My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Flying the New Zealand flag in Paducah

How lucky I am that I am able to take advantage of my brother living near Nashville....last week my sister-in-law and I headed up to Paducah, 2 hours away, to the AQS quilt show.
Sandie and I went 3 years ago - and I was totally overawed at the shear size of everything and the amount of people there.  This time I wasn't quite as gobsmacked (I'm an old hand now!) but was still majorly impressed.
Naturally, there were quilts everywhere! In the convention centre, in the Pavillion, in the Quilt Museum, in shop windows, on the street. I could have spent twice as long there and still seen something new every day. The whole town gets behind quilt week and there is a real party atmosphere everywhere.
I really don't know which quilt photos to share, I started out taking photos of everything, marvelling at the design, the colours, the quilting, the embellishments, the ideas... but of course there were so many I gave up! So I'll just show a selection where the photos turned out ok..... (and ones that I enjoyed for a variety of reasons)...
Best of Show - Arandano by Marilyn Badger.
Incredible detail
I adored this one.
Kalocsa by Chieko Shiraishi.
First in Hand Quilted quilts.
Those who know me will know I love these colours...but look at
 the crochet flowers and edging!!!
Why Not? By Angela Petrocelli
Second in Large Wall Quilts, Home Machine Quilted.
This is taking small blocks to a whole new level; an entire quilt
made out of them.
The farm girl in me loved this too,
One Fine Day by Laurie Britt.
Third In Large Wall Quilts, Pictorial.
Happy Halloween 2 by Aki Sakai.
Best Wall Hand Workmanship.
So much fun, so much detail!
The Japanese quilters had an incredible array of quilts in the show. I think their variety of styles is getting broader but the same attention to detail and beautiful handmanship is a common theme across them all. The hand quilting on them was amazing.
Celestial Orbs by Sylvia Schaefer
Honorable Mention, Modern Quilts.
A King on his Throne by Nancy Sterett Martin.
Christmas Colours? by Sharon Hendrix and
My Applique Addiction Continues by Diane LaCombe.
Autmn Baskets by Kathleen Littin and
Eternal by Kazuko Noto
Red Chairs by Mary Ann Van Soest.
This quilt really drew me in, I was ready to sit on those chairs!
Shadows by Carol Perkins.
The 3-D effect/shadowing was very real looking.
Vintage Blocks - Tossed But Not Forgotten by Jane V. Cole and Quilters.
Third in Group Quilts.
Another clever quilt, the centre of the blocks are all vintage.
Ok so I could go on forever but will stop here!! I also took lots of photos of 'bits' of quilts, a bit of quilting here, a bit of applique there and so on.  
The Quilt Show has a slideshow of some the quilts *here* if you want to see more.

I took 4 classes while I was there. Two were with Kathy McNeil, the designer of the beautiful Audubon quilt (and more of course). Those classes were lecture/discussion style on different aspects of design and I enjoyed them a lot.
I took a class with Carolyn Konig, an Australian designer (ironic isn't it, going all the way to America to be tutored by an Australian!). The class was titled Fussy Cutting but really covered paper piecing technique...still enjoyable though. Below is a quilt Carolyn shared with us, it is her reproduction of The Sundial Quilt which is in the V and A Museum, and toured Australia a few years ago. There were numerous tiny pieces and it was hand pieced. Very beautiful.
 The other class I took was an all day one with Pat Sloan, Wild and Free Backgrounds. It is an applique wallhanging with a pieced background..... I decided it would be a good one to stretch me!  I had ideas of breaking out and using fabrics that were completely different to those I would normally choose, but in the end used "Raewyn fabrics" (as my sil describes them). They were a little different to those chosen by most of the gals in the class so it was fun when Pat chose my pile as one of the ones to play with in her demonstration. And then I challenged myself to use a totally different selection when it was my turn to play.
Pat and I with my background. The large floral I brought from
home and used as my guide for collecting fabrics.
At the end of the class Pat shared with us her Splendid Sampler blocks; it was great to see them and to see her enthusiasm for the whole project. She is excited by the quilting community that is being created by it. (If you don't know about it, *here* is a link to the Splendid Sampler project ... I've been collecting the patterns and hope to start them when I get back home).
There is an evening performance every year; Ricky Timms (from The Quilt Show) kept us entertained and in stitches (the laughter sort) with his music, tales and quilts. A lot of fun.
Ricky with some of his quilts.
Well this is pushing it a bit, fitting all these into one post but that's how it is. I'm still getting used to using my tablet for stuff like this and was on a roll today so didn't stop :-)
See you next time, from somewhere in the US,

33 comments:

  1. Oh what a treat Raewyn to see all those gorgeous quilts! The quilt you weren't sure about is called The Sundial quilt. It was here with others on a tour from the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was amazing to seeall the antique fabrics in the original. How cool to do a class with Pat Sloan! Thanks for sharing all that gorgeousness xxx

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  2. Looks like an amazing trip. So many gorgeous quilts to inspire.

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  3. thanks for sharing! and here I am only 6 hours away and couldn't make it this year - glad you had fun!

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  4. I can only dream that someday I will see this show in person. Thanks for sharing the sights with us!
    How fun to have a class with Pat. She is doing a retreat next month just a couple of hours away, but I have decided I am over my quilting budget, so I am staying home.

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  5. What an amazing trip you had. Those quilts are incredible - such inspiration. I would love to see it in person someday. Glad you had such a terrific getaway.

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  6. It sounds like you packed everything you could into your hours at Paducah. I've been through there several times on road trips, have shopped at Hancock's of Paducah and enjoyed the museum, but never in late April. It sounds like a blast and I envy you for the classes you took and all the sights you saw. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Thank you so much for sharing. What a time you had! Great that you were able to take in some workshops!

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  8. Thank you for sharing your wonderful experiences Raewyn. The classes sounded great, I look forward to catching up in person. To hear more.

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  9. Thanks for sharing so many beautiful quilts, I can imagine you were "Ohhing and Ahhing"! Isn't it awesome how the whole town gets behind the show, mind you quilting is a huge industry over there. Ok off to buy a Lotto ticket in hopes I can go one year!

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  10. sounds like a wonderful time and so many wonderful quilts loved the one with the bird in the flower mind you loved most of them. Classes sounded interesting re Pat`s splendid sampler seem to be getting behind with it myself so have decided just to save the blocks and maybe do some another time

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  11. Dear Raewyn,
    you´re a really lucky girl and all the quilts you have seen and all the courses you made: wonderful.
    Many hugs to you
    sigisart

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  12. This is such an amazing time. Thank you so much for sharing your photos. The quilts are truly stunning.
    How lucky to attend some workshops, too.
    You will have so much you want to play with when you are back home!!

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  13. How Fab! I'd love to do a class with Pat Sloan. ow fun you got a photo with her. Enjoy your travels

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  14. Wow Raewyn, it looks like you've had the BEST time ... all those quilts look simply stunning... no wonder you took so many pics, I would too!... Safe travels!

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  15. Thank you for sharing all those lovely quilts. So many different styles and such accomplished quilters. Enjoy the rest of your stay here in the US.

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  16. What a great time you must have had in Paducah! I love the Sundial quilt! My sister and I were lucky enough to attend the show for 18 years. We hope to be able to go back one day.

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  17. What a great time you are having. Thanks for sharing all those lovely quilt pictures - wow! And you have time to take classes too, such fun. xx

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  19. I always wanted to go to this show when I lived up north--but never made it--
    so glad that you did and that you shared your photos--thanks-
    love and laughter, di

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  20. oh what fun you are having.... great to see those amazing quilts
    Hugz

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  21. Well, what a catch up I am having and what a fabulous treat you are having. Love all of the show and tell. Xx

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  22. looks like a great time. thanks for sharing photos with us! Wonderful quilts.

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  23. Wow! Those quilts are amazing Who are these people that makes these? I would love to go some day! So glad you got to take some classes too. Thanks for sharing your photos!

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  24. Thanks for sharing your trip with us Raewyn, so many beautiful quilts!!! Have the best time and safe travels home.

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  25. Thanks for sharing that, and having such a wonderfully positive attitude. I loved seeing the quilts you included. Marilyn Badger's work is ALWAYS awesome! I don't know if she still teaches, but in the 90s, when I bought a longarm, she did. Bonnie Hunter, another lady and I all took a class one day and had a ball! She's an amazing teacher, too. I always love to see what her latest creation is. Her husband invented the Hartley Fence that is sold with some machines for making straight lines, diagonals and off-degree ones - all lines, and circular curves. I really enjoyed the Happy Halloween quilt, too, being a hand embellisher. And that apron at the start is marvelous! Thank you so much for the information about your classes, too. I'm so glad you enjoyed everything. That means you'll be back again!

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  26. I'm loving the horses and the Halloween quilt! Sounds like you had a wonderful time.

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  27. Wow those prize winners were amazing, and they were only some of what was on show. I bet you are in your sort of heaven. Have a wicked time Raewyn and keep flying that little flag of ours!!!

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  28. Such a fun post to read :) Odd it didn't seem long at all! Thanks so much for taking all that time to share all about your visit and classes, loving your positive comments :)

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  29. How fun for you! Those quilts look amazing - I would love to see the one with the horses in person. Enjoy the rest of your visit.

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  30. Hi Raewyn,sorry i have been away and missed your fun post.
    Boy what a wonderful time you had and thankyou for sharing all those beautiful quilts,so glad you had a great time xx

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  31. million miles behind and I know your home now but WOW those quilts are amazing..............glad you had such a wonderful time away...........

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