Houston International Quilt Festival 2015

Amazing vendors, classes and quilts.  I had no idea how big this festival was going to be, so I was overwhelmed.  The Houston convention center is apparently six football fields long and the Quilt Festival is the largest show using the entire facility every year – all three stories.  On my first night walking rather quickly I was able to see about one third of the exhibitors in two hours.  This is a glimpse of just a part of the exhibitor’s hall.  Here you can see a few of the 29 rows of exhibitors.

Exhibitors at the Houston International Quilt Festival

I attended a couple of classes, the first was Crazy Quilting and Embellishment with Judith Baker Montano, what a treat.  We made a crazy patch using Judith’s Center Piece Method, and then learned some embellishment techniques and stitches.  I was able to complete the block in class, and I’m looking forward to embellishing at home.

With Judith Baker Montano

My Crazy patch - needs embellishing

My second class was called Tattooed in thread taught by Dusty Farrell, this was a long-arm class and Dusty had us choose an outline (like a colouring book page) which we then thread painted.  A little scared to start with, I did find this to be very liberating.  I chose a sugar skull girl (those are bows in her hair). My husband likes skulls, so I think I will make her into a cushion for his TV room.

Thread painting with Dusty Farrell

Two classes were enough for my first year, I did want time to visit the exhibitor booths and view the quilt show.  I missed getting the quilter who made this colourful quilt, it was hanging in the hall before going in to the quilt show.

The wavy bits are actually 3-D and embellished.

Here are a few pictures of the quilts that caught my eye.

Earth. Water. Fire by Gisha Wogier, Isreal

Look to the west by Leah Gravells, Edmonton Alberta

Rainbow Sherbet by Megan Farkas, Sanbornton, NH

Shall we dance? by Jan Reed, Grass Valley, CA

Tulip in swing style by Keiko Morita, Japan

Kan Oh Chi Rai - Prediction by Study the past by Yoshiyuki Ishizaki, Japan

Coral Reef by Marilyn Buljalski, Clear Lake, MN

White Holes by Peter Hayward, Spain

Roolines#10: Mountain Villages by Colleen Kole, Grand Rapids, MI

Treasured Past by Julie Haddrick, Australia

Rain by Christa Watson, Las Vegas, NV

Modern Log Cabin by Kimberly Lapacek, Poynette, WI

Twisted Sister Quilt by the Denver Metro Modern Quilt Guild

Big Love by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill, Woodbridge, CT

Spring Blooms by Pat Kroth, Verona, WI

Birds by Cecilia Koopman, Argentina

What's for Dinner? (reminds me of Judy Chicago's Dinner Party)

 

Here is a close-up of a couple of the place settings.

A great five days spent in Houston, looking forward to going again.