Area Quilters Exhibiting Work in International Quilting Competition

Paducah, Kentucky, USA – 3 area quilters have been selected as a semi-finalist for the 2014 AQS QuiltWeek® -  Paducah, Kentucky, April 23-26, 2014, at the Paducah Expo Center in Paducah, Kentucky.

Connie (Donovan) Anderson of Dow, Illinois, Therese Kuddes of Godfrey, Illinois and Jan Copeland of Hartford, Illinois have been chosen to display the quilt "Winter In The Garden," along with 405 others in the annual contest, now in its 30^th year.  Three quilting authorities will judge this elite group in Paducah, awarding first-, second-, and third-place prizes in 16 categories, along with nine overall awards.  Winners will be announced at the 30^th AQS Anniversary Celebration, which takes place at the Carson Four Rivers Center in Paducah at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22.  Cash awards totaling $125,000 will be granted, including $20,000 for the Janome Best of Show; $12,000 for the BERNINA Machine Workmanship; $12,000 for the AQS Hand Workmanship; $12,000 for the APQS Longarm Workmanship; and $5,000 for the MODA Best Wall Quilt.  Regardless of how Winter In The Garden places in the final judging, all semi-finalist’s quilts will be displayed at the show, which is expected to draw more than 30,000 people. 

Quilts were entered in this international contest from 41 states and 10 other countries. Using fabric as their medium, quilters’ imaginations soar – from beautiful traditional quilts to one that has a blue pig and a red duck. Who knew that fabric, batting, and thread could create works of art for any artistic taste? Some of the special exhibits that will be featured along with the contest quilts include: Stitch Like an Egyptian, GO! Have Fun Quilt Challenge, Quilted in Honor, SAQA Masters II, the Modern Quilt Challenge, and the Pilgrim/Roy 2014 and 2015 Invitational Challenges.

AQS Founder and President Meredith Schroeder says, “For 30 years, quilters from across the U.S. and around the world have shared their quilts in the AQS Quilt Contest to make Paducah, Kentucky, the home of the finest exhibit of quilts as fiber art.  Today’s quilters continue to push the boundaries through techniques used, exploration of materials, and letting their creativity soar.”

The American Quilter’s Society hosts seven shows annually, each with its own quilt contest.  Besides the Paducah show, AQS hosts other prestigious shows in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; Charlotte, North Carolina; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Des Moines, Iowa.

For more information, please go to www.americanquilter.com.

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