Since I checked out of the Penn Square Marriott for the show last March, I have been trying to contact the Marriott  to make a new  reservation for the 2011 AQS Show.  For several months they had no agreement set with the show management so I called back periodically.

Now I have been in contact with the organization responsible for the show reservations www.PADutchCountry.com  and they told me a list was being collected at the show for anyone  interested in a reservation at the show rate for 2011.  

Unfortunately for me, I didn't know such a list existed and was being compiled.  I was also never offered an opportunity to leave my name as I checked out, nor was I sent a letter of any kind to let me know that a list for reservations for the next show was being collected. So what to do.  I left my name at the end of the list they have collected.  I am trying to get in touch with the Pa Dutch senior management to express my disappointment. I have already spoken with middle management and nothing was gained.  I asked whose idea was this to collect a list at  the corner of the hotel. And I asked why wasn't I afforded an opportunity to leave my name as I was already a guest at the hotel for the 2010 show?

For now, I made a reservation with the hotel at the standard rate which is only about $15.00 over the show rate. So I pay $149 per day instead of the show rate of  about $135.00. 

My biggest issue now is that the hotel can only guarentee me a king bed with a possible roll-away.  This probably wont work for me and my friend.  So maybe I'll take my husband next year.

In all the years I have attended the former Lancaster show, Quilters Heritage, I have  never experienced such inadequate management as I have so far with the AQS.  Lets just hope they continue to learn from these errors, both at the show and the months leading up to it.

Peconic Quilt Show - June  5 - 6 ,2010 eliqg.com/shows.htm

Quilt Odyssey - June 22 - 25 2010 www.quiltodyssey.com/

Vermont Quilt Festival - June 25 -27 2010 www.vqf.org

Maine Quilts 2010 - July 30 - Aug 1, 2010 www.mainequilts.org/

Lowell Quilt Festival August 12 - 14, 2010 - www.lowellquiltfestival.org/index.htm

Evening Star Quilters -  

PNQE-  Sept 16 - 19 ,2010 www.quiltfest.com/activities.asp

Long Island Fair - Sept 30 - Oct 3 2010  www.lifair.org/

Smithtown Stitchers -  TBA www.smithtownstitchers.org/

Quilters Gathering - Nov. 4 - 7 '10 www.aquiltersgathering.com/

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Fest - February 24-27, '11 www.quiltfest.com/activities.asp

Quilt Fest of New Jersey - March 3 - 6  2011 www.quiltfest.com/activities.asp

AQS Lancaster - March 16 - 19 2011 http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/lancaster/2010/general_info/

 The quilts at the show were inspiring.  It was wonderful to see such  high quality workmanship.  The inset photo  is a new quilt from Suzanne Marshall, my quilting "hero".  Her work is impecable and she took home "Best Hand Workmanship" .

Most of the quilt display areas had inadequate lighting.  We couldn't get close enough  to fully appreciate the details as we were cordoned off by ropes.  I also felt there weren't enough large quilts, so we went back to see the show quilts twice. 

There were vendors on several floors of the Marriott convention center and it was easy miss some.  But the most stunning find was that some AQS vendors were relocated to a far off building in another part of the city which required a car drive or shuttle to get there.  I would hate to be those vendors. I hope they got a discount.  I would have bypassed the entire off site vendor location if not for the keen eye of my traveling partner as she scutinized the show brochure one evening,  which we had to pay for.  Also no free tote bags and  they ran out of ones to purchase.

I attended a sample class of 8 teachers showing their techniques simultaneously in one room.  I love this idea and i attended a similiar class in IQA Chicago and loved it.  Unfortunately the room was extremely small and overcrowded.  All the teachers were crammed into a small space with a table. We stood around each table.  About 15 people left and requested a refund.

The downtown Lancaster location had some advantages, as we enjoyed the Farmers Market across the street.  I got some great horseradish and candy and sampled some great cheese!  The local restaurants were well utilized by the quilters.  We enjoyed the Irish Pub and the Lancaster Brewing Co.  We found a great little restaurant for breakfast on our second morning there. I just can't remember the name.  The Marriott was an inadequate place for breakfast unless you're okay with an English Muffin for $3.50., pre-buttered and cold. Don't get me started!!!LOL

The Lancaster Quilting Museum was a block away from the show location so we saw that for the first time. I was prepared to be wow-ed,  I was under-whelmed.

I thoroughly enjoyed fabric shopping at Dutchland Quilt Patch late into the evening, there were some great closeouts and great prices! Like most quilters, I can spend many happy hours pulling bolts to combine fabric patterns and colors to make new collections to bring home.

I can just about guarentee that I will be back next year, unless it falls directly on Passover.  I feel confident the AQS will improve the show as they get comfortable with this new location.  I am looking forward to it already!!

 The weekend was a great success! We were so glad to talk with and meet, so many  friends, quilters and supporters of the quilting arts.  The days went by quickly as I helped our shoppers and my husband handled the sales.  The new venue for the show was great,  having quilts and vendors all in one room.

I am  very excited to announce that Nancy Ellen Quilts  will be a vendor at the March 20 -21, 2010 LIQS Show.  I will be stocking up with all my usual supplies and threads, batting, scissors and some extras I think everyone will enjoy.  including note cards, pads and handmade soaps. and more.  I am looking forward to seeing the new venue,  but I think I may not have the luxury of spending lots of time admiring the show quilts.  Please stop by and say "hi". 

Long Island Quilters Society Show   

Garden City Field House, 295 Stewart Ave

So many 9-11 quilts were created by the time I arrived at the Houston Quilt Show November 2001. Quilters came to action and had created hundreds of quilts depicting what had occured in NY just two months before.