A Quilter's Dream trip: American Quilt festival, Paducah, KY

Guess Where We went!!!!

 Yep! that' s right, Paducah, Kentucky, Quilt City, USA!  Last week, Kay and I along with my BFF's Debbie and Pegg left in the wee hours of the morning on Wed. for Butler, MO to get on a bus with a bunch of other quilters for a Awesome trip to the American Quilt Festival in Paducah.  I've always wanted to go, but am always working this time of year getting ready for the end of the school year.  When this opportunity came up, we decided it was meant to be. So we all took a few days off of work and took a well deserved getaway. It was a wonderful experience.  We had so much fun!  The first day we traveled across Missouri, stopping at two quilt shops along the way.  First was the Quilter's Harvest in Higgensville, MO. After lunch, we stopped in historic St. Charles to visit the shop Patches, along with some other very cute shops. One place we visited was a cake store with the most awesome Lemon Meringue Pie. I even took a picture of it.  After a few more hours on the road we arrived at our hotel in Marion, Illinois.  Even after being up since 3:30 a.m. that morning, I was so excited about our upcoming adventure the next day, I couldn't hardly sleep. Next morning we were back on the road again at 7:00 a.m. traveling an hour across the Mississippi to Paducah, Kentucky.  The minute we walked into the convention center, the first quilts we saw took our breath away.  The artistry, the creativity, the workmanship, of these quilts were beyond description.  I took pictures of the most beautiful and unusual ones we saw, but even they don't do them justice.  We spent the day oooooing and awwwwing all day at the quilts in the convention center and visited quite a few vendors.  They were awesome too.  Every major manufacturer of sewing machines, supplies, long arm and other quilting machines, fabric companies, and quilt stores from all over the world were there in buildings all over the town, not just in the convention center.  It was like being in a candy store with all your favorite candies in every flavor.  Only better! 

Debbie, Kay and I in the Convention center. 

 

 

 

 One of the first vendors, I sought out was the book store where Marie Bostwick  was signing her newest book, "Ties that Bind"  It is the fourth book in her series and I have read and loved all her books for a couple of  years. Yes, they have a quilt theme running through them but they are really about relationships, women and family.  It was exciting to meet her in person and have her autograph a copy of her newest book for me.  Here's our picture, a little blurry, but you get the idea.  Now I just have to find time to read it. 

 

 

 

Marie Bostwick, author of "Ties that Bind"  and me.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 We wandered around all day looking at the quilts, visiting the vendor booths and soaking in all the quiltiness of the Festival.  There were quilts there from Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, along with many from this continent.  But the fun wasn't over yet, waiting for the bus, we spotted an unusual site, something we have never seen before.  There on his segway, was Quilt Man!!! Of course Kay and I had our picture taken with him before he sped away.  How exciting!  Not everyone can say they met Quilt Man.  After a very full day we went back to the hotel, had dinner at the Cracker Barrel, bought some hats and soaked in the hot tub.  We did sleep well that night. I'll post some more pictures and tales of our adventures later.