The Cortez-based quilting group Quilters in the Blocks Without Borders won the group quilt competition during the American Quilters Society Quilt Week in Paducah, Kentucky.
Their quilt, titled Cliff Palace Dreams, competed with 388 other entries from 42 states and 11 countries. The annual quilt show, which took place April 24-27 at the Schroeder Expo Center in Paducah, draws over 30,000 visitors over the course of the three-day show.
The competition features 16 different categories of quilts. Over $127,000 in prizes were awarded.
According to group member Judith Swain, the quilt took about a year and was entered into the contest on a whim.
Before the competition started, the group was informed that their quilt was a semifinalist and would be displayed for visitors to view.
Susan Madden, who led the group from concept to execution, couldn’t believe her group’s quilt won.
“There was everything from traditional quilts, modern quilts and landscapes,” Madden told The Journal. “We were completely excited. We were watching it on a live feed from Paducah and I just started screaming. We were so excited. One of our members went to the show and she said there was nothing else like it there.”
Madden, a former artist-in-residence at Mesa Verde National Park, said she was honored to receive the award while paying homage to the Southwest Colorado landmark.
“Through making this quilt, we wanted to honor the beauty and spirit of Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National Park. We worked on this quilt for more than a year. It’s wonderful to have received such an important award,” Madden said.
In all, nine quilters of varying experience constructed the quilt.
The quilters were Madden and Marie Worth of Cortez; LouAnn Jacobson Ball, Colleen Barnett and Judith Swain of Dolores; Janet Huffman and Shar Short of Mancos; Sandra Farlow of Canon City (formerly from Dolores); and Durango resident Cheryl Clement.
“It was so much fun to do this with friends,” Madden said. “We each selected the panel we wanted to do, but when we made it, we made it in our own homes with our own fabric and didn’t see what the others were doing until they were all done, and we brought them together. It was such a fun surprise that from one to the next the colors were right and everything.”
The group will head to Houston in October for the 50th annual International Quilt Festival in October.
