from some that are about the size of your thumb to reallllllly big ones. You'll enjoy the craftsmanship of these baskets.

Among the many collections is this collection of items related to textiles, from baskets to collect the wool, to spinners and winders to work the wool into yarn.

You can walk into the cabins. Take a look at how they stacked the beds to economize the use of the space in this cabin. This bed was so short that I'm sure that my feet would have been sticking out at the end of the bed. Each of the other beds was smaller than the one on top of it.

Animals roam the grounds - see the big turkey near the center of the photo. They also had a really cute little black lamb that was running all over looking for its mother. A herd of goats filled one pasture. One could spend several hours here in this pastoral setting - there is so much to see!


There are still some seats left on the bus for this tour to the Museum of Appalachia on Friday evening during the AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville. Just call Marcelle at 270-898-7903, ext. 141 to get your seat reserved. Marcelle will be joining you on this tour. You'll get to see some quilts that the museum has never before displayed. And there will be music, touring the museum's grounds, and you'll enjoy a wonderful home cooked family-style meal. What a treat is in store for you!

Bonnie Browning - who just enjoyed lunch and a brief tour of the museum this week

Welcome to Knoxville

Welcome to Knoxville, AQS attendees!

Please use the information listed below to assist you in planning your trip and during your stay. We hope you will stop by our Knoxville Visitor Center when you are in town to enjoy a cup of coffee, live music, and purchase some Knoxville souvenir items to take home. If you should have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-727-8045. We look forward to seeing you in July!

Window Dressing Contest: Don't miss seeing the quilts in the windows in downtown Knoxville. The city is having a contest among the downtown businesses. More quilts to see...

Lodging:Find Lodging

Park and Ride Information:• Purchase KAT bus tickets
Ride - perimeter areas to downtown:• West Town Mall Bus Route• Knoxville Center Mall Bus Route
- Parking:• Downtown Parking• Perimeter
- Trolley and Taxi Information:• Trolley Map• Taxi Information
- Motor Coach Information:• Motor Coach Directions and Parking
- Vendor:• Vendor Parking

Dining:Downtown Dining Guide

Knoxville Visitors Guide:• Download Guide as PDF

Relaxation Stations:• Be sure to visit one of the three Relaxation Stations in the Knoxville Convention Center to pamper your self with a massage. Event massage will provided by Massage Associates. Leg, foot and brief full-body (fully clothed) chair massages will be offered in 10 minute sessions for $10 each (cash or check only). Massages will be available from 11:30am – 5:30pm on Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24. Sign up sheets will be available on site to book your session in advance.

Do you see a fun time coming up in Knoxville? The City is very excited to host the AQS Quilt Expo and the quilters who attend.

Knoxville Readies for the Quilters

The summer AQS Quilt Expo will be held July 22 - 25 at the Knoxville Convention Center in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. Here are some photos to show you a bit of this beautiful city surrounded by unsurpassed natural beauty and filled with great places to go, and of the convention center that will be filled with quilts, vendors, and quilters from around the world.

Online registration is now open. Just go to http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/knoxville/2009/registration/ . Once you have input your name and address, you can view all of the class descriptions, photos of the class projects, special events and lectures. Remember you can complete only your individual registration via the Internet. To register for a friend using your credit card, please call the AQS office at 270-898-7903.

The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame sits in the foreground, with the skyline of the city in the background.

The easy-to-read signs will guide you through the building. Can't you just imagine this hallway filled with quilters attending the AQS Quilt Expo? I can!

The wide hallways provide seating areas throughout the building. And, you won't want to miss viewing the artwork displayed in cases, and on the walls and ceilings throughout the convention center. Viewing that artwork alone is a feast for the eyes! And then you can see more beauty in the quilts in the Exhibit Hall.

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It’s easy to book your room for the AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville, July 22 – 25, 2009. For online room reservations, click here. Or, call 865-588-7426 or 1-800-753-3823.

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Make your plans now to visit this new location for the AQS Quilt Expo in July!

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Bonnie Browning...giving you a sneak peak of the facilities in Knoxville

Knoxville Registration is Now Open

AQS will hold its summer show, the AQS Quilt Expo - Knoxville, from July 22 - 25, 2009 at the Knoxville Convention Center.

The registration guide is printed and has been mailed to those who paid for a printed copy.

Yesterday the online registration opened on the AQS Web site, http://www.americanquilter.com/. You can click this link to go directly to registration:
http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/knoxville/2009/registration/ .

You can order a printed copy of the guide online too. Soon we will have the entire registration online so you can view or print a copy of all of the show information.

If you have not secured your lodging for the Knoxville show, it is easy and you can do it from your computer...here is the link:
https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_gi_new&groupID=125209 ,
or you can call: 865-588-7426 or 1-800-753-3823. We are using the Passkey system for booking hotel rooms - that means you can choose a variety of hotels and room rates.

The downtown hotels, such as the Marriott Knoxville Downtown, Hilton Knoxville, Hampton Inn & Suites, Four Points by Sheraton, Crowne Plaza Knoxville, and Holiday Inn Select Knoxville - Downtown all have free shuttle service to the Knoxville Convention Center trolley stop. If you don't want to pay to park near the convention center every day, book your rooms in one of these hotels and ride the trolley.

We have a great group of instructors with some fun classes for you to choose from. As you know, many of the classes fill quickly, so don't delay in getting your registration processed. You can register online, or you can send your registration form via U.S. mail or fax (270-898-1173).

See you in Knoxville in July. This is a great spot for a family holiday...just minutes from the beautiful Smoky Mountains, Dollywood, and Gatlinburg.

Book Your Rooms for Knoxville - July 22 - 25, 2009

It’s easy to book your room for the AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville, July 22 – 25, 2009. The hotels are all listed by their distance from the Knoxville Convention Center.

For online room reservations, click here.
Or, call 865-588-7426 or 1-800-753-3823.
Book your flights and car rental with discounts to Knoxville by calling 1-800-753-3823.
E-mail reservations@wvtt.com if you have questions related to your reservations.

Shuttle service is not provided from all of the hotels. If you will need shuttle service, look at the hotels in the downtown area. Here is the online map for the free shuttle service:

http://www.knoxville.org/eguide/zoom.php?ID=7&guide=NaN .

If you need additional assistance on whether this service is available from your hotel, please call the phone number above for making reservations.

Nashville was a Great Show!

The quilters couldn't wait to enter the AQS Quilt Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. The quilts were great and there were plenty of vendors in the Merchant Mall. What more could a quilter ask for?

We'll miss Gaylord Opryland Resort next year.

The dates for next summer's show are July 22 - 25, 2009 and the Expo will be held at the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.

AQS Quilt Expo - Nashville, August 20 - 23

AQS will hold its 8th AQS Quilt Expo at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, August 20 - 23, 2008. Registration is open online for this year's event.

We have a great lineup of instructors for Nashville and hope you will enjoy Joe Cunningham, Jodi Barrows, Billie Lauder, Eleanor Burns, and the 35 other instructors. Here is the link to register for the Nashville show:
http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/nashville/2008/general_info/

Since we are doing a third show in October now, we needed to switch the dates for the Nashville Quilt Expo from August to July so we can prepare properly for both events. Unfortunately we could not get July dates at Gaylord Opryland until 2011, so we sought a different venue for the summer show.

The Knoxville Convention Center will be the site for the summer show in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Those dates are July 22 - 25, 2009. Someone wrote that they had trouble getting around in Knoxville. I have made several trips to Knoxville and have had no trouble getting to the Knoxville Convention Center where our event will be held. It is right off the I-40. We chose that site because Knoxville is located on the 2nd and 4th most traveled interstates in the country - I-40 east & west and I-75 north & south.

The Knoxville Convention Center is a beautiful facility and all of our events will be held there. Their classrooms are some of the best I have seen - large rooms, electrical in the floor for sewing machines, and good lighting. The exhibit hall is one large room where the quilt exhibits and merchant mall will be located. The lobbies of the convention center are filled with art - from quilts to tiled mosaics, paintings, and sculptures.

We hope to see you all in Nashville, August 20 - 23, 2008 and then in Knoxville, July 22 - 25, 2009 for the summer AQS Quilt Expos.

Bonnie Browning
Executive Show Director