AQS Paducah 2016

Last Sunday I got an email informing me that I'd won a ribbon at the American Quilter's Society Paducah show this year.  They don't tell you what you've won, just that you have.  There was a new feature this year, the live streamed the awards ceremony on YouTube.  So, Tuesday evening from the comfort of my own couch I was able find out that my quilt Harmony's Loop placed third in it's small wall quilt-home machine quilted category.  It was quite thrilling.

Winning an award in Paducah is something I've thought about and strived towards for many years.  It's a dream come true.  Some day, I'd love to win Best of Show (you have to keep dreaming big dreams after all), or one of the other larger awards, but what a moment this win was.

So thrilling in fact we bought tickets and my mom and I flew to St. Louis late Friday night after work, stayed overnight, rented a car and drove to Paducah for the day on Saturday.  We then returned to St. Louis and flew out VERY early Sunday morning.  It was a whirlwind, but way worth the trip!

One amazing thing AQS does for winners is interview in front of your quilt about your quilt.  I did this Saturday morning with Bonnie Browning.  It's not up yet on their YouTube channel, but Marilyn Badger's (she won Best of Show) is and it's amazing.  Click here to watch it.  I'll be sure to share the link when mine is available!

I was also able to have fabulous chats with lovely ladies from Hobbs batting, Superior Threads, and the always amazing Ricky Tims.

Mom and I shopped until we dropped (including the fabulous Hancock's of Paducah).  I bought lots of Island Batiks (of course) and some other fabric as well as some Superior Threads needles and Aurifil thread.

There were many amazing moments and I'll be sharing all the pictures I took over in my Machine Applique Adventures Facebook group because I took TONS.  Be sure to join us!

Here are a few of my favorites:

I love the symmetry of this quilt and the quilting is absolutely fabulous.  

Here you can see the quilting behind the applique and the symmetry at the edges.  Symmetry always makes my heart sing.

I've seen this quilt before in magazines, but the photo's didn't do it justice.  It is absolutely fabulous in person and so creative!  I love all the different quilting motifs and colors.

I love this close up of one of the flowers.  Of course, I love the flowers!

Another stunning flower.  I like how she quilted it to enhance the design.

Okay, yes, I know this picture is sideways, but I couldn't make it rotate. Someday I will figure out how to fix it, but since it's symmetrical (are you detecting a theme yet?), it looks excellent sideways too.  This is a wholecloth quilt.  All the stitching that is in color was done with turquoise thread.

 

As you can see, the threadwork is just spectacular!

Now that I'm home with a million ideas of what to start quilting next, I have to go to work tomorrow.  Back to reality I suppose, but with plenty of quilting after bedtime!

Happy Quilting!
Suzy