"Save the Planet"

Seventy-six lovely quilts and wall-hangings were entered in the 2009 KHQS Annual Show, held at the Kentucky Library & Museum on the campus of Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Three-hundred-ninety visitors representing 21 states viewed the quilts during the show, May 22-June 7. Becky Leavy and Nancy Shirley co-chaired the event.

Despite some inconveniences due to parking issues, rain, and having to negotiate several flights of stairs or a somewhat lengthy walk after an elevator ride, Galleries M, N, &O were a beautiful setting for the wide variety of quilts displayed, interpreting the theme Save the Planet . Many types of quilts were represented in the show, from the traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden, Delectable Mountains, and Sunbonnet Sue to the very creative Bill's Psychedelic Trip and a beautiful quilt hand-created of crewel embroidery on wool. There were kit quilts, art quilts, scrap quilts, large quilts and very small quilts, table runners and wall-hangings. And two quilts in our show had been at the AQS show in Paducah: Pat Jennings's Tweet , and Sue Gilgen's Let Him Ask of God, a Viewer's Choice award-winner in that show.

The show was a stop on Bowling Green's June Art Gallery Hop on Friday night before the show closed on Sunday. And coincidentally, WKU's Alumni College was meeting that same evening on the second floor of the Library & Museum. Both events brought in a number of visitors to our show who might not otherwise have found us. Hostesses heard one compliment after another from delighted viewers of all ages and from many different states.

The Viewer's Choice award this year went to Martha Geralds, Cave City, for her quilt, My Kentucky Album, a gorgeous quilt of appliquéd dimensional flowers, beautifully hand-quilted. If you missed seeing her quilt, you can take a look at it at the AQS show in Knoxville in July. Martha was recently notified that it has been accepted for that show! Congratulations, Martha!

Of the 76 quilts accepted in this year's show, 63 quilts were entered by a total of 30 KHQS members.

Sandy Staebell, Donna Parker, and Lynn Ferguson and other staff at the Kentucky Library & Museum were invaluable in their assistance and support before, during, and after the show. They arranged temporary walls, cut dowel rods, hung quilts, made signs and were enthusiastic and encouraging during the entire event. We very much appreciate their help.

Louise Hansen , Bowling Green, and Pat Jennings , Berea, did a great job with publicity and really helped get the word out about our show. Special thanks to Brenda Leftwich, Jean Lucas, Sharon Crawford, Cindy Skaggs, Patsy Wilson, Lou Sagely, and Brenda Coffey for hanging and/or taking the quilts down.

A huge thank-you goes to all who donated time to sit with the show and oversee sales of KHQS merchandise. The White-glove Hostesses were: Carol Adams, Terri Bacon, Shirley Belcher, Ruby Cockerham, June Cole, Sharon Crawford, Louise Hansen, Carolyn Hardcastle, Cheryl Hughes, Marilou Jacob, Sandra Kennedy, Jane Lane, Carole Lastufka, Becky Leavy, Brenda Leftwich, Judy Lowe, Jean Lucas, Betty Meador, Marion Napier, Martha Nelson, JoAnn Orange, Penny Pember, Lou Sagely, Mike Salsbery, Wendy Salsbery, Judy Scott, Kathy Service, Rebecca Shipley, Nancy Shirley, Helen Simpson, Cindy Skaggs, Linda Slye, Bert Smith, Joanne Smith, Pat Smith, Patience Smither, Karen Templeton, Linda Todd, Barbara Wiebbecke, Alita Wilson, and Jane Wilkinson

Special thanks go to the ladies of Creative Quilters and Bluegrass Quilters , Bowling Green, and Quilting Friends , Glasgow. Had it not been for their willingness to donate a huge number of hours to staffing the show, we could not have done it! Those who worked several shifts were especially appreciated.

The 2010 KHQS Annual Show will again be held at the Kentucky Library & Museum, May 21-June 6. The theme for 2010 will be Quilts Inspired by Books. We can expect quilts with blocks inspired by the Bible ( Jacob's Ladder, Noah's Ark, Cross and Crown, Crown of Thorns ), story-book character fabrics, book-shelf quilts, and more. The 2010 Annual Show co-chairs will be Becky Leavy and Nancy Shirley.

Exhibitors in the 2009 KHQS Annual Show

Rita Barlow (2) A la Gingko ; Dazzling

Sarah Chaudoin (5) My Garden ; Out My Back Window ; 2002 Orphan Blocks Found a Home; Flower Garden; Quirky Little Stars

Brenda Coffey Delectable Mountains

Sharon Crawford (2) Mother's Quilt ; Spider Web Stars

Roxanne Ferguson Tropical Jewels

Martha Geralds My Kentucky Album

Susan McBride Gilgen Let Him Ask of God

Jacquelyn Hawkins-McGrail Twice Recycled Shirt Cuff Quilt

Marilou Jacob Antique Quilt

Pat Cheshire Jennings (5) My Zinnia Patch; Tweet; White Tiger Lily; Succulent; Dogwoods

Marjorie Kinkel Variation of Flying Geese

Judy Lancaster Delectable Mountain

Brenda E. Lee Blue Moon of Kentucky

Jean Lucas Special Friends

Marion Napier (6) Dahlia; Butterfly; Fan; Sunbonnet Sue, Fan, Snake Trail

Martha Nelson Frog and Dragonfly

JoAnn Orange (4) Victory; Grandmother's Garden; JoAnn's Garden through the Window; Tessellating Tabbies

Penny Pember All My Scraps

Karen S. Riggins (3) She Stopped to Smell the Roses; Yellow Scrap Bag; Old Made New

Joanne Rigsbee (3) Water, Our Precious Resource-Ripples that Mean Life; Morning Glorious; A Find on the Getaway Table-A Venture into the Dark Side

Lou Sagely (3) Scott's Shirt Patches; Flower Garden; Snow Ball

Wendy Salsbery (2) Snowflakes! What Global Warming?; Box Kites, Blue Skies & Sunny Days

Lucy Scott (2) Giant Magnolia; Birds' Garden Party

Janet Serrenho (2) Africa #22; Africa #23

Kathy Service (3) Waiting for Spring; Spring has Arrived; Garden Twist

Rebecca Shipley (5) Butterfly Miniature; Tulips; Three Marigolds; Autumn Table Runner; Turning Twenty

Nancy Shirley Round to It English Garden

Helen Simpson Oak Leaf

Linda Slye Grandmother's Flower Garden

Amelia Sparrow Scraps Galore

Karen Templeton (2) Jenny's Quilt; Basket Medallion

Linda Todd (3) Butterflies Spinning and Soaring; Wildflower Cross Stitch; My Valentine Trio

Jane Wilkinson (2) Blooms in Blue; Roses for Jan

Janie Williams Flight and Flora

Patsy Wilson (4) Easy Pieces Scrappy; My Rose Garden; Bill's Psychedelic Trip; Rachel's Retreat

Cheryl Witt The Green Quit: Dedicated to the Circle of Life