Saturday Sidelines- A Beautiful Quilt Show

Friends! It’s that time of year when Paducah hosts the AQS International Quilt Show! A beautiful quilt show filled with 402 approved quilts out of the 807 entered for competition…halls filled with quilting displays…vendors of all sorts to satisfy every shopper’s dream…and thousands upon thousands of creative artists and quilters filling our community.

This year Paducah celebrates hosting its 36th show and 102nd show for all of their shows that still continue across the country in Branson, Daytona Beach, Des Moines and Grand Rapids, MI.

Can I tell you that serving as a staff member for this year’s show was pure delight? Among those 402 quilts, I was mesmerized. You don’t have to be a quilter to appreciate the artisan qualities that abound!

Beautiful Quilts

Many of these beautiful quilts took my breath away! Seriously!

With this one you realize that the creator had to have taken a picture of this quilt on the swing…which meant–first step making THAT quilt! It’s 3D qualities were astounding.

Then the first place quilt in the one of the Wall Quilt categories???? It’s all applique’…the tiniest strips of fabric fused and sewn intricately to create this photo on the quilt. STUNNING!

Now look more closely! Wow was my response!

My job took me to help with showcasing all of these beautiful quilts…Among them…

Best Hand Workmanship Winning Quilt

ALL of it was pieced, appliqued, and put together by hand. It was gorgeous. The details were remarkable.

The main question that everyone asked about this beautiful quilt?

How long did it take her to make it?

This quilt had another story that was shared at both the awards ceremony and in our local media.

Elsie Campbell, the quilter who created this beautiful quilt, was a quilting teacher, author, and recipient of many awards. She submitted this quilt in December to the American Quilters Society for awards entry. In January, she had a surgery and after returning home lost her life to a blood clot.

Her husband my choose to have her quilt hang in the National Quilt Museum here in Paducah. What beauty that would provide for all of us to enjoy for years to come.

You can find the video from our local media about Elsie here.

But, the one that won the most beautiful quilts of all…

The Best of Show Quilt

This one!! Both sides of it were amazing. The quilter actually quilted from both sides which created the appearance of two separate quilts.

And then…check out the BACK!

We were all blown away with this one! She completed it in 9 months! Wow! This quilt will be the third in a series to hang in the National Quilt Museum…Janet Stone, the creator of this one, has won best in show 3 times.

As the staff member assigned to answer questions for the Best in Show Quilt for my duration on Friday…I learned all I could from other staff members and tried to share what I had learned. But…I still had lots of questions with no answers.

I had a crowd gathered around me when…there in the background stood Janet. The creator.

When I realized she was listening in, I immediately asked her to take her seat and then correct all the information I may have gotten wrong! She was kind and gracious so maybe I didn’t get everything wrong!

She shared her methods, techniques, her “how she did each step” with more photos from her phone with the group.

As she stood in front of that beautiful quilt, I was mesmerized.

From Overland Park, KS, Janet works full time and creates quilts in her spare time at night and on weekends. The audience asked about her theme of sheep and she shared it comes from her love of collecting them since she was in her twenties. Her alphabet on each quilt is from her love of typography and calligraphy from her mother’s work with a printing company when she was a child. She was always fascinated with the letters and typesetting.

But, guess what?!! She didn’t just win with this one…the second quilt she entered this year ALSO placed! One talented quilter for certain. This quilt continued the sheep and alphabet theme and she shared that this quilt was created during her time at home during Covid and as an “anniversary” quilt since she and her husband celebrated a big anniversary during that time.

Isn’t it gorgeous?!

There are MANY categories of the 402 accepted quilts on two levels at this year’s show. 807 were entered and juried…with only half accepted.

The AQS Quilt Show in Paducah draws nearly 30,000 from all over the world. Although the count won’t be finished until the end of the show…It is still so exciting to see everyone back this year!

Okay…just a few more…I am telling you! They are amazing!

If you are close by, the Paducah AQS Paducah Quilt Show continues through today…DON’T MISS IT!

Vendors in the Convention Center and surrounding buildings will astound you with their wares. Restraint has to come into being when taking it all in!

I’ll be still there in place to share the winners with you today! Please stop and join me in the winners

X if you are there!

This is what I shared on the blog this week if you missed it!

I shared a great fresh farm brunch that had the most amazing flavors…

Yesterday, flower bed and gardening planning ideas were on the blog. I am so thrilled that the world is coming to life! Peonies ready to bloom…hydrangeas coming to life. I am so ready for our zone to be over the freeze warnings so I can finish my planting. I purchased more plants for my garden plan on Thursday. Can’t wait to share them all with you!

Here’s more inspiration I found this week…Enjoy!

This speaks to my dream of renovating an RV…would you like to do that, too?

I am loving all of the raised garden bed ideas here.

If you love zinnias, its almost planting time here. You can find more info to plant zinnias here.

if you need a great recipe for Cinco De Mayo…here you go!

I’m always a fan of afternoon tea…are you? She’s sharing some Mother’s Day ideas.

Our family is all about a great casserole…Southern Living shared some of their favorite casseroles here.

Are you needing some Mother’s Day gift inspiration? I hear you! Here are some things that caught my eye for great Mother’s Day gifts:

Have a GREAT weekend, friends!

May it be filled with so much gathering and joy that your heart is full.