Last day at the AQS Paducah....

Well the sun has set on my last day here in Kentucky...and it's only 9pm this time!!! Started the morning with a drive down Dogwood Trail. The dogwoods are in full bloom and absolutely beautiful in front of these stately old brick homes with wraparound porches--hard to get photos on a moving bus--but trust me--great spring blooms here!!!
I had a request for some views into the show areas...so here they come...the crowd wasn't quite as large right away this morning as because the weather was rainy yesterday the crowds stayed inside--and today they ventured out to some of the other sites.

 

 This is the line of people waiting to enter the show doors!!

Just inside the show...people deciding whether to go to the right or to the left...either way the choice will be wrong and the crowds will be thick wherever you want to go!!!

 

 

Looking down the quilt rows--the black curtains are arranged into 3 sided cubicles--so that 3 quilts can be hung together--right, left, and one on the rear. The chain keeps people from touching the quilts--but that doesn't mean that you can't get really really really close--so close in fact that sometimes the "white glove" ladies will follow you around to make sure that you are not touching the quilts!!!!

 

Just the start of row upon row of vendors--each of them with something that will make your eyes sparkle and your wallet lighter.....

It's been about a week since I played with my APQS--so I had to stop here and play--so I don't get rusty!!!

 

So yeah--there are always quilting celebraties selling their product and most of them are gracious enough to do a photo op. Ricky Timms has hand dyed fabrics and has written some great books. My quilt Deep Blue Rhapsody was made useing a technique from his book. And yes we did get matching shirts again!!! But we felt that this saying was just too true for us--as my stash IS bigger--and stash could mean several things!!! Sure wish I had a dollar for every comment on our crowns!! I could have bought more thread!!!!

We walked the few blocks to the Quilt Museum--the largest fiber arts museum in the world. How inspiring it was to see these works of art. When a quilt is awarded Best of Show at the Paducah show the quiltmaker is given the option to donate the quilt to the museum so there were some awe inspiring quilts to look at

On the way to the museum we passed by a BBQ vendor that was not part of the food tent--but on a side street and the owner asked if she could take our photo by her sign so she could post it on their facebook for advertising the quilt show--and being the good businesswoman that Loren taught me to be--I said sure for a sandwich!!!! She laughed and said--Come back for one at lunchtime...

So when we went back past again--we got our sandwich and put the lawn chairs by their sign and waved at passerbys!! The pulled pork was sweetly smoked and just right juiciness--and best of all the price was right!!!

 

These views are from the second level balcony. The men in red coats are volunteers who for $1 will keep your packages together for you--the packages stay safe--you don't need to carry the heavy bag around and you can even add to it if you need to. A really handy service!!!

Up next on our agenda was taking the bus system to Hancock's of Paducah!!--this is not the chain store. What a crazy outfit---rows and rows of fabric and people and carts with bolts overflowing trying to get through!! I didn't find any bargins--but a few nice gray and black pieces.

The resturant we wanted to try tonight was across the street from our hotel--the only problem is the street is actually 6 lanes wide with no crosswalk!! Since we were the actual youngest ones on our bus we decided that it wouldn't be a problem for us. It was well worth the risk. A lovely meal on the patio was an amazing way to end our stay here in Paducah. The rest of the evening was spent trying to organize the purchases back into the suitcase so nothing will get lost on the bus.