More AQS – 2026

I’m starting this week’s post with some of my favorite large quilts from last week’s show, but I’m including some additional fun stuff at the end, so please scroll all the way through. Now for the big quilts:

If you’ve been watching the AQS website and/or Facebook page you will have seen this quilt. I had to start with Linda Neal’s quilt “A Calm Day at Sea”, because is was hands down my favorite. She said that she wanted to do a variation on a Baltimore Album quilt – and what a variation! I wasn’t surprised when it won the Viewer’s Choice ribbon.

Linda’s attention to detail is delightful ~ inside the circles and out!

Along the sea bottom:

And up top on the pier. A person can’t help but be captivated and amazed.

So what else can I share? Lots, as you’ll see…

“Searching for Whys” by Susan Nixon is a pattern I’ve admired before – and she did it beautifully. After I’d taken the photo I actually met Susan. She was in my Friday night class. That’s when I learned that she made this quilt while going through chemo treatments. She told me with tears that it was an important, healing part of her journey. What a beautiful blessing!

“A Time for Gathering” by Louise Thibaudeau looked so peaceful compared to many of the hundreds of quilts hanging in the contest, but I loved the sweet appliqués and uncluttered simplicity.

I felt the same way about “Birds of a Feather” by Kathy Madziar. The simple cross hatching behind the appliqués was a perfect choice of quilting design.

“Duval in Dots” by Tony Alicea is quite different from the previous two quilts, yet it too grabbed me. I think it’s the fact that this entire large wall quilt was made with only 1/2″ squares.

I’d seen “Beauty in the Broken” by Kathy Wylie in previous AQS magazines, but it was so special in person. All of the black areas in the outer border and center of the quilt are the black curtain showing through her cut-work. Amazing.

I often come upon “One Block Wonder” quilts at different shows. I’m especially intrigued by the ones that are made from 7 of the same printed panel. “A Stroll in our Autumn Years” by Lois Kindley began with a lovely panel – and the colors blended so well in the hexagon blocks (plus – I love orange).

“Lapin” by Megumi Mizuno is made with a great amount of hand-work.

Here’s a detail shot. Her appliqué and embroidery are beautiful. And just look at those tiny hand-quilted stitches!

I was very impressed. But then I came upon “Lollipop” by Antonia Kort-Hering. Antonia won a special ribbon for hand-work, causing me to be really impressed!

This photo shows why she won the hand workmanship award.

“Old Fashion Sampler” by Glady Cline uses old lace doilies in a charming way throughout the quilt.

This quilt was so long it had to be draped over a lower rod. I know you’ll enjoy a close-up of the blocks and doilies.

“Thousands of Thimbles” by Shelley Stallard is a scrap quilt covered with thimble shaped patches. I’m guessing those patches were about 1 1/2″. The sashed areas make it so interesting. WOW!

You may remember from last week’s post, that I enjoyed meeting 5 quilters from China. Well, at the awards ceremony one of the group got up to accept the ribbon for their friend Jing He’s quilt “Lili Li”. Jing couldn’t make it to the show, but her friends were very excited for her, and her quilt is lovely.

“Voyage of Threads” by Cole Reese Whitaker was another ship quilt I just had to share. It is quite large, and even though the shapes are somewhat simple, the overall effect is impressive.

The next two quilts are just for fun. This bed sized quilt by Nikki Woolsey is called “Pop”. It really made me smile.

And “Little Girl Danji and Kitten Jenny” by Jinyoung Lee was unexpected and delightful. Don’t you just love the little girl peeking over her shoulder at you? Sweet!

My final favorite from the show is “Flowers for my Granddaughter” by Judy Powell. The appliqué and piecing are very nice, but I especially loved the twisted ribbon border. Those of you who’ve taken my Seminole workshop know how much fun it is to make this border with Seminole piecing. The 3D results are lovely.

While wandering the show I ran into a dear friend, Bonnie Browning.

She was the “queen” of the AQS shows for many years, and did a wonderful job of making each show run to perfection. Since she’s retired she said she’s been working to find funding for the quilt murals to be added on the wall surrounding the convention center. So far there are 4 quilts on the wall (these 3 plus one added this year). She said there are more scheduled!

Shortly after bumping into her, I found myself looking at Bonnie’s very own miniature quilt in the National Quilt Museum. How lovely!

I’m so grateful to have taught at the Paducah show the past two years. This year was so busy because of my parent’s health issues (in case you’ve been following their story, mom has been in hospice care for 10 months and is still with us. She is nearing the end, and Dad sits with her every day. We are very blessed). So, I never got around to applying to teach again. Imagine my delight to be contacted by Lauren at AQS a few months back. She said she knew I’d be at the show and they had a Friday night time slot open for me to teach. What a wonderful invitation! I had a full class for “Quilt, Slash, Create” and the ladies were the best!

And I’ll close this week’s post with a photo of the biggest needle and thread in Kentucky. It stands on a corner near the convention center.

You just never know what you’ll see in Paducah. Besides the quilts, and the interesting people I’ve written about so far – there are some stories about the trip I’m saving for next week. Stay tuned…