Seminar 2008 in Review
Seminar is a time when we all get to reconnect with each other and have some quality time talking about QUILTS!!!
Our 2008 experience in Columbus, Ohio was a delightful treat. The Midwest Fabric Study Group graciously welcomed us as they hosted our largest Seminar to date!
Table decorations created by Mary and Linda Pumphrey.
Among those reconnecting were
Past and Current Presidents of AQSG.
Back, l-r: Pam Pampe, Virginia Gunn, Bettina Havig;
Front, l-r: Current President Sue Reich,
Immediate Past President Xenia Cord
Seminar 2008 in Columbus, OH kicked off with members
being treated to bedturnings as local members
shared some of the history of the area.
Marilyn Goldman is showing and talking about Chintz quilts.
Amy Korn shows quilts made by Nancy Page.
On Friday night our Executive Director, Dr. Judy Brott Buss was surprised with a gift of a quilt signed by many of our members. Xenia Cord and Greta Van de Berg Nestle helped bring the project to reality and are shown below with Judy shortly after she received the quilt.
Xenia Cord, Judy Brott Buss, Greta Van Den Berg-Nestle
We got to see many exciting quilts as people shared their treasures with us during Show and Tell.
Trish Herr shares a treasure during Show & Tell
The authors' book sale was a
great chance to buy more books
– and get them signed at the Book Signing Saturday evening!
The authors' book sale is always popular. Merikay Waldvogel takes the opportunity to have her books signed by authors Jan Tauer Wass and Marian Ann Montgomery.
Throughout the weekend people were greeted and could receive answers to questions at the registration table.
The registration table was staffed by many great volunteers who helped make the seminar a success.
Thanks to the great work of our endowment committee, members were able to make donations to the endowment and set up pledges at seminar. One member even offered a challenge to match donations made at seminar!
Member donations for the silent and live auctions
set a new record this year!
The auctions provide a
fun & entertaining highlight to the weekend activities.
Silent auction items overflowed into the hallways.
During the live auction, Xenia Cord talked about the history of the Gross quilt, which makes an appearance at seminar every year honoring founding member Joyce Gross.
Every year since 1998, the same quilt has appeared at the Seminar auction, and every year it is bought again, with a promise to return it next year. The quilt is called "Gross Stuff," and it honors Joyce Gross's long time involvement with the collection of quilt ephemera - or as she called it, "stuff." The quilt had its beginning at Seminar in Lawrence, KS in 1997 when Joyce was unable to attend. In her place she sent a pair of wildly colored socks, usually worn with her trademark purple Birkenstocks, and an outrageously funny letter explaining her auction donation, alluding to then-President Clinton's "boxers or briefs" and other current events. Read at the point of sale, the letter brought down the house and spurred spirited bidding.
Xenia Cord bought the socks and immediately conceived of a "traveling trophy" quilt. She appliquéd the socks to the center of the quilt, framing Joyce's photo-transferred letter and surrounding this odd center medallion with photo-transfers of other "stuff," much of it from correspondence with Joyce herself. The tops of the socks were left open, and the next year bore a gift to be kept by the successful bidder. She, in turn, was to bring the quilt back the following year with another permanent gift. Winning bidders since then have signed a label on the back, providing a record of the chain of ownership.
Unfortunately, records of the amounts of purchase were not included, but it is safe to say that over the past decade thousands of dollars have flowed into the AQSG coffers from Joyce's initial donation.
Our many thanks go out to Julie Silber who
once again acted as our auctioneer. The fast-paced live
auction bidding provided a perfect setting to showcase
Julie's entertaining talents.
Thank you, thank you - Julie!
We Wish to Thank AQSG’s 2008 Seminar
Contributors and Sponsors . . .
Support of the 2008 Keynote Speaker:
Cuesta Benberry Keynote Speaker Fund
Sponsors of the 2008 Papers and Presenters:
Connecticut Quilt Search Project sponsoring Lorie Chase
Marianne Fons, in honor and recognition of quilter Vonda Davis sponsoring Aimee Newell
Robert & Ardis James Foundation sponsoring Marin Hanson
PAAQT (Professional Association of Appraisers - Quilted Textiles) sponsoring Arlesa Shephard
Quilter’s Newsletter sponsoring Sue Cummings
The Quilt Conservancy, in honor and memory of Cuesta Benberry sponsoring Susan Price Miller
Donors to Live & Silent Auctions
George Fern Company providing Pipe & Drape
for the Hotel Exhibits
Hosts for the 2008 Seminar and Icebreaker Event
The Midwest Fabric Study Group
Linda Pumphrey, Buffalo batt, division of Polyester Fibers, LLC