The American Quilter's Society awarded $125,000 in cash prizes Tuesday night to the winning quilts at the 34thAQS Spring Paducah QuiltWeek. Executive Show Director Bonnie Browning said nearly 700 quilts are on display at the Schroeder Expo Center.
This year’s Janome Best of Show went to ‘Turkish Treasures’ made by Patt Holly from Ann Arbor, Michigan.
“The whole edge is made with needle tatted lace. It’s a technique called Oya from Turkey and so this is called ‘Turkish Treasures.’” Browning said the piece is based on designs that Holly saw while on a trip to Turkey.
This is Holly’s second win. She also won best of show twenty years ago. Browning said 400 quilts entered the competition. She said many of the pieces displayed bright colors.
“We have a lot of bright colored fabrics, you know one of the things that has helped quilters is the manufacturers continue to make beautiful fabrics for us to use in our quilts,” she said.
Browning said the show will feature a lot of machine quilting, both home domestic machines and long arm machines, “but I think our hand-quilted category this year was as strong as it has been in years.”
In addition to the quilts, AQS features a fiber arts display by United Kingdom artist Ian Berry.
“He works in nothing but denim and he doesn't bleach, there is no painting or embellishments of any kind added to it. All it is are pieces of denim glued together to make the most unbelievable designs,” Browning said.
Exhibits and classes are open April, 18-21.
The winners are:
Best of Show
512 TURKISH TREASURES,
Pat Holly
Ann Arbor, MI
AQS Best Hand Workmanship Award
314 FOR THE WEDDING OF MY BELOVED DAUGHTER,
Keiko Morihiro
Sanda, Hyogo, Japan
BERNINA of America Best Stationary Machine Workmanship Award
701 MAJESTIC FLIGHT
Joanne Baeth
Bonanza, OR
APQS Best Movable Machine Workmanship Award
#630 STAR OF INDIA
Kris Vierra
Lincoln, NE
Hobbs Bonded Fibers Best Wall Award
1305 ENDANGERED—THE LEMUR’S TALE,
Maria Ferri Cousins and SB Walsh,
Great River, NY
See more 2018 Award Winners
