I made it to quilt week! I didn’t know what to expect but Paducah had a great quilt show! I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The show was full of good energy, wonderful people and knockout quilts.

This road trip had so many roadblocks before we left. My husband and I got sick a couple of weeks before the show and it lingered. The car needed major repairs and tires for the trip. And I suddenly began to have some balance problems and pulled my achilles. I healed up enough to walk with my walking sticks.

We decided to spend half the time doing things my husband likes and then I would go to the show. The first day we drove the Natchez Trace from Nashville to Corinth , Ms. Gorgeous parkway! I am so glad these places of historic significance are preserved and the natural beauty can be seen by all.

We spent the first half touring civil war battlefields. We went to Shiloh, Fort Donelson and Corinth interpretive center. I learned a lot, saw beautiful parks and did a little walking. Very humbling and I had lots to think about the war. Here we stand looking at places where brother against brother fought, we saw the mass grave sites, the national cemeteries. I pondered on this 250th year of our country, that we have so much strife and fighting also. Families divided over politics. People saying things against their spiritual leaderthe Pope spoke out against war. I pray that civil war never ever happens again. We need to visit historic sites and learn from the past so we don’t repeat those mistakes.

The quilt show was very big and had so many vendors. I didn’t plan to see all of the vendors because I wanted to spend my time with the quilts. I wasn’t disappointed at all. Every quilt there was amazing and special. The quilt I really wanted to see was Ricky Tims quilt. I even had a few min to talk to him and ask questions. Very kind! I went to see this quilt first and I was so lucky he was there! His quilt is breathtaking as we’re all the large prize winners.

Quilts are difficult to photograph because they are dimensional and have detail the camera can’t always pick up. You have to see them in person. That’s why going to a show where you can get close to them is so important. I loved spending time looking at the details and coming back to see them again with fresh eyes.

There were hundreds of quilts over 500 show entries for the contest , the specials exhibit quilts and the vendors quilts. Literally over a thousand if you counted every quilt in the three venue sites. You had to go slow to take it all in.

I walk slow anyways and I was worried my limited speed and mobility issues would make this difficult for other people because I would be “in the way”. Nope a huge amount of people there used carts, scooters, canes and walkers. Everyone young and old went slow . People were kind and patient. I didn’t have anyone step in front of me nor did I have anyone push or try to rush me.

Here are just a few of the winning quilts. They are so detailed and quilted with such dense fabulous stitches. Many have tiny pieces. The perfection of each deserved the coveed dogwood ribbon !

I really had a wonderful time and I attended the show alone. I met so many lovely people and chatted when I took breaks so it wasn’t weird or lonely. Quilters are generous and friendly people.

Paducah had great restaurants to eat at, loads of other places to shop and visit. I went to Muppins Sewing Emporium. I had done the National quilt museum and Hancock’s on a previous trip so I chose not to revisit.

I bought a few fq and snippets of fabric with trims at Muppins. I also bought some items from my class in a kit and additional things from the Wonderfil booth. I bought a signature album book at one of the museum bookshops we visited. But my favorite thing is the start of my new collection from Thimbles for you. I bought a silver thimble. I want to start collecting her chatelaines also. And this booth will also be at Grand Rapids in August!

i know the class I took on slow stitching a fabric collage journal will be a post on it own. But the teacher Aitor Sariaba will be in Grand rapids doing classes also. I will be signing up as soon as the schedule is posted.

My dream trip lived up to my hopes it would be worth the 10 hour drive. It was. Make a few days of it, should you decide to go you will be glad you did. Ps plan early to find accommodations.

Vicki