I am back from a wonderful four days of classes and quilts at the AQS Show in Charlotte. Oh, wow!! The classes were wonderful, and there were about 500 quilts to see, between the 182 judged quilts, Winner’s Gallery, AQS Authors exhibit, Quilted in Honor exhibit, Egyptian Applique exhibit, the SAQA Masters Exhibit and Modern Quilts challenge exhibit.
I was absolutely floored to find my quilt, Purple Summer Bliss, on the front row facing the entrance!! How exciting is that!! Traditional Bed Quilts were the 100 series, so we were up front.
Walking into the show past the AQS banners, you look to the right and there it is!
Here is a little closer look with its neighbor.
There is just so much to share that I cannot do it in one post. I took mostly longarm classes on designs, fills, borders, grids and more, and much of what I learned is applicable to both longarming and DSM quilting. While I cannot share copyrighted material from the classes, I’ll give you some of the pearls of wisdom I picked up along the way in a couple of posts. The first one is this – marking is essential for quilting beautiful designs. I have been reluctant to mark quilts because I wasn’t sure about the tools, but I purchased several that will help me. I got a water erasable pen and a fine line chalk marker, along with a pounce pad chalk marker and several stencils. Don’t be afraid, just mark!
One of the really wonderful things about the longarm classes is you get to try out what you learn on a real longarm. Then you get to take your practice piece home. I have four now, and plan to load each one and do more practice.
While I was wandering around the vendor area, I heard a commotion and went to see what it was all about. The AQS staff were doing random door prizes! As I stood there watching, the question was thrown out – How many people were taking classes? About a half dozen of us raised our hands, including me. Then each person was asked, how many classes were you taking? One, two, one, one, two, then me – five. I won!! They handed me a heavy, large, hardback book, and as I turned it to the front, it was a Kaffe Fassett book called Dreaming in Color. I know a lot of you out there like him, so I am going to give away this $40 brand new hardback to a lucky winner on the blog!
NOTE UPDATE 8/6/14: Sorry, this giveaway is now closed. See this post for the winner.
Just leave a comment on this post saying what you like about Quilt Shows, small or large, and I will use a random number generator to pick a winner. If you follow me, leave a second comment stating how you follow for a second entry. Share this post on any social media including Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, or wherever for a third entry, just leave an additional comment on how you shared. You have until Wednesday August 6th at 11:59 pm to enter. I’ll do the drawing on Thursday and email the winner for an address. Yes, international entries welcome!
As before with giveaways, I will not respond personally to the comments, but know I will read and appreciate each and every one. I may add a number to them as we go to make the winner easier to find as WordPress doesn’t number comments. Good luck!! More about the show next time.
From My Carolina Home 
#1
Rosemary B here:
Dear Carole,
Thank you for sharing the quilt show. I have only been to one, here in Chantilly Va. I loved it.
I love them now, and can’t wait for next year. It is always at the end of May here.
I am so glad you took classes to get even better than you already are. I am sure all of your friends were there and that was fun as well.
I love Kaffe Fasset. He is adorable and so incredibly creative. His fabric is beautiful. I have some stacks of his stuff 😀
Thank you for this give away opportunity. this is really sweet.
Best wishes to the winner.
Have a great day
It is hot in Virginia and today is the big move for the parents….. it is going to be a long day
Happy Monday
Loved the show! Only got to go 1 day, wish it could have been more. Would love to win the book!
i love quilt shows because they inspire me!! I get new ideas and actually believe, “yes, I can do that!” loil! I love your blog as I am a former Carolina girl too. Really miss the weather and landscape there. Thanks for sharing it with us. I would love this book for trying some new ideas. Crazy about his work!
I follow you by email. thanks for a great blog!
I follow on Bloglovin’.
#5
I love all the inspiration at quilt shows.
Thank you so much for sharing the pictures of the Quilt show, it sure is bigger then any I’ve ever been to. It would be so exciting to see all the different quilts and styles.
I have just started collecting K. Fasset fabric, thanks for the chance to win his book.
#7
What I love about Quilt Shows: Buying tons of stuff I can’t get in my usual stores, finding new techniques and looking at all the beautiful creations.
Quilt shows are so inspirational. I love the vendor malls, like a shop hop without getting in my car. Thank you for the opportunity to win this book. I have followed his work for many years.
I love taking longarm classes. I get inspired to try out different techniques. And I gain more knowledge that will help me become a better quilter.
#10
I love seeing all the other quilts and seeing where I sit in the mix with my skill set….and what I can aspire to do!!!
Quilt shows inspire and my group at St. Joseph’s are all amazing quilters. We share ideas, patterns, and materials then create a batch of quilts to donate to charities. Quilting symbolizes all that’s warm and fuzzy in the world, AND the more Fassett colors the better!
AQS recently came to Phoenix, I was AWE STRUCK! I saw several quilts that I had seen on blogs – which was totally cool! The inspiration was all around, I totally left on hyper overdrive! I didn’t take any classes, spent all my time walking around looking at the quilts and really not even that much time checking out the vendors!
Love Kaffe Fassett but it is definitely a taste you either have or don’t 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win one of his books. Have you read any of it. I have his book Shots and Stripes, I find that his patterns seem to take the most difficult way. . . and then not explain it well. But the pictures and inspiration is boundless! And there’s always another way right? LOL
How totally exciting to see your quilt hanging in the show!! Is it being judged or did you enter it for show only? Either way – so awesome. And what a prime spot!!
Thank you to everyone that has commented so far!! To answer a couple of questions…
Yes, the quilt was in the judged category, but it didn’t win. I do consider just being in the show a win, because it passed the jury and accepted for the show.
A shop hop in one place, what a great description, Terri!!
I’ll show you all the fun toys I got in future posts.
#14
I follow via Bloglovin 🙂 May not always comment but know that I read all of your posts 🙂
Wish they had shows the size of this one in Italy! I would want to stay a week admiring all those quilts!)
I’m following you on Bloglovin’!
I am so disappointed to have missed you at the show and I didn’t realize that was your quilt. It was fabulous! Next time we’ll get together for sure!
I love quilt shows, for a number of reasons, one, being able to view quilters projects; two to be able to view and purchase new fabric three, looking at new patterns and notions.
Also just to mix with other quilters
What I love about quilt shows is sort of like Forrest Gump. You never know what you’re gonna get. I’m always surprised at the creativity of others. Everyone’s brain works differently and that is the coolest thing.
I follow you on bloglovin’
#20
I went to my first quilt show when I started quilting 2 years ago. For me, the most exciting thing about the show was getting so inspired and wanted to try EVERYTHING as soon as I got home. I wasn’t able to register for any classes since I stumbled upon the show a few weeks before it took place but it also gave me the opportunity to start building up a stash. I got so many great stash-building deals. It was a quilt show in Cleveland Ohio so there were a lot of Amish quilt shops there offering beautiful FQ bundles at amazing prices. Now that I’m a bit more experienced, I want to go to one and actually register for some classes to improve my skills.
I love quilt shows. as someone previously said, it’s like a shop hop, all in one place. I’m going to
AQS Grand Rapids later this month.
Thanks for sharing and the give-a-way. I heard Kaffe speak at the Katonah Art Museum last year and he presented his work. If you ever get a chance to hear him speak – go for it.
#23
Quilt shows are great because I get so many ideas…..they just energize me to sew more often!! I follow you on WordPress / emails. I would love to win this book…thank you for giving others the opportunity to win, since it is not your thing….thoughtful of you!
#24
Thank you, and I am counting this as your second entry for following me!
Loved seeing your quilt at the AQS show, looked great.
Hi, I have not been to a quilt show, but I love making quilts. I like to use gingham as a border fabric as it is easy to hand quilt along the lines in a grid . I also use crochet thread in fun colors to do my stitching.
#27
Hi. I was at the Charlotte show on Thursday.. Didn’t take classes. But had a great time. Love the quilts and the venders. Got fabrics for an upcoming jacket class.
#28
Your quilt up front at the entrance….how fantastic!! Sounds like such a wonderful show!! So glad you had so much fun! My sister and I use to go to scrapbook conventions together and your adventure reminded me of all those good times. What I truly love is the inspiration of these kinds of events!!! So wonderful! Thanks for sharing yours and for the chance at such a great book!
#29
I have you right on my blogroll and I’m a GFC follower!!!
#30
Carole – Congratulations on your book win — but especially for having a quilt accepted into the show. It’s a beautiful quilt and I’m thrilled that it was displayed up front. What I like best about quilt show is seeing all of the different styles — getting inspiration from designs and quilting… love it!!
I follow you through my blogger roll — love that I can do that even though you’re “Different” 😉 Hugs… Karen
#32
what’s Egyptian applique? That sounds so interesting. Congratulations on the quilt showing – your quilt is beautiful!
I wish I could have gotten to the show in Charlotte. Congrats on having a quilt displayed there.
I would love to win the Kaffe Fassett book–thanks for the giveaway.
#34
It must have been so exciting to see your quilt in the front row. It’s gorgeous. I get so inspired when I go to quilt shows. It’s always amazing to see so many beautiful quilts made by so many talented people.
I love the inspiration and the shopping!! LeeAnna Paylor leeannaquilts @gmail .com
Thank you all for responding!! The entries are now closed. I’ll let you know the winner Thursday afternoon.
How exciting to see your quilt hanging while you were there. It looks beautiful!
Hi Carole,
Thank you for sharing this link with me! I already wished I had read this years ago (like in 2014) as I would have missed several missteps. I’m only in the first paragraph, and saw your tips about marking. Now I know . . . but I would have been four years the wiser! I’m going to continue on in your series. ~smile~ Roseanne