PADUCAH, Ky. – An Ava area quilter has been selected as a semi-finalist for the 2011 AQS Quilt Show & Contest, April 27-30, at the Paducah Expo Center in Paducah, Ky.
Marla Yeager has been chosen to display the quilt, Antares, along with 389 others in the annual contest, now in its 27th year. Three quilting authorities will judge this elite group in Paducah, awarding first-, second-, and third-place prizes in 15 categories, along with nine overall awards.
Winners will be announced at the Awards Presentation, which takes place at the Carson Four Rivers Center in Paducah at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26.
Cash awards totaling $120,000 will be granted, with prizes 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 Antares places in the final judging, all semi-finalists’ quilts will be displayed at the show, which is expected to draw more than 30,000 people.
AQS founder and president Meredith Schroeder says, “Whether you enjoy seeing traditional designs or modern art quilts, the quilts in this year’s contest are a feast for the eyes. You will see some of the finest workmanship, use of color, and techniques that stretch outside the box in these fiber art pieces.”
Quilts were entered in this international contest from 45 U.S. states and 15 other countries. The quilt artists employ a wide variety of techniques and design methods ranging from traditional pieced patterns to original painted and embellished motifs. Some of the special exhibits that will be featured along with the contest quilts include AQS Authors Exhibit; AQS It’s In the Bag contest entries; winners from the 2011 AQS Quilt Contest in Lancaster, Pa.; and the 2012 Pilgrim/Roy Invitational Challenge.
The American Quilter’s Society hosts four shows annually, each with its own quilt contest. Besides their original Paducah show, AQS hosts other prestigious shows in Knoxville, Tenn.; Des Moines, Iowa; and the newest location, Lancaster, Pa.
