Paducah AQS Quilt Show Report

I have been home from Paducah over a week and am just now sitting down to write a bit about it.  First off, my quilt didn’t place or win a ribbon but I am still thrilled to have had a chance to have it on display and see it behind the glass in the cases of miniatures.What a wonderful few days while at the show that sped by way too quickly.  We started off by attending the awards night, which was fabulous by the way.  Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry spoke and had a slide show of her quilt journey thus far.  (We did visit her studio/shop/home the next day and got a tour of her private quarters and studio which was spectacular.  So glad we did as she has sold the house and is moving to Washington State.) 

Awards Night VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

My sisters, niece and friend again stayed with the wonderful Betty Jane, the mother in law of our friend.  She is such a sweet woman and makes us all feel so welcome each year.  Here is a photo of us the day we left for home in our matching t-shirts from the show.And one with Betty Jane, our “hostess with the mostess!”The dogwoods and azaleas were so pretty this year so we went out a couple of evenings to drive around and see the beautiful lighted trees and stopped to get photos during the day too.  I am still trying to figure out how to share my photos but in the mean time here are a few links I have stumbled onto this week.

Here is a link to see some of the winning quilts at the Paducah show.  It takes a bit of time to load the photos but you can zoom up to see details of these beautiful quilts.
http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/6533
This YouTube video shows parts of lots of quilts set to music.  The message at the end says there will be part 2 posted later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfLLxdyCuxQ
Video of Pat Kuhns from Lincoln with Bonnie Browning about her quilt -  http://www.paducahvideo.com/play/rbXxL2e27fM
Watch the interview with Susan Stewart from Kansas – wow what a story.  http://www.paducahvideo.com/play/jVw29opwAbc
I found these videos on this page where they interview more of the winners and have more videos you can watch.
http://www.paducahvideo.com/channel.php?channel=quilttv
This is one of the quilts we saw in Paducah and I also read her blog so knew it was going to be there  She wrote this interesting story about her winning quilt she entered in the show on this blog post.  I had read about it before but thought you all would be interested in the story of this quilt.
http://blog.cindyneedham.com/2014/04/the-nuns-quilta-testament.html
She also blogged about her quilt and being at Paducah.
http://blog.cindyneedham.com/2014/04/paducah.html

Until Later,
Lynn

Self Portrait…Take 84….

Have you ever tried to get a photo of yourself….taken by yourself and have it look natural?  I was asked by the local newspaper to send them a photo of myself holding my miniature quilt as they are going to publish something about the quilt getting to go to the AQS quilt show in Paducah.  That was yesterday and the reporter wanted the photo today…YKES!

The reporter called late afternoon and the light was fading and I wanted a photo using natural light taken in my house rather than using flash which casts shadows so getting it done yet yesterday was out of the question.  I had planned to have John take the photos for me but he had commitments all morning and after lunch too so that didn’t work out either.  My only choice then was to take them myself. 

Got the tripod and the wireless shutter release all set up and the camera positioned in front of my design wall that I cleaned off for this photo shoot….well, partially cleaned off anyway.  Next decision was what to wear and took shots of 3 different tops and scarves before deciding the brown with the scarf was the best choice.  Decided a scarf hid my turkey skin neck a bit so wore one for the final photo.   Here are a few of the many goof up photos that wouldn’t work for various reasons and you can see how hard it is.  After all how do you smile naturally when there is no one there and then there is holding the quilt straight, position of the hands, backgrounds, hair, etc. to think about.

Head cocked a little too cutsie and don’t like the red scarf.  Wooden smile too.  

Problem with a finger in each of these…whoops!

Forgot to lower my hand that was holding the shutter release plus holding onto the back of the quilt makes it look like it is floating in air.  “Look ma, no hands” and it is tipped again.  I had a big problem holding the quilt level in a lot of the photos.

My scarf was overlapping the quilt in these two photos.

Too far to one side and the stuff I left on the design wall is showing.  (I know, a real mess right now!)  Plan to crop the photo but even cropped this would present a problem.  Had a hair appointment this afternoon to get a hair cut so decided to snap a few more when I got home and they do look better, I didn’t realize how frumpy my hair was before.  Actually, the one I cropped and sent to the newspaper reporter was the very last photo I took.  Finally I smiled naturally, held the quilt level and removed more stuff from the design wall so it wouldn’t interfere before I snapped the photo.  

Here is what my photo shoot set up looked like...now don’t laugh too much.  Hard to believe there is so much stuff on my sewing table but I didn’t want to move it as I am in the middle of another project and it wasn’t showing in the photo anyway.  I had to sit on a pile of magazines to make me higher too.  I did have the blind up when I shot the photos but for this one I needed it down so you could see the room and all it’s amenities.

So, if you ever need a portrait of yourself and have hours to spend with someone who has minimum equipment and knowledge just give me a call!

Until Later,
Lynn

Paducah Bound!

I received an email a couple of  weeks ago informing me that my quilt, “Silk Refrain” was juried into the 2014 AQS Quilt Show in Paducah, Kentucky.  This is the first time I have ever entered a national contest so am really thrilled to have it chosen as a semi-finalist.This is a miniature quilt measuring 11.25” x 10.5” and is made of all silk fabric and thread with wool batting.  I blogged about making it on the following dates August 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 2012 and Oct. 29, 2012 and lastly Oct. 4 2013.  Just click on the individual dates to take you to the blog posts where I share my design process to the completion of the quilt and problems that incurred along the way.I have all the required paperwork submitted and now have to figure out what day to mail the quilt off so it arrives between March 30 and April 4 for judging.  I really hope the judges give comments as for me that is the most valuable part of entering a quilt in competition.  Of course we all know the areas our quilts have problems and hope the judges don’t see those but I have learned a lot from the judges comments from entering my quilts in the Nebraska State Fair and that has helped me to improve my quilting over the years.I have been attending the AQS show in Paducah for several years with my 2 sisters, niece and good friend.  They have been encouraging me to submit a quilt and finally I did and to my surprise it was accepted.  It will be even more fun to go this year and we are even going a day earlier for the awards night.  Will be fun to see the quilts and makers as they get their awards.  I don’t expect any award as I have seen the quilts that win – am just happy to have a quilt on display.The photo at the top of the page is closer to the true color of the quilt.  The other photos are just too green.  You know how hard it is to sometimes get the color correct in photography.

Over the moon excited!
Lynn

Tentmakers of Cairo

Special display at the show.   Look at quilts behind one of the men working on a piece.  Magnificent color and designs.   Google them and I am sure you can find lots of photos.

Lynn

Bookmark

Today I am posting this from an app on my cell phone.

The photo is of the 4 bookmarks I made for my Paducah gals.  These are made from a large paper clip, a covered button and hot glue.   Easy-Peasy to make!!!  I followed the directions on My Three Sons blog post-tutorial on December 18, 2009

Click on the word "tutorials" and scroll down to find the tutorial link.

Lynn

Pretty Tissue Cover

Another easy gift 'I've made for my Paducah girls – a fabric tissue cover that can be carried in a purse or bag.  This was such an easy gift to make and I used the same fabrics that I used for the eyeglass   cases.  I got the pattern from this website, Stamp, Stitch, Swizzle Sticks  I made my tissue cover/case pretty much like the directions on that site with a few chages.Cut one backing piece 4” x 5 3/4”, cut 2 pieces the same size (4” x 5 3/4”) and press in half with wrong sides together,  Cut 2 pieces of the same or contrasting fabric that are 4”x4” and press in half wrong sides together.Lay out the 4 folded pieces of fabric like the photo above.  The folded edges are placed towards the center.  This configuration reminds me of when you are trying to close a box with flaps where parts of each flap are tucked under the one of another.Lay this piece on the backing fabric piece with the right side of the backing facing the overlapped pieces.  Stitch with a 1/4” seam around the 4 sides and I rounded the corners a bit so when it is turned right side out there will not be a lot of bulk in the corners.  After stitching the seam I zig zagged around the edge to keep it from raveling as it is used.  You could also serge this seam to prevent raveling.

The last step is to turn it right side out, pushing the corners out and fill with folded tissues or one of the small packages of tissues.  Here all 6 of the tissue covers that can be carried in your bag and look pretty too.  I am not kidding these are super easy and fast to make.  Even kids could make them, they are that easy.  Rounding the corners makes them turn so much easier than the square corners and all 4 corners look the same this way too.

When you read this I will be enjoying myself in Paducah – am hoping it is warm so I can finally wear my spring clothes. 

Until Later,
Lynn

Fabric Eyeglass Cases

This was a really quick to make eyeglass case.  I made them for my whole Paducah group – 2 sisters, niece, and 2 friends, plus one for myself so made 6 total.  I found the pattern on this website (Wranglers and Ribbons.)  I followed the directions from the website that had lots of photos to help explain .
These are easy to make with just one little bit of a  tricky part.   Here are my photos of the construction and my comments on how I made them.Cut three pieces for each eyeglass case using the pattern from this webpage (About.com)  One fabric for the outside of the eyeglass case, one for the lining and a piece of thin batting.  Make sure you flip the pattern to get two pieces that will fit together when stitched.  It doesn’t matter if they are the opposite as the opening will slant down the opposite way.  I purchased this dogwood fabric last year at Paducah so is the perfect choice.Layer the three pieces with the bottom layer being the batting, outside fabric face up  is next and the lining piece facing down onto the top of the stack.Stitch 3 sides with a 1/4” seam starting at the flat bottom, up the side, across the curved top and down the other straight side.  Backstitch at both ends.  Trim the seam to approximately 1/8”. Now this next part is the tricky part.  Push the seam from the short side over to the other seam on the long side.  Push the two seams tightly together.Fold it flat and pin through all the layers including the pushed in seam.  Stitch approximately 1/8” deeper seam from the top to the bottom, backstitching the start and ending of the seam.  Make sure you are catching the seam you pushed to the inside.Trust me this will work, even though it is confusing right now.Clip the top corner at an angle to help reduce the bulk before turning .Grab the lining fabric and turn the entire piece inside out using a sharp point to push out the top corner.

 

Smooth out the open bottom and pin closed.  Make sure there are no pleats in the two fabrics or batting before you stitch across the bottom with a 1/4” seam, backstitching at each end of the seam.  Clip the corners to reduce bulk then zig zag the edge to prevent it from raveling as this seam will be exposed on the bottom inside of the case when it is used.

Turn the entire sunglasses case right side out pushing out the corners.  They won’t make an exact square corner because there is so much bulk there but do the best you can.TA Da – all done..  Isn’t that sort of magic the way the seams connect with lining and the top fabric all at one time!  Here are all the cases, each a little different from the one next to it but all similar.  The reason some are open from the opposite side is the way the pieces were cut.  Must have laid the pattern down on the fabric on some of them one way and some the other way.  Doesn’t matter at all though.Am excited to present these so have had to keep this a secret and not post about them until now as we left for Paducah today for another fun filled trip.

Lynn

Paducah AQS Photos

So many of you that didn’t get the chance to visit Paducah might be interested in seeing more photos of the quilts and since I am reluctant to post mine because of all the litigation going on in the quilt world these days I feel I have let you down.  The quilts were/are magnificent and the slide show posted on the AQS site is OK but you just can’t see details and may have really wondered why some were chosen as winners.  I have found one place where you can see more details of some of the quilts – not just the winners either.

I have signed up to get an RSS feed from The Quilt Show and read the articles and watch the videos that are available to the public.  I am not a paid subscriber so can’t watch or read all the content but there is lots of free information on The Quilt Show webpage to make me visit often.  They have posted video interviews with some of the winners and slide shows of quilts and details on some quilts so wanted to share these links with you.

Interview with Sue McCarty – winner of the AQS show
Video Interview with Susan Stewart – winner of Machine Workmanship Award
More Susan Stewart quilt photos
Frieda Anderson video interview
Video interview with Judy Woodworth – Longarm Award winner
Video interview with Pat Holly
Video of Caryl Bryer Fallert’s home and studio in Paducah
Quilts from Paducah – video of photos of quilts in AQS show
Handwork From AQS Show – video of photos of quilts in AQS show
Another blog – We All Sew – with photos of some quilts from the AQS show

Enjoy looking at the photos and studying the detailed shots of these beautiful quilts.

Lynn

Paducah AQS Show

It has been a week since I got home from my annual trek to Paducah for the AQS show with my sisters and friend.  I repeat from years past…it was a great experience with absolutely beautiful quilts and great shopping at the vendors booths.

Check out this AQS web page to see the winning quilts.  Just click on Paducah in the 2012 column to see the quilts but you can also look at other show winners from several years from links on that site too.  I would love to post photos that I took here on my blog but with all the litigation going on in the quilt world these days I decided to not post any of the photos.  I am so very sorry.

Be sure to check out the winners on the video on th AQS webpage but you could also Google the winner’s names to find websites for them and maybe they have more photos to show of their beautiful quilts. The video is good but doesn’t show the details that make these quilts the winners they were and that is sad that I can’t share my photos.

I felt the winning quilts well deserved the honors and prizes they won and I was especially thrilled that a fellow Nebraskan, Judy Woodworth, won the APQS Longarm Machine award.  Her black fabric quilt is just covered with colored thread quilting, making it look like it has applique.  Congratulations Judy!

There were a lot of familiar names on the quilts as well as lots of new names to me anyway.  I never have enough time to really study all the quilts.  Would be nice to be able to take another look at them all now a week later.  The funny thing is when looking through my photos or the show book I could almost swear I had not seen some of them.  How can that be?  I guess the brain doesn’t always remember what the eye sees.We all purchased t-shirts alike again this year and took our annual photo wearing the shirt of the year.  The center of the design is always the same but the words/writing around it is different each year.  I do wish the makers of the shirts would choose some different colors as this lavender was used 2 years ago.  We all agreed that a teal shirt would be nice as would a peach or navy color and I love yellow, although my older sister doesn’t like it at all.

My niece was unable to attend this year and we missed having her along....maybe it will work out that she can go with us next year. Our hostess B. J. was again wonderful and we hope we didn’t make it too much work for her so we can come again.  We bring in all the meals and snacks plus each bring a bottle of wine from our local.  We wash and dry as much of the bedding as we can before we leave and re-make the beds.  B. J. lives right in Paducah in a cute house with a wonderful screened in porch.  We take advantage of the porch and have “happy hour” each evening after we return as our meal is heating.  B.J. wants to see what we purchased and how we will use it and what sights we have seen.   She is a lovely woman and great hostess!

Our trip home was quite the adventure to remember too.  We were on the road only about an hour when we came to a halt on the interstate.  Apparently a truck caught fire and kept re-igniting so all north bound traffic had to sit and wait, and I mean sit and wait 2 hours and 40 minutes.  We shut off our car and got out to visit with other stopped travelers.  There was a school bus full of band kids heading to a contest and we wondered if they made it in time.  We had a nice visit with a gal from Australia who had also been at the show so that was fun too.

That was not the end of our travel wows that day though.  At St. Louis we had about an hour delay getting through road construction then later we ran into heavy rain and saw a couple more accidents that had happened recently.  Jeannine, Diane and I moved our stuff to Diane’s car at Columbia for the next leg of our trip to Kansas City and wouldn’t you know when we were on the east edge of the city there was another traffic stop on the interstate due to another accident.  Diane whipped off at the exit right before the blocked cars and zig-zagged through KC to get to her home.  Sure glad she knew her way around as I would have had to just sit and wait.

Needless to say we were all very tired when we got to Diane’s almost 12 hours after we started on our trip home but after a good nights rest Jeannine and I headed back to Nebraska the next morning.

We look forward to it for so long and the time at Paducah goes so quickly it seems. 

Lynn