Many quilters consider the AQS (American Quilters Society) annual show in Paducah, Kentucky the top of the heap among quilt shows. So, I just had to go see for myself this year.
For Tanya, by Emily and Miriam Coffey, won first place in the Modern Wall Quilt category
Here are some of my favorite quilts from the show. If some of them look a little wonky, it’s because they hang the quilts in 3-sided booths and then don’t let you into the booth! The result is that, unless the quilt you want to photograph is directly at the back of the booth, you can’t get a straight shot of it. Enjoy the pictures anyway!
Flowers and Gears, by Robbi Joy Eklow, won a ribbon in the Longarm Quilted Small Wall Quilt category
I had a great time in Paducah, because I had a friend with me and we found COOKIES! Luckily my friend knew where to find good food and a good place to stay 🙂
It Takes the Case, by Karlyn Bue Lohrenz, won a ribbon in the category of Large Wall Quilts–Pictorial
I have pictures of a few of my favorite quilts here, but on the whole this show had fewer quilts that I really loved than any show I’ve attended in the past year. Probably because of the emphasis on “show quilts”.
In the Marsh #2, by Carol Bryer Fallert-Gentry
However, there were some outstanding quilts like the ones above and below. I suppose they are “show quilts” too, but they are not so heavily quilted that they appear 3-dimensional, and they don’t have rhinestones!
Canola Fields, by Leah Gravells, was made of 199 strips 3/4 inch wide–and she got them all straight!
One of the reasons I go to shows is to be inspired, and these quilts certainly were inspiring!
Boardwalks of Asilomar, byt Jody H. Rusconi, was one of the few improvisational quilts in the show
Playing It, by Pam Beal, was another nice improvisational quilt
Windows #1-Antigua, by Brenda S. Wall
Rainbow Play by Brenda S. Roach
Rhythmic, by Karen Neary
Zippy Quilts 
Canola Fields reminds me of newspaper art from my childhood. It has a rolled feel to it.
Good point! It was very well done 😊
Thanks for sharing the pix and your comments. I’ve been to the AQS show in Des Moines a few times. Yes, I’d say most of the quilts are very heavily quilted, beyond what I consider a balanced approach. They are showing the quilting, rather than a quilt as a whole. Not true for every one, of course. But overall, they are not as much to my taste as the quilts shown by the local Des Moines guild. (It’s a large guild, and I don’t know what their show requirements are. Of course the offerings are somewhat uneven, but that’s true of the “AQS” quilts, too.) On the other hand, many of the special exhibit quilts were very exciting.
The only other BIG show I’ve been to was the Chicago IQF in March. The quilts there were of a different nature than at the AQS, more in tune with AQS special exhibit quilts, more approachable and better balanced.
Thanks again.
Good to hear from you! Maybe we’ll meet at one of these big shows one of these days 🙂
Thanks for including your favorites! The inspiration is amazing!
Thanks for looking. Hope you are doing well.
I laughed out loud when I read your comment about rhinestones! (I’m sooo over them!) We are of one mind on that one. I loved your display of quilts and thought you did a great job photographing them. Some of those quilts I had never seen before (sometimes quilts seem to make the rounds) so it was fun to see them here. Thanks for a great post!
(PS. Rarely do I get back to the same post to see comments so if you ask me a question in reply, I probably won’t see it.)
Thanks for visiting and commenting! It’s good to know somebody is interested!
Dear Zippy
What a lovely surprise, seeing my quilt here. No award (none expected) but an AQS editor photographed Boardwalks of Asilomar as a 2016 calendar candidate. I enjoyed making it very much, tho it is not to everyone’s taste. Glad you liked it!
Jody
Hi Jody, I’m glad you saw your quilt on my blog. I think it is an excellent accomplishment just to get a quilt in the Paducah show. Your quilt was (as you see) one of the real highlights for me!
Hi, What a surprise for finding my Rhythmic quilt pictured on your blog! I am so pleased you liked and included it here. Thanks! Karen
Thanks for stopping by. I think your quilt is wonderful!