Quiltingboard Forums - Paducah

Home! Great show. Just a few thoughts on everything encountered in my travels.

The first was the climatic difference with regard to the flora. The graduation of between the trees just beginning to burst their buds to fully leafed out was easily discernable on the way down. Also the difference between the spring bulbs in bloom here and the roses in bloom there. Roses. I had to do a double take as my roses barely have leafs let alone flower buds.

The weather was gorgeous Friday - sunny and quite warm. I actually heard a few people say the word "hot" and take shelter in the shade. Not me. I basked in it having not seen the sun in so long, and delighted in wearing a t-shirt even in the evening. Saturday was cloudy and quite windy, but still warm and pleasant.

I think (hope) I visited all the venues. As you know the flood gate closure and the unfortunate juxtoposition of the convention center to said flood gates, prevented the show from being held in it's usual home and was thus spread from one end of the city to the other. As I said in a previous post, the AQS is to be congratulated on moving a show of this magnitude on such short notice, and in such a seamless manner. Absolutely amazing. I heard not a single grumble or complaint, not even from the vendors who had originally rented a larger booth and were squeezed into a smaller booth - they were also singing the praise of the AQS for a fine job.

My Saturday schedule was: Mall vendors, Hancocks, Church for some of the quilt show quilts, Eleanor Burns store, Murray's of KY 'store' in a warehouse, and the Museum. Sunday: The "bubble" for the main quilt show and the big vendors (machines etc), The VFW Hall for the Rotary club Antique Quilt show, the Hoffman Challenge quilts, and more small vendors, and Eleanor Burns tent - but I did not attend her "show".

My credit card took a major hit and needs CPR today. I did however find some FANTASTIC bargains. I would say that 99% of what I bought was at a good bargain - mostly with regard to fabric and batting. Ahem ... King size 80/20 Cotton/Bamboo batting for ... ready .... $20.

Batiks galore from Hancocks, a few prints from Burns, batting, rulers, a super large mat, a really cool set of rulers (Roll-N-Ruler), a Ricky Timms book (met him, and Sharon Schambers - she's amazing I watched her quilt those teeny tiny precise stitches with ... NO MARKING!!). ha ha ... don't remember what else - haven't unpacked the car yet :) I DID NOT come home with a machine, but I came close :) Had my eye on one, she showed me the sweet deal she was going to make me, then sweetened it some more when I told her I was going to walk the rest the show and think about it. While walking the show I phoned my LQS and asked them what their price was for the machine and it was the SAME PRICE as the "sweetened show special" - plus I would get training (which I may or may not want/need) and local service. Plus, I know and like these people so there was no reason not to bring my business back home.

Took tons of pictures. In fact, I ran out of memory while in the pavilion (main quilt show) and had to quickly delete some I had taken the previous day at the Church. I'll upload late tonight, and hopefully post them tomorow. Will take pics of my purchases as well cause I know you guys are going to ask :)

My only regret ... I did not however get to attend the QB meet & greet at the pav at noon today because I finished up there (I was the first one in the door <g>) and wanted to scoot out to the other two venues so I could get home before sunset. Sorry ladies.

Need rest. Been a long day.