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AQS Show in Des Moines


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Hi Ladies. I just got home from the first night at the AQS show. I had a class with Myrna Ficken. She was totally awesome!! The class was creating spaces and it really gets the creative juices flowing and gets you thinking outside the box. I was in the back of the class with Sharon W (I think she is countrystitcher), Linda McGhee and Vickie Swenson. We had too much fun drawing, gabbing and creating spaces. :D:D:D

I got to take in part of the quilt show. It is amazing the number of quilts and vendors in this show!! The show is on the bottom level of Hy-Vee hall. As you are walking through the second level of Hy-Vee hall to get to the escalator, there are large windows overlooking the show. What an amazing sight to look down over the top of hundreds of quilts on display, too many vendors to count and all the people. I'll be there Saturday and will try to take a picture.

I had several customer quilts in the show. Two of them got ribbons. The Winter Wonderland redwork quilt I posted awhile back got a second place ribbon and the japanese applique I posted about a month ago got a first place ribbon. This was in the Des Moines Guild portion of the show. I haven't been to the AQS portion of the show yet to see how those quilts did. Ribbon or not, it will be awesome just to see them hanging in a show like this.

I'll be there all day on Saturday to see more of the show and shop. I'll post some pictures Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.

Later,

Debbi

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Hi Everyone,

What a wonderful first day at AQS in Des Moines! The weather cooperated after vendors moved in with torrential rains yesterday.

Both the Des Moines Guild Show and the AQS show are terrific!

Marilyn Badger and Claudia Clark-Myers won a $3000 prize for best Longarm Quilting on their joint quilt, "Dragon's Breath." Watch for photos to be posted soon, as Heidi was busy snapping shots of the winners.

A quilt completed for my customer, Amy Leonard, snared a second place ribbon.

The most touching moment of the day occurred during the awards ceremony, when best of show was announced. The APQS group was lucky enough to be seated right in front of the winner, who was a stunned "Mrs. Miller" from Minnesota. With astonishment and tears welling in her eyes, she modestly uttered, "It can't be me they just announced!" and shook her head in disbelief.

Unfortunately, her husband had "opted out" of the awards ceremony in favor of wandering the show floor. I can only imagine the look on his face as his wife waved a $10,000 check in front of him once she found him later. I hope she has a blast spending every last dime...there are surely enough vendors to do it!

If you're in the neighborhood, be sure to stop in and say "hi" at the booth!

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OMG! Dawn...are you talking about Michelle Miller? That gorgeous blondie??? She's so nice; so humble. She's awesome! I love her stuff. Oh wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am thrilled for her! Yaaaay Michelle! I can't wait to see photos of all the quilts. Way to go.

I also can't wait to see what the Dynamic Duo (Marilyn & Claudia) put together. Dragon's breath. I can only imagine it's good breath...and it's gotta be on fire. Yah! LOL :P

Looking forward to photos.

I just love quilting and quilters. :)

Thanks, Dawn, for sharing all the news.

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I am so excited it's 5am and i am leavin here in a few minutes to go to the fons and porter warehouse sale and then to the show!!!!!!

hope i have enough checks!!!

have been planning on going to the show since june just found out about the warehouse sale last week

so rearranged my schedule to do both HURRAY

dawn

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It's me, Sharon, yes The Country Stitcher Debbi. Myrna's class was fun-filled and good ideas to take home. I got to the show yesterday at 9:00 and didn't leave until after class last night. I am totally exhausted today but still pumped to go back to Irene Blume's class tonight and then another total day on Friday with my quilt group. I just can't get too much of this show, it is totally awesome! Spent a little time at the APQS booth talking to Dawn, Heidi, Mark and Tony -- what a good looking crew! Spent a little (?) money at the vendors and looked at the Des Moines Guild quilts but didn't get to the AQS quilts yet. This show is just ever as good as Chicago or Houston -- I say good for Des Moines! Do I sound pumped.....it's really hard to be at the computer desk today at work!

Sharon

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I am definitely going to have to put Des Moines on my quit show wish list for next year. That is sure in the middle of quilters country.

Debbi and Dawn: Congrats on your ribboning. It is always a boost when others admire your work. Money is payment but the recognition is the reward.:):)

Sharon: I just bought the S-ruler mini, great for small but perfect CC and the small teardrop which is good for guiding as well at concave and convex work.

There is always such a crowd around those ruler booths when they are doing demos. Be sure you get what you want...design tools 1/8" thick, quilting tools 1/4" thick. Ask me how I know. :(

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Hello everyone,

I'm so happy to hear all the good reviews of the show!!! It's another one I will have to add to my list of favorites!! I'll be at the show tomorrow to hang out with my best quilt show buddies (Marilyn, Claudia, & JoAnn)... who, by the way, are out having a fantastic dinner right now while I am in the hotel room with my swollen leg/foot up and whining like a baby- LOL!!!. It's my second day (trying to walk somewhat normally) after getting out of the terrible black boot I've had for my broken leg and ankle the last couple of months. It's amazing what we quilters will go through for a quilt show!!!- Now... if I could just get as motivated to clean my house. LOL!!!

Stop by the booth and say hi - I'd love to see everyone!!! ;):D

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The quilt show in DesMoines was AWESOME! I was there on Wednesday and saw all the quilts and there are some gorgous ones there. And Vendors are many and so many nice people. I was unable to take classes this year, but plan to make it the extra day next year. The dates are out for next year already. I had the chance to see Eleanor Burns, Sharon W. , Jamie Wallen and so many others. Unfortunately i did not get to stay all day, but nice to see how it is all set up. It is definitely one of the best shows. I did "breeze" through APQS booth and talked to Heidi. She was making the the feathers that look like a "tooth". Fun.

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Sounds like fun! The ladies from Mankato are there selling their "Bias Tool" ruler to make bias binding..... our guild meeting was a little bit smaller with so many gone to IA..... wish I were too...

Still waiting for photos of those quilts (please)!!

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Myrna's "Creating Spaces" class is one not to miss. It will give you a whole different approach to design!

A while back I posted photos of one of my customer's quilts -- Betty's Flower Garden. It earned a Best of Show for Machine Quilting at the Des Moine Guild Show within the AQS Show. http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2768033220063367758wqSeGG

One of my own quilts, Coming Out, got an Honorable Mention in the wall hangings category.

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I'm still recovering from 3 fabulous days at the AQS show. Besides Myrna's class I took Irene Bluhms class on feathers - got to see her beautiful quilts up close and personal - they are awesome. She is such a sweet lady and "hyper", you can see her passion for quilting in everything she does. Okay, when I get time, I'm going to try my first wholecloth and maybe color it - now I'm behind on customer quilts so need to spend some late nights this week getting caught up.

Back to work

Sharon, The Country Stitcher

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Oh yeah--that show was a lot of fun!!! Never been to a big show--and it was well worth getting up early and driving 4 1/2 hours to get there. We stayed overnight on Wednesday and went back late Thursday night.

Sharon--in regards to the rulers--I plunked down a couple "C" spots for rulers at Off the Edge!!! Have them all hanging up and can't wait to put on the quilt that I bought the cross hatching rulers for--but have to get several finished in front of that one yet!!

I took a piecing class and the lecture with Elanor Burns!! Great fun--but next year will get some quilting ones in --and maybe stay another day. This year still have a Senior in high school and had to get home for a FB game.

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