Reporting from the Quilt Show
It’s that time of year again…I headed off Friday morning after getting my kids to school for the Houston International Quilt Festival. Half market, half show, it fills up the George R. Brown Convention Center 
and is really an all-day affair. As usual, it was packed, filled to bursting with ladies in matching shirts palling around for a day out on town with their quilting buddies. A new twist this year was the addition of Halloween accessories, mostly on the heads of attendees. I saw witches’ hats and tinsel-y antenna headbands adored with black cats… I too got into the Halloween spirit with my orange pumpkin t-shirt from Old Navy. Suffice it to say, it was a zoo, filled with some kooky characters, and I have it to do all over again (sorta) in two weeks when I’ll brave the annual Houston Nutcracker Market benefiting the Houston Ballet.
And as you might expect, I did snap some photos of some of the quilts that caught my eye:
Best in Show:
What I believe to be the World of Beauty Award winner:
(The three women represented in the quilt and standing in front of it are sisters, living thousands of miles apart. Somehow they planned this quilt online.) This one fascinated me.
The Pioneer Woman Quilt:
The Wild & Crazy Quilt:
And what I like to call the Wishful Thinking Quilt:
A good show, all in all.
11/02/2008 at 3:13 am
All I can say is wow. Very impressive.
Oh, and my mother used to go to the Nutcracker Market every year. My aunt and cousin usually work a jewelry booth so we’d get annual updates of my father’s side of the family from there.
Have a good time and thanks for sharing the pictures. They’re amazing!
11/02/2008 at 3:35 am
Looks like a day full of color and interesting patterns.
11/02/2008 at 4:18 am
Those are amazing! It’s hard to believe they’re quilts.
11/02/2008 at 6:16 pm
Very impressive! I can barely sew on a button. Sounds like a wonderful and crazy time.
11/02/2008 at 8:02 pm
That does look interesting, Alyssa.
I think I would have enjoyed that show.
But, you have to understand how difficult that would be from a guy’s perspective.
I can just see my cell phone ringing Friday afternoon:
Best Friend: “Hey, man, we’re on our way to the hunting lease and drinking some cold beer….where are you?”
Me: “Houston.”
Best Friend: “Houston? What are you doing in Houston?”
Me: “I’m attending the International Quilt Festival.”
[uncomfortable pause]
Best Friend: “Ummm, okay, man. Good luck with that.”
11/02/2008 at 8:03 pm
how is that possible? especially the faces.. I am not good sentence making right now cause that is unfreakingbelivable
11/03/2008 at 2:25 am
Not all of them are pieced quilts (meaning a bunch of fabric pieces sewn together). Some start with painted backgrounds and quilt, embroider, or embellish on top of that. Not old school, but impressive none-the-less.
I’m sorry you didn’t make it, Packsaddle, I could have shown you around. Besides, I think you’re man enough to mosey down some rows of quilts with a bunch of Red Hat ladies…
11/03/2008 at 8:01 pm
No way, has it been a whole year since the last one? I seem to remember another post about it!! Where has the year gone?! Hope you have a great time x
11/03/2008 at 8:35 pm
I look at those and go THOSE ARE QUILTS?!?! Very cool.
I went to the TX State Fair a few weeks ago and there were some very impressive pieces. I can only imagine the hours that go into making art like that.
11/03/2008 at 9:29 pm
Wow. Those are beautiful. Sounds like you had a great day.
11/04/2008 at 3:19 am
WOW they are amazing!!!!! I wish I could do something like that….. but I can’t….
11/04/2008 at 3:50 am
I am always amazed at the level of artistry involved with these.