In April, 1991, my friends Jeanne, Marsha, Carolyn, and I attended the AQS show in Paducah, KY. While there, we went fabric shopping at Hancock's. We found this tropical floral fabric and decided to build a challenge around it: The Great 144-Day, 144-Inch Paducah Challenge.

I used techniques from the book, One-of-a-Kind Quilts by Judy Hopkins, to create this original design that also included some lamé fabric in bright red and orange that I had purchased in Paducah. To this day, this is still one of my favorite quilts. I love the way the marching lighter blue squares break into the dark blue inner border. I love the overall asymmetry paired with repeating motifs.

My first husband, Kirby, and I used this on the front of our Christmas cards in 1991.

I have no recollection where the inspiration for this little quilt came from. It is the closest thing to a miniature I have every made. I think those are 1" finished squares.

I feel like this is the earliest example of my love for scrap quilts. It hung for many years in our master bathroom next to the vanity.

In 1991 it won a Viewers' Choice ribbon at the Big Tree Quilt Show.

I made these two paper-pieced animal quilts at the same time, somehow deluding myself that making two at once would be easier than making two separately. I remember feeling like this was one of the most endless undertakings I've ever attempted. It's pretty amazing that I stuck it out and finished them both.

The brown version went to my nephew, James. He is the son of my only brother, David.

I entered it in the Perinton Quilt Guild's 1991 show where it received a 1st Place ribbon.

The green version went to the newborn daughter of my good friend, Deb, named Anastasia. The photo of the laser-printed label I made for that quilt uses Anastasia's footprints that were part of Deb's birth announcement. Deb is a very talented graphic designer who I worked with at Rumrill-Hoyt.
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Another early member of the Show & Tell Quilters, Julie, was expecting a baby. Louise designed this cute ladybug block and we presented the quilt to Julie after her daughter Alicia was born.

Unfortunately, Louise and her husband had relocated before the quilt was completed. The photo of the quilt label in the gallery includes a scanned and laser-printed copy of Louise's signature because she was no longer here to sign in person.