HMQS Show Report

May 23rd, 2010

I got this email from Jennifer from HMQS and thought I would share it! It is the end report for the show that was just a few weeks ago. Check out the Quilt Show here.

HMQS is a big part of Patchwork Posse membership. {Online sewing group} THANKS HMQS!!! Glad the show was such a hit!!!

The premier quilt exhibition & hands-on educational conference
for all machine quilters, embroiderers & those who love to sew!

May 6-8, 2010
Salt Lake City, Utah

www.hmqs.org

HMQS Draws ThousandsThanks to Tremendous Support from All!

Growing in Leaps & Bounds! This year’s show boasted 5,000+ attendees – an increase of 25% in just one year from the 2009 attendance. It was so exciting to see you all there! This year’s theme “Every Quilt Tells a Story” made for fun exhibits such as Corey Kunde’s Storybook Quilts, a gigantic book for attendees to walk through at the main entrance – complete with a quilted bookmark, and hundreds of beautiful quilts and garments each with their own special stories. To read a full review of this year’s show click here.

Quilts, Quilts, Quilts! This year’s show was packed from wall to wall with outstanding quilts, quilted garments and dozens of special exhibits! More than 275 quilts and garments were on display for attendees over the three days of the show. “The quilt exhibit is always the highlight of the show. Showcasing tremendous quilting, rewarding outstanding quilters, and offering the highest quality machine-quilting and embroidery education is the entire purpose of HMQS,” says Ann Collet, Show Director.

A Little More About This Year’s Best of Show…

“Unfolding” by Anna VanDemark is pictured above. Anna VanDemark grew up surrounded by art and artists. Study at a private fine arts college was followed by two decades of easel painting. Finding art quilting changed Anna's life. Now, through her textile art, Anna is able to combine her love of fabric, nature, color, and design. "Unfolding" was inspired by the shape of spring ferns and serves as a symbol of our unfolding lives and creative spirits. This 60" x 83" wall quilt includes extensive foiling, bead embellishment, and decorative free motion quilting. Congratulations to Anna on her stunning, quilted work of art! She won $2,000 from Handi Quilter Inc.

Congratulations to all Quilt Award Winners!! $24,000 in awards was given out this year, thanks to our generous sponsors. We were pleased to add two new categories to this year’s competition – a Mixed Technique category and a Quilted Garment – Ensemble category.

To view the complete list of quilt award winners click here. To view all the quilts from HMQS 2010 you may order a Quilt Photo CD here. The CD will contain high-resolution pictures of every quilt in the 2010 competition, and will be mailed out no later than August 15^th.

HMQS & Show Partners Dedicated to Educating Youth in the Art of Machine Quilting!

Perhaps no one was prouder at the awards ceremony than Council High School teacher and councilor, Fran Ogden, who helped her students create and submit 18 quilts to the Youth category this year! Imagine her surprise when Mark Hyland of Handi Quilter Inc., this year’s Youth category sponsor, informed her that their classroom would be receiving a new HQ machine!

A big thank you to Kim Brunner for her Teacher Scholarship and to the International Machine Quilters Association for their 2010 Student Quilters sponsorship. HMQS is thrilled to encourage machine quilting education among our youth!

HMQS 2010 Teacher of the Year
Awarded to Linda V. Taylor

HMQS was pleased to present the second annual “Teacher of the Year” award, sponsored by On Point Training & Development, the International Machine Quilters Association and Ruby River Steakhouse to Linda V. Taylor. Linda was honored during the ceremony for the exceptional teaching, talent and professionalism she has offered her students since the inception of HMQS seven years ago.

“Linda is a master teacher. She is an extraordinary machine quilter, and just has a way of teaching her techniques that gives her students confidence and enthusiasm,” says Ann Collet, HMQS Show Director.

Linda is a highly awarded professional longarm machine quilter whose work has been displayed in many venues and published widely in several quilting magazines and books. Linda has been quilting for over 35 years and is known and respected as one of the pioneers and innovators of the art of longarm machine quilting. Congratulations, Linda!

“Best Booth of 2010” Award
Goes to My Fair Lady!

My Fair Lady, a beautifully decorated booth showcasing Shelly Smola’s original elegant embroidery designs stood out in the vendor mall as a beautiful beacon. Complete with a small trundle bed, adorable baby’s clothing and even a mini Christmas tree, this booth was a delight to behold! My Fair Lady is based in Pocatello, Idaho. Congratulations, Shelly!

She received a package including an $80 gift certificate to Ruby River Steakhouse, $100 off her vendor registration and the $250 Patchwork Promenade promotion free for HMQS 2011! You can view Shelly’s embroidery designs on her web site – www.myfairladydesigns.com.

Challenge Quilts Raised More $$$
Than Ever Before!!

This year’s Riley Blake Designs Challenge quilts were beautiful! After the $1,000 in cash prizes were awarded by sponsor, Christensen Wholesale, these quilts were live auctioned off on Saturday at the main stage by Brad Silcox of Silcox Auction! The auction action was fun and lively! And two of the quilts went for more than $850 each!

Additionally, Roberts Manufacturing donated a beautiful quilting / sewing table that was raffled off for those attendees who donated with their show admission. Total, an incredible $4,800 was donated by HMQS attendees and patrons! This is three times the amount we have raised any other year! 100% of this was given directly to PJ’s Forgotten Children, a local non-profit organization whose mission it is to alleviate the burdens of families with mental illness. These donations will buy Christmas toys, backpacks, school supplies and more for hundreds of children in need.

Thank you to all for your generosity. Thank you to Christensen Wholesale, Riley Blake Designs, Doohikey Designs, designer Shari Butler, Brad Silcox, and Roberts Manufacturing. If you would like to help PJ’s you can visit their web site at www.pjsforgottenchildren.com.