A quilt inspired by a National Geographic cover of two horses nuzzling in the cold has won Best in Show at the first American Quilter’s Society Fall QuiltWeek in Paducah.
Kathy McNeil of Washington state has entered quilts in the Spring Paducah AQS show each year since 1999. While she has won in other categories, she says she never expected to be the Janome American $20 thousand dollar winning quilt.
Out of 42 states and 14 countries, McNeil’s quilt ‘All You Need is Love’ is this Fall’s ‘Viewers Choice.’
“And I think that’s what captured the viewers choice award, was the love between those animals.” McNeal said.
McNeil said she spent 400 hours working to capture the devotion the two horses appear to share for one another in the piece.
First place winners from 15 categories were placed online for voting - a first for an AQS show.
McNeil said voting provides a lens into the diversity that quilting offers. She has been a nurse for 25 years, but also teaches quilting.
This summer, she will teach on an Alaskan cruise and plans to bring her family along with her newly earned winnings.
