To give a few more quilts some love, I like to highlight a few pieces that didn’t win any awards but caught my eye for their strong design, stellar construction, or unique point of view. 

5 Quilts that Stood Out to Me at AQS Paducah 2026

At this year’s American Quilter’s Society (AQS) show, the quilts that stood out to me used a wide range of construction techniques, but all showed internal consistency within the design that draws the viewer in from afar, then rewards you for coming closer.

Beyond the Seas

By Isabel Muñoz

What I love about this quilt:

• A wholecloth design uses only two colors of thread to tell the story.
• The white space from the background merges with the sea, which flows into the ship. The artist effectively pulled the dark areas from the design to sculpt the shapes, without feeling the need to add extra lines to define the full shape of the ship.
• The linear direction of the black lines draws your eye through the composition, while the white quilting in the negative space creates the feel of cloudy skies and foaming waves.

Stars in Harmony

By Yoko Nishioka

What I love about this quilt:

• Light, nearly tone-on-tone blocks in the lower right of the quilt create a gradient that moves from a pale, warm yellow to a vibrant blue along the quilt’s edges. 
• The star blocks throughout the background interlock with one another and ultimately break into the quilt’s visual border.
• Larger traditionally patterned star blocks both blend into the surrounding stars and set themselves apart in different areas of each block.

Little Girl Danji and Kitten Jenny

By Jinyoung Lee

• The storytelling in this quilt is phenomenal! You meet the young quilter, see her award-winning quilts, and see all of the activities her kitten partakes in while she works.
• The cat poses are specific.
• The quilt’s background uses a traditional log cabin block, pieced in all white, to set the stage for a story about a quilter.

Flowers Woven Through Time

By Masako Seki

What I love about this quilt:

• While most appliqué florals are forced into regimented designs, the all-over floral motifs feel like you are immersed in a delightfully wild garden.
• Mixing prints with solids and incorporating gradating fabrics creates depth within the design.
• Alternative substrates and carefully placed decorative stitches add texture to the design.

Mandalas Gone Wild

By Judy Ballance

I typically avoid quilts made from a pattern for this type of post, but this particular quilt handles the fabric selection and quilting exceptionally well, and I kept coming back to look at it during the show.

What I love about this quilt:

• Fussy cut fabric placement enhances the appliqué motifs.
• Using a light turquoise print for the background fabric is unexpected and gives the quilt an airy feel.
• The dots incorporated into the checkerboard background quilting create an additional textural element that makes the overall design shine.

More Quilts to See

You may have noticed that most of these quilts weren’t particularly “Modern,” but there is a good reason for that- I recently shared the complete Modern category from the show! I hope you enjoy seeing this section of the show in its entirety.

Yo-yos are easy, fun projects, perfect to carry along with you on your Summer travels or when waiting for an appointment. I made my first extensive batch of yo-yos during a power outage. They work beautifully with scraps and don’t require any special equipment, so let’s dive into the process!

Making Fabric Yo-Yos

Supplies:

The supply list is short, and if you quilt or sew, you most likely already have everything on hand!

• Scraps of fabric 2” x 2” or larger
• Hand sewing needle
• Thread that coordinates or blends with the yo-yo fabric color
• Circle templates approximately twice the diameter of the desired finished yo-yo size (See template section below)
• Fabric pen or pencil to trace the templates
• Scissors

You can buy specific yo-yo templates, guages, and guides to help refine your stitch placement, but today we are going to use what we have on hand to start our yo-yo-making journey.

Templates

Any circle will work for a yo-yo template, so raid your sewing space and kitchen to find almost any size you want to work with. Cups, saucers, and any round containers are just waiting to become a yo-yo template! Remember that the edges of the circle are cinched into the center, making the size of the finished yo-yo approximately half the diameter of the cut circle.

You can also use circle template sets, circle cutters, or a cutting system like Accuquilt to cut your circles. You can also download this circle template file I made for you. Print the templates onto cardstock and cut them out to try several different yo-yo sizes.

Fabric Selection

Raid your scrap bin to start making yo-yos! Since each one only takes a bit of fabric, they are a great way to use all of your fun leftovers. Any fabric can be used, but quilting cotton and similar-weight fabrics work well, especially if you are making your first yo-yos. Once you get the hang of it, try silk, linen, and other substrates.

The sample fabrics are standard quilting cottons, but their weights vary somewhat from piece to piece. The 2” circle is Grunge, the 3” circle is batik, and the 4” circle is a Spoonflower print.

Stitching a Yo-Yo

Trace your circle template onto a fabric scrap and cut out the circle.

Cut a length of thread more than double the circumference of the cut circle, fold it in half, and feed the cut ends through the eye of the needle to create a doubled thread. I suggest running your thread through thread gloss or wax at this point to reduce the likelihood of tangling during stitching. Knot the folded end of the thread.

Approximately 1/8” away from the cut edge of the circle, insert your needle through the fabric from the wrong side to the right side and pull the thread through to the knot.

Start stitching around the circle at the point of the knot, using an even straight stitch around the edge of the circle and folding the cut edge in approximately 1/8” as you sew. I suggest starting with stitches a bit longer than 1/8”, but you may need to adjust the length depending on the size of your yo-yo and the thickness of your fabric.

You can begin pulling the thread tighter as you sew to gather the yo-yo edges toward the center of the circle. Even stitches will result in even fabric gathers.

As you approach the end of the stitching, adjust your stitch length slightly in the last few stitches so the final stitch will end with the thread coming out of the right side of the fabric. To help secure the stitching, stitch back through the first 3-4 folds in the fabric.

Knot the thread between two folds in the fabric.

Stitch through another 3-4 folds in the fabric to bury the thread tail and clip the thread.

Your finished yo-yo will be approximately half the size of the original cut circle. The exact size will depend on exactly how much fabric you turned under at the cut edge of the circle and the length of your stitches. 

Stitch Length

The perfect stitch length for fabric yo-yos is a balancing act. If your stitches are too long, the overall yo-yo will appear less circular. If the stitches are too short, you will have more gathers in the center of your circle. Since each gather includes four layers of fabric, this creates bulk, resulting in a bigger gap in the center of your circle.

Larger circles almost always end up with a gap in the center of the circle, so you can use this to your advantage by fusing a small circle of contrasting fabric to the center of the wrong side of the larger circle.

When you gather the edges in, the contrasting fabric will peek through the center of the yo-yo.

What Do You Do With Your Yo-Yos?

If you want the full effect, you can sew yo-yos directly to one another to create a coverlet or a garment like this stunning dress by Bianca Springer. 

Rachael of @bluemountaindaisy is bound to inspire you with her quilts using large-scale yo-yos. She even pieces the yo-yo fabrics to achieve specific effects!

I used a single yo-yo to finish off my Sand Dollar Star quilt block pattern.

I also sprinkled folded hexagons with yo-yo centers across this potholder quilt to create a sense of petals blowing in the wind.

What will you use yo-yos to create?

The Exquisite Quilt

Recently, I contributed a block to the Exquisite Quilt Project run by Abby Vargas. For each quilt, Abby challenges collaborators to work with a specific color palette and create blocks that will connect together to form the overall composition. She collects 1-2 blocks from each participant and works some magic to create some stunning quilts. 

This year’s theme is Orange Tree Espalier, which is the practice of training a fruit tree to grow flat against a wall. The theme primarily informs the project’s color palette, but I also used it to loosely inspire my block design.

What Were the Project Parameters?

• Contribute one or two blocks measuring at 9″ x 9″ finished (9-1/2″ x 9-1/2″ unfinished)
• Use green and orange-yellow solid fabrics to create a block, along with the Kona Azure connector fabric. All blocks must contain at least some of each color.
• Place one-inch square “connector” pieces at the center of all four sides of the block. Using the connector fabric, join the connector points in some way in the block.
• Any techniques can be used to create the block.

Designing the Block

Drawing on the theme of Orange Tree Espalier, I decided to incorporate curves into the design while maintaining a graphic quality in the overall composition. 

When I design quilts or blocks with specific size parameters, I draft the initial design in AutoCAD Light, which lets me easily experiment with different design configurations. 

I started with a line drawing focused entirely on curves, allowing the curves to intersect in a way that evokes tree branches. In experimenting with color, I started by connecting the azure arcs with a solid central section of the same color.

The central section of azure felt like it needed to be broken up, so I experimented with adding triangular sections, which gave the design a graphic, leaf-like effect. I liked this design, but I also know that the blocks I tend to like the most in these group quilts are often the simplest (or simple-looking) designs, and this block has a lot going on in a 9” square. I also wanted to try using more of the orange-yellow fabric in the design.

In the next iteration, I cut the curves down to two azure arcs and added orange-yellow sections to create a visual border.

The border effect felt like it would truncate the flow between blocks, so I added orange curves back in, arcing towards the center of the block design. 

In the spirit of simplification, I also experimented with swapping the orange curves with straight lines.

For the final iteration of the block, I decided to look at what happens when the azure arcs connect with a simple, straight line across the center. Suddenly, this simple line assumes the role of an abstracted tree trunk, and the azure arcs evoke carefully trained tree branches. With this design, I finally created a simple (only seven pieces) design that told a story related to the quilt’s original theme.

Constructing the Block

Even though the design only includes seven pieces, the scale of the curves and the arcs melting into the central azure line made for a fussy construction process.

I created templates in AutoCAD to accurately cut each fabric section.

A lot of pins and slow machine stitching helped the curves go together.

I put tic marks along each seam to mark several points where the curves would intersect. I used a two-part removable fabric marker that came out easily with the eraser pen.

Then it was just a matter of very careful pressing to complete the block.

The Finished Block

This block created an unexpected optical illusion that made it look like the ends of the arc didn’t line up. Even knowing all the measurements, it was enough to trick my eye, so I had to double-check the layout.

I shipped the finished block off last month, and this iteration of The Exquisite Quilt is coming together!

This year, I shipped my 100 Days of Apple Cores Quilt to Road to California in December, and they shipped the quilt on to join the AQS shows in Daytona, New England, and Paducah. Paducah was this quilt’s final AQS show, so I was able to pick it up in person and bring it home. I’m hopeful that I can find another couple of shows to enter before this piece ages out of the show circuit.

Whether you pick up a quilt in person or have it shipped back to your home, one of the most anticipated items in the box (apart from the quilt) is a sheet containing the judges’ comments.

If you are new to entering quilt shows or if you have never entered a particular show, I think it’s helpful to see how judges respond in each show. Some shows have a checklist of possible quilt features, some just list comments, and many do a mix of the two. 

One of my big goals in the quilting world is to demystify the process that goes into entering a quilt show, and to that end, today, I’m sharing the exact judging comments I received on the quilt I had in the recent American Quilters Society (AQS) Show in Paducah, Kentucky.

The Quilt Entry

This year, I was lucky to sell a few quilts, but it also meant I could enter only one quilt in the Paducah show. Since this is the most competitive of the AQS events, I wasn’t even entirely sure it would be accepted into the show, and was thrilled when it was.

Submission Information

100 Days of Apple Cores

• Size: 52” x 61’’
• Category: Modern Quilts
• Techniques: machine piecing, improvisational piecing, machine walking foot quilting
• Description: This 100-day quilt features the 2024 Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz. I cut pieced improv rectangles into apple core shapes using an Accuquilt. The piecing within each block enhances the unexpected diagonal gradient that moves across the quilt.
• Completion Time: 105 Days
• Fun fact: I had to buy lots of “ugly” fabrics to create the gradient featured in this design!
• Inspired by: Original interpretation of a traditional apple core quilt block

For the jurying process, you submit two images of your quilt, one with the full quilt and a detail image for the second.

What’s in the Box?

When the quilt gets returned to you from an AQS show or shows, you will have a show book and printed quilt label for each show it was in since you shipped it to them. 

If one of these shows took place in Paducah, you would also receive written judging comments. (The other AQS shows do not provide written comments.)

If you are really lucky, a ribbon is in the box too! I was so excited for 100 Days of Apple Cores to win Honorable Mention in the Modern category at QuiltWeek this year! The ribbons in Paducah are particularly special, crowned with a Dogwood Blossom.

More Judging Comments

100 Days of Apple Cores has also received judging comments at QuiltCon 2025 , so if you would like to see how the comments for the same quilt compare from show to show, check out this QuiltCon Judging Post.

The museum always goes all out for QuiltWeek each April, but this year was particularly outstanding. The three major exhibits featured works by Latifah Saafir, Tula Pink, and Janet Stone. Focusing on these three drastically different design styles means that there is something on display that every quilter will love.

This post is packed with images from the current exhibits, but if you want even more, make sure you check out my 2025 post on The National Quilt Museum.

Visiting The National Quilt Museum

Even though QuiltWeek is the busiest time of year at The National Quilt Museum, you can see amazing quilts year-round, and even take classes with amazing makers. Make sure you visit their website before you visit to get all of the latest information.

Have you ever discovered a sewing kit inside a cookie tin? This year, Royal Dansk is a sponsor, and if you keep reading, you’ll see why! This spool sculpture made of cookie tins was a fun addition to the lobby this year.

The main gallery includes selections from the permanent collection as well as the Tula Pink exhibit, but more on that in a minute.

I made sure to visit the Oh, Wow! gallery of small and miniature quilts, and was thrilled to see my quilt, Converging Curves, on display.

Latifah Saafir: It Was All A Dream

I went right to the exhibit of the most Modern quilts and was thrilled to see such a large group of Latifah Saafir’s work in one place.

The hardest part of this post was determining which quilts to share with you because I really wanted to share the entire museum! Ultimately, I decided on no more than three quilts from a single maker, so here are the ones that really stood out to me.

Crush Groove

Convergence

Bias Plaid

Twenty Years of Tula Pink

I’m crazy about Tula Pink’s bold use of color, and it’s delightful to discover all of the details in her fabric designs.

Seeing a quilter’s work is always fun, but it’s exponentially more fun when the quilter is there in person. The line for Tula Pink’s book signing and meet and greet extended a full block outside the museum! (I had seen and met her at a Fall Paducah Show several years ago, and while her events were well attended, it certainly wasn’t this big!)

As much as I love seeing quilts, my favorite part of this exhibition was that each quilt is accompanied by working sketches of the design, so I made sure to include at least one drawing for each quilt.

Color Study #13

The City Sampler

I’ve actually made all of these blocks during a sew-along many years ago, but I have yet to complete the quilt top!

Little Bits

Janet Stone: And Now I Know My ABCs!

Janet Stone spent much of the week meeting people at her exhibit featuring all 26 of her alphabet-themed quilts. 

I asked her which quilts were her personal favorites, and those are the quilts I’m sharing here. She also included process sketches of her work, which I enjoyed seeing. (I am totally that person in an art museum obsessing over the artist’s studies and sketches when the finished painting is right there!)

Ewe Are My Sunshine

Garden Variety Sampler

New Quilts From an Old Favorite: Food

Every other year, the National Quilt Museum issues a challenge to make quilts incorporating traditional blocks within an overall theme, which in 2026 was food.

Grandma’s Sewing Kit 

First Place

Made by Jessica Drennan

The first-place quilt will tell you why Royal Dansk was a sponsor this year!

Lobster with a Side of Shrimp

Second Place

Made by Kathleen Plumley

The second-place quilt transformed Snail’s Trail blocks into shrimp!

General Sew’s Chicken

Third Place

Made by Susie Cobbs

The pineapple quilt block is featured in the third-place quilt.

In addition to the award-winning quilts, here are a couple of pieces that stood out to me.

Veggie Salad

Made by Rachel Siegel

I thought this quilt did the best job of directly incorporating the block design into the theme.

Lunch at Luigi’s

Made by Zeeda Magnuson

I adore the plaid tablecloth! I also love how each plate conveys the tastes of each family member.

Enjoying the National Quilt Museum 

It’s hard to beat a visit to the National Quilt Museum, but if you want a deeper dive into their collection, make sure you check out the entire permanent collection that is available to view online.

To give you a better idea of how the category comes together as a whole, I’m sharing the entirety of the Modern Quilt Category for AQS Paducah QuiltWeek 2026.  

The American Quilter’s Society (AQS) was among the first major mainstream quilt shows to add a Modern category in the Paducah show, and now all of their shows include a Modern category. Here is the category description for the show:

Wall Quilts – Modern: Width 40″ to 96″; Length 40″ or more. Quilts, made for display on a wall, using any technique, that are inspired by modern design, often using improvisational piecing or appliqué and including bold colors, high contrast, and simple shapes on neutral backgrounds. Expansive negative space may allow the quilting to take the forefront.

AQS Contest Rules for 2026

Photography

The AQS shows arrange the quilts in curtained bays, with a chain across the front to protect them. This means that the quilts on the right and left are photographed at a significant angle. I have done little to no editing of these photos, so you are seeing the quilts as you would have if you were at the show. Fortunately, this convention center has decent lighting (by convention center standards), so the color of the quilts is reasonably close to the actual items.

If you are interested in seeing all the quilts in the show straight on, a good catalog of the show quilts is available for purchase.

Modern Quilts From Paducah 2026

Below is the entire Modern category. The award-winning quilts, first, second, third, and honorable mention, are at the top, and the remaining quilts are shown in the order they were displayed in the show. This show organizes all quilts within each category alphabetically by the maker’s last name.

Enter Your Quilts

If you would like to see your Modern (or non-modern) quilt in an upcoming show, you can find entry information here.

ach year, the Yeiser Arts Center curates Fantastic Fibers, an exhibit of textile arts, to coincide with and complement the American Quilter’s Society show in Paducah, Kentucky. While some of the pieces in Fantastic Fibers could be expected in a mainstream quilt show, most of the art takes fiber art in a different direction, either through theme or material.

I was excited to see that this year’s exhibit was juried by Rachael Baar, the Curator of the National Quilt Museum. Every piece in the exhibit was engaging and offered a distinct visual experience while also relating to the other works in the space.

The Yeiser is a small space, but the entire area is filled with art, including quilts moved off the walls to converse with the three-dimensional pieces in the gallery.

Select Artwork

Casagrande by Carolina Oneto

Blue Raspberry by Chandra Wu

When There Are 100 by Rachel Ivy Clarke

When There Are 100 bridged the gap between quilting and sculpture by using the rare technique of extending a quilt onto the floor as part of the installation. (I have seen this rare technique employed before as an installation element in Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s Option Expedition.)

Demiurge: Ascend by Wendy Digel

Fantastic Fibers extends beyond the quilt world, including yarn work, plant-based materials, paper, and printing.

Stitching is often employed to offer layer upon layer of texture.

Frozen Water Falls by Linda Anderle

Precarious Vessels (full) by Viviana Lombrozo

Traditionally, 2-D media are even transformed into 3-D forms.

See the Exhibition

One of the best parts of Fantastic Fibers is that it runs for more than a month. Even if you didn’t make it to Paducah, Kentucky, for the quilt show, you can still visit this fabulous exhibit until May 16, 2026.

The Main Show

The entire town of Paducah embraces Quilt Week, but the big show is what brings most of us into town for the week.

Awards Ceremony

The evening before the show officially opens, events begin with the award ceremony a few blocks from the convention center, where contestants learn if their quilts received additional recognition. 

Winning Quilts

Each of the sixteen categories has awards for first, second, and third place, as well as honorable mention. Additionally, there are judges’ choice awards and major awards drawn from all the other winners.

Best of Show

This year’s best of show is Color My World, made by Karen Kay Buckley, whom I was lucky enough to run into at the end of the day on Thursday. We had a lovely conversation, and it was fun to hear more about her appliqué process.

Modern Quilt Winners

I’m ecstatic that my quilt, 100 Days of Apple Cores, received honorable mention in the modern category and has one of the lovely, show-specific Dogwood ribbons.

Special Exhibits and Events

Several special exhibits round out the show in both the upstairs show space and the Dome Pavilion. Here is a sampling of just a few special exhibits:

Beyond Tradition: Abstract Quilts from the National Quilt Museum

Stars, Stripes, and Stitches

Cherrywood Challenge 2025: Abyss

Game Night

A friend suggested attending game night, and my name was selected to participate, so I was added to a team to play quilty versions of Charades, Pictionary, and Password.

New for 2026

Everything evolves over time, and quilt shows are no exception. Here are a few things I have noticed with the 2026 show:

Murals

If you have ever walked along the street between the convention center and the dome pavilion, you will be happy to see that there is now a paved walkway!

Logistics

If you have ever walked along the street between the convention center and the dome pavilion, you will be happy to see that there is now a paved walkway!

Along with the new walkway, some of the adjoining parking lot was reworked, and the food vendors were moved to the end of the convention center instead of having it in the front.

Crowd Sizes/Distribution

This year, I noticed a shift in crowd sizes, or at least the distribution of those crowds. I took this photograph just a couple of minutes before the show opened on the first day, and while the crowd looks relatively dense, the people waiting to get into the main show floor used to extend much further down the hallway.

A New Dome Pavilion

There is also a new structure for the Dome Pavilion. You may notice that the lighting in this space isn’t as nice now that there are no skylights. I’m curious to see if it has better temperature control than the last structure.

National Quilt Museum

The National Quilt Museum had truly exceptional programming this week, with a highlight being Tula Pink’s visit for two meet-and-greet/book-signing events. 

Tula Pink Meet and Greet 

Tula Pink has an exhibit this year, and she was kind enough to come to the show, too!

I also had a chance to visit one of my mini quilts, Converging Curves, which is on display in the miniature section of the main gallery.

I’ll share the phenomenal lineup of exhibits in an upcoming post.

Yeiser Art Center

In the heart of downtown, the Yeiser Arts Center hosts the annual Fantastic Fibers show, celebrating all forms of textile art. I’m excited to share a bit more about this show in the coming weeks, but if you’re in town in the near future, this is a must-see exhibit!

Shopping

No quilt show is complete without some shopping, and in addition to the fantastic vendors, several local businesses around town cater to the quilting community.

Hancock’s of Paducah

Muppin’s Sewing Emporium

Paper Pieces

Are you in Quilt City this week?

If you are at the show this week, please comment on your favorite parts of the experience and let everyone know your must-see and must-do activities!

You may remember that Pantone has declared Cloud Dancer the “color” of the year. This shade of off-white, approximately the color of a blank canvas, has done little to inspire innovative use of the color. However, when one aspect of design is limited, it forces greater creativity in the use of the other elements.

It’s Pantone Quilt Challenge season, and I’m attempting to make a quilt featuring the color of the year, with an intense focus on texture as a design feature. 

In the spirit of this challenge, today, I am sharing five techniques to add texture to a design before beginning the actual piecing (or appliqué) of the quilt top.

1. Make Textural Fabric Choices

All quilts rely on our fabric choices, but when you use a monochromatic color palette, the decisions you make regarding prints, textures, and fibers are amplified. 

For my interpretation of Cloud Dancer, I’m using mostly white fabrics, with a bit of pale grey, beige, and soft pastels. I’m incorporating some solid whites, white-on-whites, and subtle prints. Within the solid white fabrics, I’m using quilting cotton, a bit of linen, and some Kona Sheen, which adds a metallic finish and provides another surface to catch and reflect light differently than standard quilting cottons.

2. Intentionally Use Tucks and Pleats

For most quilts, we avoid tucks and pleats like the plague, but when used with intention, they can add a terrific textural element. 

I’ve been creating straight line and organically shaped pleats to incorporate into my overall design. For the straight line tucks, I press the lines into the fabric before I sit down at the sewing machine, then stitch just under 1/8” from the fold line.

The organic curves are actually a bit more challenging because I pinch the curved lines into shape as I stitch.

3. Couching is Cool

I used a heavier cord to couch this Christmas Stocking a few years ago, but for this project, I wanted to use a lower-profile material. Using a cording foot on my machine, I was able to couch three strands of heavy thread and embroidery floss into a single row at once. 

I experimented with a few types of stitches with this technique, and ended up liking the simplicity of a curved utility stitch.

4. Make Machine Embroidery Work For You

Modern quilting and machine embroidery may not immediately seem like a match, but for this design, I am embracing the textural elements machine embroidery can offer and incorporating single-color designs stitched on a similar color fabric to increase texture while providing subtle line work.

5. Gathering and Yo-Yos

My final design features nearly circular shapes, and I am excited to incorporate yo-yos into the composition as key components to the finished design. A yo-yo starts its existence as a circle that gets its raw edge turned under as you hand sew gathering stitches around the circumference. Those stitches get pulled tight to create the signature ruched effect in the center of the completed yo-yo. 

Additional gathering effects may also end up in the final design, but it is still a work in progress, so you’ll have to wait to see how much of a role it plays!

Using Texture

What role does texture play in your quilts? Do you use fabric manipulation to create texture beyond the fabric itself? Are there any other techniques I should incorporate?

The main quilt show gets most of the attention, but there is so much more quilty-goodness to experience during your visit. This article is updated for the 2026 QuiltWeek.

Attend the Main Show

The main event in Paducah is the official QuiltWeek show, run by the American Quilter’s Society, which is primarily held at the convention center, with some workshops and special events held offsite.

Preparing for the Show

You can find information about the 2026 AQS Paducah QuiltWeek on their website. I recommend downloading the show book ahead of time to help with planning. It includes maps of the venues and parts of the town, parking and shuttle information, and lists of vendors and participating quilts.

I also download the showbook to my phone so I don’t have to carry the paper copy every day. The tags on the show quilts don’t include technique information, so I’d like to be able to look it up as I move through the show.

One Show, Three Key Spaces

The central portion of QuiltWeek is held in the Schroeder Expo Center, the Convention Center, and the Dome Pavilion. Within these spaces, the show is divided into three primary areas.

Main Show Floor

The main show floor includes all the quilts in categories 1-9. These are the large quilts in the show, which also include the specialty categories of Modern (category 9) and Group Quilts (category 5).

Many vendors, including those who sponsor the event, are also located on the main show floor. The contest quilts are centered on the floor, and vendors are in aisles along both sides and along the back.

The main show floor is the most crowded in the morning, especially if you are there the first full day of the show. If you prefer a less crowded experience, start in one of the other spaces and then experience the main show floor after lunch.

In the center of the main show floor, you will find the gallery of major award winners, including Best of Show. These quilts are typically displayed so you can see both sides. The makers of some of these quilts are frequently there talking about their award-winning quilts, so it is very crowded throughout the day. This is a great time to meet the makers and find out more about their process.

If you want to take a leisurely close-up look at these quilts, try seeing them towards the end of each show day.

The first, second, and third-place winners are displayed together in each category.

The contest quilts are displayed in groups of three, with two sides and one quilt flat to the back and a chain in front to prevent people from getting too close. This means the quilts on the sides are challenging to photograph, and those on the back are hard to see up close. If I can’t see something well, I often take a photo of the back quilt and then zoom in on the photo to get a better look.

Also, know that this show does not have white-glove volunteers to help you see the backs of the quilts.

Upstairs

Head upstairs to see quilt show categories 10-16 in the second-floor room, along with special exhibit quilts and many more vendors.

When you enter the space, the show quilts are to your left, and the vendors are to your right. The quilts displayed in the upstairs room are smaller, all less than 60″ wide. Specialty categories in this space include Fiber Art/Mixed Media Quilts (category 14) and Miniature Quilts (category 16).

Accessing the Second Floor

To access the convention center’s second floor, you must take the stairs or the elevator. Since there is only one access point, this part of the second floor can become congested. If you have mobility issues or are using something on wheels, like a tote with class supplies, you will want to take the elevator, but otherwise, the stairs are generally the best choice.

Dome Pavilion 

Because this show is so big, it can’t be contained in the main convention center, so a temporary dome/inflatable bubble/marshmallow is set up to accommodate even more vendors and exhibits. This space is enormous!

Many people miss this part of the show, but you definitely want to check it out!

The AQS learning center is in this space and offers free presentations throughout each show day. It’s fun to take a break and sit down for a few minutes. The presentation schedule is available on page 29 of the Show Book.

It is a short walk from the main convention center, or you can take a shuttle between the two spaces.

Note: This structure has some pressurization that helps it stay standing. I have found that opening my mouth as I go through the revolving door eases the transition between indoors and outdoors.

Visit the National Quilt Museum 

I suggest heading to the National Quilt Museum if you only have time for one attraction outside the show. The museum’s spaces host a wide range of exhibits showcasing quilting in many styles and methods. Many of the top awards for Quilt Week in Paducah are purchase awards that add the quilts to the museum’s permanent collection. Sometimes, the museum has a few of these quilts on display, and it is fun to see how quilting styles and techniques have evolved over the years.

In 2026, exhibits during QuiltWeek  include:

• Latifah Saafir: It Was All a Dream
• New Quilts From an Old Favorite: Food
• Janet Stone: And Now I Know My ABCs!
• Tula Pink: Twenty Years of Tula Pink

You’ll want to check out the National Quilt Museum website for more information about special events for QuiltWeek.

The National Quilt Museum is located at 215 Jefferson Street between the convention center and downtown Paducah. The museum has limited parking, but large public parking lots are nearby. There are trolley routes that go downtown. The museum is also a short walk from the convention center. I suggest walking from the back of the convention center along the riverside path toward downtown. Walking along the road between the convention center and downtown may appear shorter, but traffic moves quickly and isn’t the most pedestrian-friendly.

See More Quilts

The quilt show doesn’t end at the doors of the convention center! There are places to see quilts throughout the town.

Yeiser Arts Center

Embracing the use of fiber in all forms, the Fantastic Fibers exhibition in the downtown Paducah gallery showcases quilts and so much more. This annual Yeiser Center juried show is a beautiful complement to the main QuiltWeek show because it includes Modern and Art quilts, as well as other traditional and not-so-traditional textile- and fiber-based art. If you want to work with more of an edge, you should take advantage of this!

The Yeiser is right downtown at 200 Broadway, just a couple of blocks from the National Quilt Museum.

Downtown

Many shops and venues have window displays featuring contemporary and historic quilts. Additionally, you can find small shows and shops selling quilts and related merchandise throughout the town. The Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau has an extensive list of exhibits and events happening around the city. In 2026, there is even a special quilt exhibit at the River Discovery Center that I am looking forward to seeing.

Shop Locally

The show is packed with fantastic vendors, but you also won’t want to miss several wonderful local quilt shops!

Hancock’s of Paducah

What’s a quilt show without some shopping? And what’s a trip to Paducah without a visit to Hancock’s of Paducah? 

Before you pass by, thinking that you used to have a Hancock’s in your hometown, this is not the same Hancock’s and has never been. This family-owned shop is one of the largest independent fabric stores in the US and a must-shop location for me.

A few years ago, I wrote an entire post about shopping at Hancock’s of Paducah, and you may want to check it out before heading to the store—it’s big enough that you might want to go in with a plan!

Hancock’s of Paducah is located near the interstate at 3841 Hinkleville Road.

Muppin’s Sewing Emporium

Muppin’s Sewing Emporium opened in downtown Paducah a few years ago, and I look forward to my annual visit. It is owned and run by designer and teacher Cheryl Sleboda, and her shop is filled with specialty patterns, notions, and fun fabrics.

Muppin’s Sewing Emporium is at 117 N 4th Street in Downtown Paducah.

Calico Country Sew & Vac

You would think it would be hard to compete with one of the largest fabric stores in the US just down the road, but Calico Country Sew & Vac has a large selection of fabrics that aren’t available elsewhere in town, and is definitely worth a visit.

Calico Country Sew & Vac is located at 3401 Park Avenue, Suite 4, Paducah, KY 42001

Cherrywood Pop-Up Shop and Gallery

The themed Cherrywood challenge is a hit wherever it goes, and this year, the Abyss collections are all at the convention center. If these amazing quilts inspire you, Cherrywood has a pop-up shop at the Pinecone Gallery featuring richly colored hand-dyed fabrics.

The pop-up shop is at The Pinecone Gallery, 421 N. 7th Street.

Paper Pieces Pop-Up Shop

If you love or dabble in English Paper Piecing, visit the Paper Pieces Pop-Up Shop. It’s packed with large and small EPP projects and other fun quilting items you will want to discover!

The Quilt Week Pop-Up Shop is at 533 North 5th Street, just a few blocks from the convention center.

Backyard Fabrics

Last year was my first trip to Backyard Fabrics, mostly because it is about 40 minutes outside of town. This is a great shop that I wish I had visited sooner!

Backyard Fabric is located at 421 State Route 893, Mayfield, KY.

Eat Delicious Food

No trip plan is complete without thinking about where you want to eat. For a small city, Paducah has lots of good food. Here are just a few of my favorites:

1. My favorite Paducah restaurant is Freight House, and you definitely want to get a reservation now if you hope to eat there during QuiltWeek. Over the years, it has become increasingly popular, especially since Chef Sara Bradley has been on two seasons of Top Chef.
2. You would never know by the taste that everything at Branch Out is vegan and gluten-free. I’ll be there once (if not more) during QuiltWeek.
3. Getting Lunch at the main show can get chaotic, so I often walk (or drive) toward downtown to eat. Paducah Beer Werks is relatively close, has good, reasonably priced food, and often has Quilt Week specials.
4. Kirchhoff’s Deli is a classic for a reason. The sandwiches are great, and the sweet baked goods are phenomenal.
5. Something about this quilt show makes me want ice cream, and there are two good places downtown to get it: Craving the Curls and Forever Sweet Creamery.
6. If you are craving something a bit spicier and can go slightly out of the convention center area, I’m a big fan of Thai@US and end up there at least once each year.
7. Patti’s 1880’s Settlement is a bit of a drive from Paducah, but it has become a QuiltWeek legend. It’s a delightful tourist trap in a historic village setting, and the restaurant serves traditional American food. It isn’t particularly friendly to many diets (including vegetarian), so check out the menu before you go. They do have delicious bread served with strawberry butter, which was the most memorable part for me!

Find More to Do During Paducah Quilt Week 2026

There is always way more going on around town than anyone can do in the few days during the quilt show. If you are looking for other fun quilting (or non-quilting) things to do, try looking at the Paducah visitors’ website.