The event brings in around 30,000 people to the Western Kentucky area, and most of us don’t even know about it. The 35th annual American Quilter Society Spring Quilt Show happened this week in Paducah.
It is one of the biggest quilt shows in the world, and is just a short drive from the MKY. The American Quilter’s Society Quilt Week happens every year in April. Although it is just a 45 minute drive from the MKY, Murray students rarely take part in enjoying the show.
It is a tradition for many of us who grow up in the south. The practice of quilting can be traced back as many as 5,000 years ago. . Murray State alumnus Rebecca Mosella was born in Virginia but has lived in Murray for more than three years. She said while there was not much of an emphasis on making quilts, they were always around.
Murray State Graduate
“My mom has quilts, and I believe she’s been given them from other family members,” Mosella said. “My grandmother can crochet blankets and she’s made some and given them to me and my brother and our parents,”
Most of us can look back on our childhood and remember a quilt of some kind. Whether its that our grandparents made them, or at the very least had them around.
Murray State Graduate
“My mom has plenty of quilts. It was kind of a big thing growing up, I remember her having at least like 4 or 5 that I felt had been around since I’d been born,” Murray State alumnus Spencer Nowell said.
Though quilts have always been a part of our lives in some way, almost none of us have been to the quilt show. Executive Show Director Bonnie Browning says the average visitor is anywhere from 55 to 65 years old. When asked about how many college kids come to the show she had this to say
“We do not ask the age of those who attend the quilt shows,” Browning said. “But I would guess it would be 5 to 10 percent of those attending.”
With Murray being such a small community and not a lot going on, the quilt show can give students an outlet to check out world class art just a short drive from campus.
Though quilting is generally seen as an older person’s game, there seems to be some interest among a younger crowd.
“Honestly if I had some time on my hands, and I didn’t have to work, and had the materials I think it would be interesting to get into quilting,” Mosella said.
Not only are there great works of art at the Quilt show, but you can even learn how to quilt for yourself. There are vendors selling all the materials you need, and free workshops to show you how to get started.
There are several categories to compete in. For instance this year’s Best Machine Workmanship Award went to Eternal Beauty by Sherry Reynolds. [Pictured below]
You can see a gallery of the quilts you missed in the gallery below this article.Though you probably were not at one of the biggest quilting events of the year there is another show happening later this year. The Fall quilt show will be at the Schroeder Expo center from September 11th to the 14th. You can find out all you need to know to plan your trip here.
