AQS in Des Moines was a winner!
To say that I'm exhausted today would be an understatement. I haven't worked a quilt show in several months, so I'm out of shape! Looking at beautiful quilts, researching the show for new patterns and fabric, talking to friends...it's a hard job. Oh, and I did have to work, too. I wanted to share a few highlights from this past week.
Here are Tony O'Tool and JoAnn Hoffman putting the finishing touches on the APQS booth before the show opened Wednesday morning.
We were all thrilled to have two of our favorite APQS quilters--Claudia Clark Myers and Marilyn Badger --take top honors at the show, winning Best Longarm Quilt with their original design Dragon Breath. This show-stopper was first appliqued by Claudia in the four corners with a few pieces, then machine-quilted by Marilyn, then hand-painted by Claudia.
Here's the entire quilt with Claudia, left, and Marilyn.
This is center of the quilt, which is entirely painted.
I love how the paint shimmers.
When you look at the back of the quilt you can get an idea of what the quilting looks like.
And, APQS Director of Education Dawn Cavanaugh machine quilted a ribbon winner that was appliqued by Amy Leonard. Here's Dawn and the quilt.
Look at the detail of this quilt!
At shows I love making new friends and seeing old ones. My quilting friends from Marshalltown made the trip to the show on Friday. From left, Deb, Karen, Carolyn, me, and Carolyn. We of course, let out a roar, when Karen noted that we had three ghosts, a witch, and a pumpkin with the colors we were wearing!
Two of my new friends are Carol Lindquist, left, and Jessica Vetor, right. They are members of the Keepsake Quilters Guild and are practically neighbors living in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I could tell immediately that we would get along just fine...they both had a good sense of humor! And, Jessica has a 5-year-old boy that loves John Deere tractors. I think we'll have to plan on a play date for the boys, so us moms can talk quilting.
One of the highlights of the week was that I spoke to a bus group from Minnesota. Our evening event was held at Living History Farms, where their beautiful quilt collection was on display. The caterer set up a lovely display and the food was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S. After their supper, they joined me for my own family quilt history story. We laughed and chatted about quilts for the rest of the evening. It was delightful.
Now I must recover quickly, as in less than two weeks I'll be in Houston, Texas, for the International Fall Market and Festival!
Here are Tony O'Tool and JoAnn Hoffman putting the finishing touches on the APQS booth before the show opened Wednesday morning.
We were all thrilled to have two of our favorite APQS quilters--Claudia Clark Myers and Marilyn Badger --take top honors at the show, winning Best Longarm Quilt with their original design Dragon Breath. This show-stopper was first appliqued by Claudia in the four corners with a few pieces, then machine-quilted by Marilyn, then hand-painted by Claudia.
Here's the entire quilt with Claudia, left, and Marilyn.
This is center of the quilt, which is entirely painted.
I love how the paint shimmers.
When you look at the back of the quilt you can get an idea of what the quilting looks like.
And, APQS Director of Education Dawn Cavanaugh machine quilted a ribbon winner that was appliqued by Amy Leonard. Here's Dawn and the quilt.
Look at the detail of this quilt!
At shows I love making new friends and seeing old ones. My quilting friends from Marshalltown made the trip to the show on Friday. From left, Deb, Karen, Carolyn, me, and Carolyn. We of course, let out a roar, when Karen noted that we had three ghosts, a witch, and a pumpkin with the colors we were wearing!
Two of my new friends are Carol Lindquist, left, and Jessica Vetor, right. They are members of the Keepsake Quilters Guild and are practically neighbors living in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I could tell immediately that we would get along just fine...they both had a good sense of humor! And, Jessica has a 5-year-old boy that loves John Deere tractors. I think we'll have to plan on a play date for the boys, so us moms can talk quilting.
One of the highlights of the week was that I spoke to a bus group from Minnesota. Our evening event was held at Living History Farms, where their beautiful quilt collection was on display. The caterer set up a lovely display and the food was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S. After their supper, they joined me for my own family quilt history story. We laughed and chatted about quilts for the rest of the evening. It was delightful.
Now I must recover quickly, as in less than two weeks I'll be in Houston, Texas, for the International Fall Market and Festival!
The quilt by Claudia and Marilyn is amazing and the one by Dawn and Amy is beautiful. Thanks for sharing photos of these lovely quilts. What amazing work they are!! I love the ghosts, the witch and the pumpking pic. What a good laugh! You always look like you are having just the best time!! And I think you probably are when you get to see so many lovely quilts and meet so many quilters. What a lucky lady you are!
Reply to this
Oh the quilts are just gorgeous!
Reply to this
I do wish I'd been able to make it to the show! Those quilts are beautiful and it's always so fun to see all the booths and new things coming out. I bet you'll have a blast in Houston, mind if I hide in your suitcase and ride along?
I've been doing a few crafty/quilty things myself this week so check out my blog to see...and I'm looking forward to meeting you this weekend!
Reply to this
Thanks for taking the time to share the show. Now, why am I not surprise at the winners? lol Beautiful work. I would love to take a class with either Marilyn and/or Dawn. This year I'll be doing MQX in NH as a longarm researcher but as a new APQS long arm student! ;o)Will you be coming East at some point? Thanks for sharing!
Reply to this
Wow, Heidi those quilts are so exciting and original and well done and colorful and inspiring....loved those photos. And I have to say the group of girls you are with in the photo look like lots of fun and really nice (I mean this) and I would love to be a part of their group!
Thank you for inspiring me again.
Mary Lou
Reply to this