More art in Paducah

Here are more artistic images from Paducah ... and only one of them is a quilt (but a very tastey one!)

Paducah has revitalized its downtown by turning it into an artists' haven. Artists are encouraged by low rents to move into an area that had been going downhill, and the result is what you see below. 

Imagine looking out your second storey window and seeing a giraffe. These people do!

A second one drinks out of the birdbath. Check out her eyelashes!

This guy was playing stand-up bass in the shade on a hot summer afternoon, although it was a little tinny.

And here is the yummiest quilt you've ever seen!

Antique quilt class

I had a fascinating class today on dating quilts by Teddy Pruett. The first quilt pictured here is in a common colour combination of red, black, blue and grey. These colours were predominant from 1890 through to World War I. The Germans controlled the dye market then, and they didn't want to share their other colours with the U.S. Red, black, blue and grey was all the U.S. manufacturers knew how to make.

By the 1920's and 30's, the U.S. figured out how to make many new colours, so you'll find quilts like the one below. They are also notable for being botanically correct.

This last quilt was a mystery. At first glance, it looks like a quilt from the 1930's. The blue-green fabric is an indicator of the time period. But a closer examination revealed that the quilting goes under the applique pieces, which implies that the applique was added to an older finished quilt. So the main part is probably from the late 1800's (judging by the fabric) and the applique was added many years later.

Views from Paducah

A comic book store...

Looks like Calgary...

The door in the flood gate...

Old buildings downtown...

Paintings on the flood gate. The bikers are standing at the statue of Chief Paduca. So that's where they get the name.

Best in Show

Here are some pictures of the prize winning quilts in certain categories:

And then below are pictures of the quilt declared "best in show." It was made by a woman from Australia and took her four years to complete.

Quilts, quilts and more quilts!

What an awesome day! I went around with my jaw open all day flabbergasted at the most amazing quilts I've ever seen. I'll include a few photos here for the flavour, although there is so much variety that it's like saying that if you've tried one jellybean, you know what they all taste like.

This first one got a third prize in the group quilt catagory. (The quilter's husband was overheard asking her how she had slipped!) She got 150 other quilters to work on this with her. (Same husband asked how in the world she got so many women to agree on the same thing. Answer: she 

didn't. She designed it and they just did what they were told!)

These two photos of the black quilt are amazing because that black background with the shimmering colour on it is really pure black. The colour comes from the quilting alone.

Day 1

It's a glorius morning in Paducah. Check out the quilt on the front porch of my host's house!

I made it in last night at 9:30 pm. I almost didn't make it because the "virgin" margarita I ordered in a restaurant (which shall remain nameless) mistakenly came with tequila. Two sips told me that I would not be walking out of the restaurant let alone driving for another three hours if I finished that drink.  

Off to Paducah!!

In my quest to become a better quilter, I'm heading off to the second-biggest quilt show on earth -- Paducah. That's in Kentuky, just in case you haven't heard of it. I've heard that some 40,000 of us will be flocking to this tiny town, more than doubling the population. I hope they have enough washrooms.

Stay tuned for updates once I get there!