Fall Quilt Week 2017, Paducah Kentucky: part one

Wow! That was one busy week…

I’m home for a few days before I leave again. It’s time to catch up?

I left you last Tuesday at O’Hare Airport waiting for my flight to Paducah. We were delayed more than a few minutes while suitcases were moved around “to balance the plane”, extra gas was taken on “in case we needed to land at St. Louis”, and finally gas was removed “because we were too heavy to take off”…

It’s good to be careful and our plane of excited quilters landed safely in Paducah. I have been warned several times over the past year that I was flying in to a small airport but Paducah wins the prize!! One runway, a door to enter the building and a very short baggage conveyor…Wednesday morning dawned grey and damp…But what was happening over at the Convention Center?The flag team was hidden by the overhang but I could hear the band from my room on the fifth floor of the new Holiday Inn. I missed the opening ceremony by the time I was ready to go over to the Center to have a look at some quilts.

With a full schedule of classes starting on Wednesday afternoon and going all the way through until Saturday I knew I did not want to waste a minute of my morning.

I started with three very special Special Exhibits, The Wide World of Quilts featuring the work of Danny Amazonas, Noriko Endo and Pam Holland.

First the freehand patchwork of Danny Amazonas, Goldfish.
There was a crowd having a good look at this quilt.Intermission,There were more, all equally stunning.

The confetti landscape style quilts of Noriko Endo from Japan were next. Here’s Cherry Blossom #3.This one is Autumn Enchantment.The chipmunk caught my eye…He reminded me of the one I had taken a picture of on our deck the week before.Australian fiber artist, Pam Holland was well represented in the last section of quilts on the back wall.Pam’s art often uses photographic images she takes on her travels around the world.

The Lady was made using cheesecloth and thread painting.American Gothic Revisited was obviously inspired by Grant Wood’s painting.
but there was much more behind it than simply a re-making of the painting…It’s always worth reading the quilt descriptions…

I had more time before I needed to go and teach so I went downstairs to look at more quilts.  The judged and juried show had attracted some world class entries. I didn’t take many pictures but here are a few that attracted my attention.

Colorful Dream by Lisa BelangerSpring Equinox by Katie Pasquini MalquistPerseverance by Mary OlsonFleur de Glace by Colette DumontFractal by Claudia PfeilIt was the label that attracted my attention with this next one!I’ve visited the Lakeside Quilting Guild in Chicago more than once. They meet in the basement of the Treasure Island Supermarket on 55th Street just a few blocks from the lake. It was such fun to see the Red and White Sampler that many of their members had joined together to make.Just a few more.

La Passacagalia Unravels by Randa Mulford who I met at the Chicago show back in April. A slightly different take on the popular pattern.

Melting Zebra by Ruth O’Sullivanand Pastorale by Jennifer Emry. Hand quilted.Enough quilts for now. I had a quick walk around the vendors before checking what was happening outside. Still grey!And wet…Time to go to class.

We’ll get to my classes tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed my very small selection of the hundreds of quilts on display?