A Normandy Park quilter has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2011 AQS Quilt Show & Contest, March 16-19 at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Sherry Rogers-Harrison has been chosen to display the quilt, Hallelujah, along with 175 others in the annual contest, now in its second year.

Three quilting authorities will judge this elite group in Lancaster, awarding first, second and third place prizes in five categories, along with five overall awards. Winners will be announced prior to the opening of the show on March 16. Cash awards totaling more than $44,000 will be granted, with prizes including $10,000 for the Best of Show and $5,000 each for the Best Hand, Machine, and Longarm Workmanship.

Regardless of how Hallelujah places in the final judging, all semifinalists' quilts will be displayed at the show, which is expected to draw more than 20,000 people.

AQS Founder and President Meredith Schroeder says, "We never tire of seeing beautiful quilts and this contest is no exception. Those attending the show can look forward to seeing some exceptional quilt artistry. Quilts are no longer relegated to being just quilts for the bed - today's quilts are truly works of art that deserve space on our walls too."

Quilts were entered in this international contest from 41 U.S. states and eight other countries. The quilt artists employ a wide variety of techniques and design methods ranging from traditional patterns, such as the Feathered Star and appliquéd album, to original painted and embellished abstract and pictorial designs.
Some of the special exhibits that will be featured along with the contest quilts include: the Botswana Collection - Fiber Revolution & Kalahari Quilts; New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Sunflowers; 2011 Pilgrim/Roy Challenge; The Perfect Journey by Karen Kay Buckley; and the AQS Authors' Exhibit.

The American Quilter's Society hosts four shows annually, each with its own quilt contest. In addition to the Lancaster show, AQS hosts other prestigious shows in Paducah, Kentucky; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Des Moines, Iowa.

For more information, go to www.americanquilter.com.