And the Janome sewing machine winners are....

Have you seen the Special AQS 25th Anniversary edition - Janome 806b sewing machine?

It's a very portable machine - great to take when you travel, or to classes --
* weighs only 12 pounds
* 20 built-in stitches
* straight, zigzag, decorative stitches, and buttonholes
* needle up/down

This machine is available through Janome dealers across the country.




Three of these Janome machines were given away at the AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Rick Loyd, AQS Vice President, announced the winners of the Janome AQS 25th Anniversary sewing machines.

The three winners are:

D. Noble, Cadiz, KY

Pat Jarvis, Maynardville, TN

Jan Pierce, Oottawah, TN

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Congratulations to these winners, and thank you to Janome America for donating the sewing machines for the drawings.

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

Knoxville Instructor Wins Teacher of the Year

Pam Clarke, our longarm instructor at the AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 22 - 25, was just named the Teacher of the Year at the Home Machine Quilting Show in Salt Lake City.

Pam will be teaching 2-1/2 hour lecture/demos throughout the Quilt Expo. There are still some openings in some of her classes.

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Advance registration has closed for the show, but you can stop at the Workshop Desk to check on tickets for her classes. The Workshop Desk will open at noon on Tuesday, July 21, just inside the Exhibit Hall on Level 1 of the Knoxville Convention Center.

Congratulations, Pam!

Still need a hotel room in Knoxville?

It's almost time for the AQS Quilt Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 22 - 25.

If you need a hotel room and want to stay downtown and need free Internet, call 865/522-2600 directly for a room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Be sure to tell them you are attending the AQS Quilt Expo to save $$. We still have some rooms left in our block there.

You can walk to the Old City and Market Square to enjoy over 60 eateries, nightlife, and shopping. The City Trolley stops at the hotel for easy transportation downtown and to the Convention Center - where the AQS Quilt Expo will be located.

See you soon in Knoxville.

Bonnie Browning & the Quilt Show Staff

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!

Des Moines Registration Guide is HERE!

The printed registration guide for the AQS Quilt Expo in Des Moines, October 28 - 31, 2009, has arrived and is being mailed today to those who ordered a copy.

You can go to our Web site and print a copy of the guide by clicking on the link below:

http://www.americanquilter.com/documents/shows_contests/desmoines/09_registration_guide.pdf .

Advance registration is recommended. Workshops are filled on a first-come basis. Registrations can be faxed (270-898-1173) or mailed to the AQS office (AQS, PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290). For registration questions, please contact Laura Davis, Registration Coordinator, at lauradavis@AQSquilt.com or 270-898-7903, ext. 132.

Online registration will be open in a few days - our Webmaster is busy getting it formatted for us now.

We have a great line-up of instructors for Des Moines: Frieda Anderson, Bobbie Aug, Kim Brunner, Karen Kay Buckley, Eleanor Burns, Carol Butzke, Darlene Christopherson, Mickey Depre, Karen Gibbs, Renae Haddadin, Klaudeen Hansen, Linda Honsberger, Laurie Malm, Cheri Meineke-Johnson, ReNae Merrill, Marti Michell, Nannette Moore, Christopher Nejman, Marsha Radtke, Andi Reynolds, Florence Reisen, Nadine Ruggles, Ami Simms, Mildred Sorrells, Helen Squire, and Terry White.

The 2-day Insurance Appraisal workshop is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, and the 1-day Fair-Market Value Appraisal workshop is available on Friday at the Des Moines show.

Thursday is Dressed-Up Denim Day in Des Moines. Now is the time to be dressing up your own denim vests, jackets, jeans, dressed, etc., with trims, embroidery, applique, crystals, decorative stitches, stencils, and whatever else you want to do. Be sure to register for the Denim Divas Fashion Show to share your beautiful hand-crafted couture denims. This event was so much fun last year that those who attended asked to do it again! And wait until you see the couture garments that the Denim Divas (Laurie Malm and Cheri Meineke-Johnson) have made!

See you in Des Moines in October.

AQS Staff....

Des Moines Registration Guide

Make your plans now to attend the 2nd AQS Quilt Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. The listing of hotels is on the AQS Web site. Here is a link that will take you right there:
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http://www.americanquilter.com/documents/shows_contests/desmoines/09_desmoines_hotel_list.pdf .
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You should call the hotel directly to make your reservation and be sure to tell them you will be attending the AQS Quilt Expo.
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The AQS Quilt Expo is held in Hy-Vee Hall at the Iowa Events Center. Classrooms are on the first floor, and the exhibit hall is on the second floor. A food court is on level 3, and other food venues are located in the hallways throughout the building.

The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is one of our Sanctioned Events. They will be having floral displays in quilt designs, and an exhibit of quilts sponsored by American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. Admission is free with your show name badge.

See the state capital at night.

These photos are courtesty of the Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau.


The Registration Guide for the AQS Quilt Expo in Des Moines is being printed.
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We are busy working on getting all of that information online so we can begin online registration as soon as possible. We will post here when the online registration is ready.
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If you want a copy of the printed Des Moines Registration Guide, you can send an e-mail to Laura Davis, lauradavis@AQSquilt.com or fax your request to 270-898-1173. The cost of the printed guide is $2.00.
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We have some fun events in Des Moines, including a fashion show of Celebrity Bags by Christopher Nejman - wait until you see the techniques he uses; An Evening with Ami Simms; The Denim Divas fashion show where you can show off your own embellished and decorated denims; a fun time with Eleanor Burns; and Brunch with Karen Kay Buckley. That's a sneak peak of what's happening in Des Moines.
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Bonnie Browning

Only 2 days left to enter Des Moines Contest

June 24 is the last day to enter the Des Moines contest. Your entry can be mailed/postmarked on June 24.

Here is the link to download the rules: http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/desmoines/2009/quilt_contest/

Remember, you can't win if you don't enter!

Good Luck!

Bonnie Browning

Don't Miss the Des Moines Contest Deadline

Have you entered a quilt in the AQS Quilt Expo - Des Moines? It is not too late. The deadline will be here soon - entries must be received or postmarked by June 24, 2009 for this year's Des Moines contest.

Here are the five categories:

Categories with $42,250 Total Cash Awards

Bed Quilts: Fabric quilts made for a bed, using any quiltmaking technique.
1. Traditional
2. Innovative
Wall Quilts: Fabric quilts designed to hang on a wall, using any quiltmaking
technique.
3. Traditional
4. Innovative
Fabric Art: Works of visual art utilizing fabric as the primary medium.
5. Fabric Art

And...here is the link so you can print off the rules and get your entry completed:

http://www.americanquilter.com/documents/shows_contests/desmoines/09_desmoines_rules.pdf

You only have a few days left - send us your entry today!

Good Luck!

Bonnie Browning
Executive Show Director

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

Online Quilting Classes

Did you know that AQS and West Kentucky Community & Technical College are now offering Online Quilting Classes...and that you can earn Certificate/College Credit by taking these classes as well as classes at the AQS Quilt Shows and at the National Quilt Museum?

Here is a listing of the classes now available online:

Foundation Quilting - Bonnie Browning
Crazy Quilts - Karen Boyd
Quilt Borders: Making Them Fit Every Time - Bonnie Browning
Edge Finishes - Bonnie Browning
Quilting - Helen Squire
Folded Fabric Elegance - Rami Kim
Susan Stewart - Heirloom Sewing Techniques
Free-Form Design - Gail Garber
Wonderful One-Fabric Design - Kay Nichols

and....more are on the way.

Just go to http://www.wkctcnow.com/ to get started. Click on Quilting for all of the class choices, then click Start Here to get started.

Online Quilting Classes presented by AQS Authors
For information on earning credit by taking classes at AQS shows and the National Quilt Museum, see the AQS registration guides for each show...and click item #1700 for more information.

Happy Learning...

Bonnie Browning

Paducah Quilt Show - After the Show Press Release

Some of you have been asking about the attendance at the Paducah show. Here is the press release we sent out on Friday.

PADUCAH -- More than 30,000 quilters attended the 25th Anniversary AQS Quilt Show, April 22 – 25. Quilters attended from 47 states and 11 countries. The attendance was 4% less than 2008. “Considering the economy and uncertainties relating to the sale of the Executive Inn, we are pleased that the attendance was close to last year,” stated AQS President Meredith Schroeder. “We know the quilters love coming to Paducah and attending our show here. This show turns Paducah into Quilt City USA at this time every year.”

Discussions are underway related to the 2010 AQS Quilt Show & Contest. As plans are formalized, more information will be available on the AQS Web site, www.AmericanQuilter.com.

The American Quilter’s Society holds three quilting events each year, the Annual AQS Quilt Show & Contest in Paducah, Kentucky, each April; the AQS Quilt Expo – Knoxville, Tennessee, in July; and the AQS Quilt Expo – Des Moines, Iowa, in October. AQS has awarded more than $2.5 million in cash awards to quilters in contests at these events. These events provide from $12 to $20 million in economic impact to the cities where the events are held.