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School Block Challenge Winners Announced

An astounding 133 blocks from 32 schools in seven states were entered in the Museum of the American Quilter’s Society’s annual School Block Challenge, a national competition for students in grades K - 12

An exhibition of all quilt blocks will be on exhibit 24 January - 24 March. A narrative about each block’s design and development submitted by the students will also be exhibited. A reception will be held on Saturday, January 26, at 1pm to recognize the winners and all the participants. Local residents and media are invited to attend to meet these amazing quilters and learn more about the School Block Challenge.

Sponsored by Moda Fabrics, this year’s blocks were constructed by individual students and by small groups. Participating schools were given packets with three fabrics from Moda Fabrics, and students were required to use all three fabrics in their blocks. Quilters often assist the students as their projects develop. The blocks are judged in categories of K - 4th grades, 5th - 8th grades and 9th - 12th grades. A grand prize award is also given to the overall outstanding quilt block.

The 2008 Grand Prize winner is the quilt block Around the Block by Amber Nix, Sarah Specter and Rosie Pritchard. Students of the Learning Tree Co-op in West Chester, OH, this team learned to use the paper piecing technique to create crisp edges and corners. Color coordination was also important to the design.

Taking first place in the K - 4th grade category was Fire Bearer by Hutch Puckett, a student at Covenant Christian Academy in Paducah, KY. This block is based on the fable of the brave crow losing his brilliant colors due to a fire. Eyelash yarn and zigzagged stitches were used to create feathers and fire flames.

The first place winners in the 5th - 8th grade category were Jim Arndt, Skyler Farris, Kaleb Hill, Ryan Vaughnyother, Shawn Walker and Austin Walquist, students at Pope County Elementary in Golconda, IL, with their block Propellers in the Sea. These students cut many small squares and then combined them using a skills to make the quilt, including how to iron, use a sewing machine and use of a pattern.

First place in the 9th - 12th grade category is a block titled My Guitar made by Andrew Hill, a student at Fred J. Page High School in Franklin, TN. This 9th grader first drew his design of a guitar then enlarged it on a copier to fit the quilt block. Silver thread was used to create the guitar’s strings.

The Museum of the American Quilter’s Society is a non-profit institution located in downtown Paducah, KY. The Museum is open year-round Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST. The Museum is also open on Sundays 1-5 p.m. April - October. MAQS is ADA compliant. For more information on this and other programming, please call 270-442-8856 or visit www.quiltmuseum.org.

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