TEXAS TOUR 2023

 Guess where I was teaching recently?

Longhorn Steakhouse art in Humble    TX

Hampton Inn Lufkin TX

It's no secret I love Texas and love teaching there. Every year since 1996 I have attended Quilt Market and Festival in Houston. But there is a LOT MORE to Texas than just Houston.

On a Sunday, I started in Huntsville, TEXAS--a town about an hour north of Bush IAH Airport in Houston. I was met by my contact Cathy and a friend and we headed north to get dinner and drop me off at the first Hampton Inn of the trip. Yummy Yummy was the name of the Mongolian BBQ place we ate dinner at and it was--yummy.

The next day was a free day until my pickup that evening. I was determined to get in exercise every day I could and I did. Right near the hotel was a big shopping center. Each day I walked around the entire building several times for an hour minimum. It was a great way to move and I much prefer it to fitness centers in hotels. After my walk I am a hot, sweaty, contented mess:

I ate a great lunch at McCallister's Deli, half salad, half sandwich:

Tall Pines Quilt Guild had about 65 in attendance for the lecture "Time Management for Quilters", a good turnout for them. It was also the  night they gave away a new sewing machine as a fundraiser for the guild. I was asked to pick the lucky winning ticket. One ticket fell on the floor so I took that one. Ramona, the lucky winner was thrilled:

After an hour's walk the next morning, I was picked up for the workshop: Charming Sampler. 13 folks enjoyed the day learning fast ways to make several blocks:

The next day we headed south to The Woodlands for the next leg of the trip. I was able to check in to a lovely Hyatt House hotel at noon. After lunch I changed clothes I did a power walk for more than an hour. Dinner was Mexican and I enjoyed it: 

Breakfast at the Hyatt House was amazing!

The Woodlands Area Quilt Guild had over 100 in attendance for the lecture "Time Management for Quilters":

 The lecture was very well received--many came to speak to me after about how much they enjoyed it. One woman told me she had been to many programs over many years at various places and this was the best one she ever heard. Now, that's really nice to hear. I aim to inspire.

I met two members of The Quilt Show who know me from the work I do on the Block of the Month quilts. Venetta M brought her 2023 Homeward Bound--it is beautifully done. She is doing machine applique and prepped the background with Terial Magic. Seeing how stable the background fabric is and how lovely her stitching is, I wished I  had chosen that method too--needle turn hand applique is taking a LOT of time:

Connie C is not working on the 2023 Block of the Month but has done several previous quilts. She told me she felt like I was her personal teacher as she used my Blog and Videos to supplement pattern instructions--thanks, Connie!

The next morning was the workshop "Five Easy Pieces". A small group learned the ins and outs of paper piecing. We kept so busy I forgot to take photos.

Class ended at 2 pm and I was out power walking for an hour and a half by 2:30. I loved breakfast so much that morning I brought duplicates of my breakfast to my room to have for dinner. The room had a refrigerator and microwave so I was all set. 

Friday was the start of a little vacation. A friend I know from Festival invited me to spend my down weekend at her home in Kingwood. She picked me up at 11 and we headed southeast to that area of metro Houston, almost an hour away. As I had done a long power walk that morning I was ready for lunch. I can't say enough great things about Salata, all healthy salad stuff they serve you based on your requests. Delicious! I would love to have one of these restaurants here:

Their motto, I concur: 

It was so great to spend time with Glennis, relaxing, talking and hand sewing for two days. An added bonus was being able to do a load of laundry. I only regret we didn't get a photo of she and I together. Next time.

Sunday morning it was time to move on. After a great Texas breakfast at the Humble City Cafe, Glennis drove me about an hour to Livingston where I was met by a couple from The Quilt Guild of the Piney Woods, Sarah and Doyle B. They drove the remaining 45 minutes into Lufkin, in East Texas. We ate a late lunch at Golden Corral so I was set for the rest of the day. 

After checking into the next Hampton Inn in Lufkin, I changed clothes and hit the huge parking lot for that usual power walk. There were 5 hotels in this lot, no restaurants or stores, so it was easy to just keep walking all around the parking areas, one lap was about a mile and I did 6 laps. 

Sarah picked me up in the morning for the lecture, wait for it, "Time Management for Quilters". Yes, each guild selected the same lecture. That helped with the packing. After a quick lunch--Chick Fil A has great salads--we did a 3 hour workshop called "The Village". Usually a 6 hour workshop, it can be taught in 3 hours but it moves at a fast pace. And we don't have time to sew any trees or stars. Liz got her first Quilter's Scrap House done: 

As soon as class was over, we put all the tables and chairs away, then jumped in the car for the almost two hour drive down to my final Hampton Inn of the trip, at the Bush IAH airport area. Dinner on the road was perfect--who knew Whataburger has great salads?! They do, I loved it, and it was the perfect end to 10 days of eating mostly smart and daily exercise. 

This was the nicest Hampton Inn of the trip and their shuttle service to the airport Tuesday morning was perfect. Yes, I do sleep under my own quilt at hotels--those duvets are just too hot. And a quilt is so much better.

All of my flights were uneventful and on time or early. I walked some at both airports, Bush in Houston, and Atlanta, rather than just sit. 

It was a great trip but I was definitely glad to see my man and my bed that night. The two pound blip up was gone in less than 48 hours--I call that a win.

I LOVE going to TEXAS and will teach there any time. TEXAS TOUR 2024 is already scheduled--in April 2024 I will be teaching in Beaumont and Victoria--my third visit to the Victoria guild. Dates and info is on the TEACHING CALENDAR at the top of this blog.

I hope to see you on my travels!

Let's quilt.

Barbara