Since Michael and I are currently traveling in Africa, I thought I would use the next few weeks to take a look back at my favorite quilts from the Paducah show in April.

Let’s start with…..

Large Quilts – Stationary Machine Quilted

This exquisitely appliqued quilt was awarded a 3rd place ribbon. I particularly enjoyed the prairie points on the border.

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This GORGEOUS whole-cloth quilt won the blue ribbon and it certainly deserved that ribbon.

It also included an interesting finishing technique…..

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This is a classic bird quilt from Caryl!! I have always loved her work and this one was another example of perfect FMQ. It was awarded the 2nd place ribbon.

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There was some outstanding quilting on this one…..

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I love the colors in this one….very unexpected combination, but PERFECT!!

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The rainbow borders nicely frame the detailed applique in the center.

The quilting is also magnificent but I will show that soon as a video series!!

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I particularly like the grey tiangles that form the inner border. They are a great way to separate the inner details from the outer quilted border!!

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I loved the pieced sky. It is very striking!!!

Tomorrow we will move on to the “Moveable Machine” (ie….long-arm)

As I mentioned last week, I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days in Paducah, KY, enjoying the town’s quilting ambiance.

After a 7.5-hour drive, I arrived in time to visit the National Quilt Museum. They had 4 wonderful exhibits on tap, including quilts from Tula Pink and Janet Stone. I will be sharing about all four exhibits in future posts.

I loved my day at the AQS show!!

The Paducah show is different from any other I have ever attended!! I don’t believe that you go to Paducah solely for the QUILTS, although they are spectacular.

You go for the atmosphere and for the enjoyment of meeting and visiting with quilters from all around the country. In a single day, I spent time with 6 individuals or groups. These weren’t casual conversations. We talked at length about where we were from and about our quilting journey. It was refreshing that everyone was so relaxed and willing to SPEND THE TIME with someone new!!

It was great fun to see the 2027 calendar and find my quilt in November…..

I had a marvelous time pretending to be a star and signing the page holding my offering…

It was also fun to meet the other women sharing the 4th-quarter months…

Alas, I only had one day at the show, so I made my 7.5-hour journey BACK home the next day. While this trip seemed longer than the first drive, it was spent dreaming of things to come!!

There is much to show from these two days, but I am going to do it slowly and over the next few months. In particular, we will be traveling to Africa in June, and I think those 17 days will be the perfect opportunity to share what I saw!!

So…..stay tuned…..good things are coming!!

As this post goes live, I will be in my car, headed to Paducah, Kentucky, for the American Quilt Society Show.

I have hours of books teed up on Audible, several podcasts to catch up on, and lots of quilt dreaming to do during my 7-hour drive.

I look forward to crossing under this “Flying Geese” bridge, which announces that I AM in QUILT COUNTRY!!

My hope is to arrive early enough to spend some time at the National Quilt Museum….

…..and then make my way to the hotel for a good night’s sleep before a day full of fun and fellowship with quilters!!

Remember, at 2:00pm on Wednesday, I will be signing copies of the 2027 AQS calendar along with the other quilters whose work is featured. If you’re there, please come find me—I’d truly love to say hello!