Disappointed in the Lancaster AQS show
 

Maybe it is just me, but this is the second year that I attended the AQS show in Lancaster that I walked away feeling let down. Three years ago I was so thrilled with the show, but since then it has seemed depressing. I did go to the Lancaster Spring Quilt Show which was strictly vendors many of whom were at the AQS show in past years. I actually left the AQS show and went back to the Lancaster Spring Quilt Show to purchase several items. Anyone else feeling let down.

I wasn't at the Lancaster show, but the AQS shows seem to becoming a let down to many including the vendors. The AQS show in Knoxville, TN is not more. Last year was the last AQS show there. We went to it the year before and last year and I was more impressed the year before.

Can you pinpoint what it was that made you feel letdown? Was it the type of quilts, the colors, patterns, vendors?

There will be an AQS show in Michigan in August(?) and I plan on going. Not sure what to expect.

The exhibited quilts were wonderful, but I never located the winning quilts. There seemed to be less vendors and some were "fillers", more non-quilting vendors such as jewelry. In the past there had been one jewelry, but now I think I saw 3 jewelry and one of them was not quilting or sewing related. I think last year the colors exhibited and vendors' exhibits were too drab for me.

This was my first time at the AQS show, I thought the quilts were unbelievable.
They are truly artist, in my wildest dreams I could never make anything so beautiful.
But I have to give a BIG thumbs down to the vendors, I bought nothing.
I also went to the Lancaster Spring Quilt Show and purchase sever items, much better vendors.

I was disappointed also. Two of us went today. First the signage was terrible. We parked, in the rain, went into the Host, only to be told to go around the hotel to another building, lots of steps. I know there was a place to enter with a wheelchair but it was not marked. Women hated the steps. I did enjoy the WWII quilts but I was not impressed other then that. It was nearly noon, so we hunted a restaurant closed to intown where the other place was. $11 to get in and $7 to park in the parking lot. There again, signage was terrible. Coming back out, I used the GPS and went out of our way on that. By the time we got hungry for something, around 3:30 the food places were closed except a snack place. I enjoyed some of the quilts but I kept seeing signs "Quilt moved to the winner's circle" or something like that, so we had to hunt them down. Vendors were all around the quilts and had to hurry to see them. Some of the quilts were beautiful but the vendors did not carry much yardage, more precuts. I was looking for 11 yds of the light aqua fabrics and found none to my liking. Met some nice people from all over but one "quilt police" literally yelled at my friend and told her to get her hands off the quilt. Nothing nice about her. I wanted to stay overnight because I wanted to go to the Continental Inn where there were more vendors but it closed too early. We had more laughs among us so that was our day. I had $hundreds with me but spent only about $60. Had to get that little twister ruler and some papers to do pics on my computer. I left my "treasures" in the sack until tomorrow. Maybe I will enjoy them better. Next show for me is in Meyersdale, Pa. at the Pennsylvania Maple Festival. (Western Pa. in Somerset County). Small show but good. Hope to see some of you there.

I didn't go to the AQS show but a friend at guild heard people at our meeting saying they were disappointed in that show this year. We went to the spring show and the show at the Host. I hope they move the AQS show next year and heard other people say they liked it better when it was at the Host.

I decided not to go to the show this year but am going in May spending two nights just to go to the shops in the area. Love those shops!

The first several years that AQS held its show in Paducah, you couldn't keep me away. Then we moved from Memphis and that made it a little less easy to go, so I stopped. THEN they opened the one at Knoxville...I went the first year and, since it didn't really compare with the one in Paducah, I haven't tried to get to another. I guess it's been two-three years since I went...now, if they brought something like that here where I live now, I'd give it a try at least once. IMHO, if the vendors don't stay organized and ahead of the game, the quilters won't come...and that's kind of what I see beginning to happen, although I hope not! I love this career choice and don't want to see it not survive!

I chat with all the vendors while I'm at Paducah. If they aren't busy they all love to vent! LOL. Many are choosing to not vend in the show but in the town, not under AQS. I heard some eye opening stories about the quilt show vendor politics at AQS shows. If the town wasn't involved in the Paducah quilt show I wouldn't go just for the AQS show. This will be my first time in years not going to Paducah. I chose a quilt retreat during that time instead.