International Quilt Festival Houston -- 2022

 I have been home a week and am just about rested from two weeks in Houston, TX for International Quilt Market and Quilt Festival.

Market is a trade show only open to those with credentials: shop owners, designers, and others in the quilting business. It runs before Festival, which is the largest quilt show in the world, open to the public.

Here are a variety of photos from my two weeks there.

The view from my room at the Marriott Marquis

My favorite restaurant in Houston

Shrimp Diablo--my selection on my first trip there

Enchiladas del Mar, my go-to and what I had on my second visit

   

The Market Team in our newest garment

Faculty ship their class supplies weeks in advance. The first day of set-up for me involves accepting all the freight, logging it in, and seeing that each box is placed where it can be found by the teacher. BEFORE: 

AFTER--one of two rooms: 

Saturday of Market was the day selected to celebrate the 85th birthday of  Kaffe Fassett. There was a special booth with some of his quilts and many people stopped by to wish him well with his "85 and Fab" collection. We each wore garments that day we made with Kaffe fabric. By far the best garment was made and worn by our Education Team member Cassie Weider, from Boulder, CO. Here she is showing off her wonderful outfit for Kaffe:

During Festival I took a class with Becky Scellato on Sashiko--slow stitching, very enjoyable:

The days are long when working a show and meals are not always healthy or quick. Phoenicia is a market a few blocks from the convention center that I get to often. The salad bar is great--this is two day's lunches for me:

On one of my walks I snapped this photo in the park, good advice:

I didn't go on the show floor very much and bought very little. Here are a few photos of quilts:

Photos just cannot do the Best of Show justice. From any distance, you might not be impressed. But, up close, my, oh, my!

I always enjoy seeing a Block of the Month quilt from The Quilt Show on exhibit. This one is made by a Facebook friend who has just moved from Los Angeles to Huntsville, AL. It took a few attempts to connect, but she finally came into the Education Office while I was there so we could meet in person. Sally Wright is an art quilter and is eager to meet others with similar interests. Locals, you should meet Sally: 

Sally customized the corner skyscrapers with buildings that mean a lot to her from her life in Los Angeles. Her quilt is beautifully made: 

Other quilts I get inspired by are either antique quilts or reproductions of antique quilts. The Special Exhibit from France featured quilts inspired by antiques. Here is a real favorite:

The rest of the Education Team arrived for Festival. Each day we wear garments we have made with fabric we are given, to help identify us as "staff" on the third floor.  We get a photo each morning after our 6:55 AM daily meeting: 

It was 24 years ago I first started working for Judy Murrah in the Education Office. Sadly, Judy passed away in 2017 and I still miss her and her wonderful way of making everyone feel special. Faculty, staff, students, everyone she talked to got her full attention. It takes a lot of work and people to run a successful show and I was always so happy to be part of that success. Judy was a mentor and friend, and I knew she respected me as a professional quiltmaker and teacher. She often told me so.

It's now time to move on to another phase of my professional life. On our last day I told everyone I would not be back as part of the Education team next year. My plan is to return in a different role. Time will tell if that happens. Stay tuned. I will be at Houston, for sure. My hotel is already booked. There are so many people I just have to see each year. There is nowhere else to be for quilters in the Fall. 

Let's quilt.

Barbara

I Love Texas!

 Recently I had the pleasure of traveling to Houston, TX to give a lecture and workshop to the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston. Here are some photos of the trip. All four flights, from Huntsville to Atlanta to Houston, in both directions were on time or arrived early. No travel issues at all--that alone makes for a great trip.

I will also mention: almost everyone I saw in  public was wearing a mask. Of course, at the airports, that's required, but also in all the stores and restaurants I entered, many had signs posted masks were required. Many at the meeting also wore masks and I put mine back on after I gave my lecture.

The lovely woman I had been communicating with for almost two years, picked me up right on time and we had traveling mercies: Houston traffic is tough,  it was late afternoon, but we made it from the airport to the hotel in about 35 minutes--that was super! The kind woman at the front desk of the Hilton Westchase recognized my status with Hilton and upgraded my room. This trip is just getting better and better:

My quilt on the bed

Spacious

Double sinks

The view

The Rio Rancho hotel restaurant was totally about "sense of place"--can you tell we're in Texas?

I highly recommend the Breakfast Tacos--Brisket and Eggs, yum!

The following day there was some touring and shopping then dinner before the evening lecture:

Ready to begin

Slideshow prior to the meeting, with announcements

The next day's workshop

The audience to my left

The audience to my right--some are still  out in the foyer conducting guild business

They had some ZOOMERS watching from home. After I gave the lecture they had show and tell. I was thrilled many brought their Afternoon Delight quilts to show me: 

One of the ZOOMERS sent her Afternoon Delight show and tell for all to see

Love this border, inspired by Sue Garman's pattern Ruffled Roses

Another fantastic border--great way to enlarge this quilt without making even more Double 9 Patches and Applique' blocks

Another beauty

And another beautiful border

THEN: the Color My World quilts came out to impress me: 

These two ladies are happy to be keeping up

This quilter was inspired by Color My World--Mariner's Compass center, circular design all around, but totally her own quilt

One more in the home stretch now

The next day we had such a great workshop I took no photos! The group was small but eager to learn and all got individual attention throughout the day. I have already received a lovely email from one who said she was thrilled with what she learned in class and that her original plan to only make one block as a trivet has now changed to something more useful and beautiful. It is that unexpected note from a happy student that keeps us traveling quilt teachers on the road.

After a lovely early dinner after the workshop, we took the trek back to the airport so the next day would be easier for everyone.  Alas, what should have taken less than an hour, took more like two. Houston traffic at the end of a work day--it is what it is. But I was settled for the night and the rest of the trip, back to home, was uneventful.

One more good meal at one of my favorite places, Pappadeaux at the airport, salad with grilled salmon:

Then I was home. Someone was happy to see me: 

Goldie

I love teaching quilting just about anywhere but especially in Texas. All my Texas quilter friends--I am ready to come back any time!

Next stop is BACK to Houston in a month for International Quilt Festival. I am very excited to see my Special Exhibit "My Joyful Journey" hanging in the Convention Center. I hope to see many of you there. 

Let's quilt.

Barbara

International Quilt Festival 2019-the People

While there are thousands of quilts to see, and thousands of vendors to shop, the most important part of the Houston experience for me is the People.

Many years ago I worked as the buyer of my local quilt shop, where I still teach, and went to Market in that role. I looked forward to seeing my favorite sales reps, most of whom are now retired.

Today I go to Houston as one of the Education Show Team. There are 23 of us currently, 4 employees of Quilts Inc. and 19 "volunteers". We come from all over the country: Arkansas and Alabama, Kansas and Colorado, Tennessee and Texas.

Here are a few of the team photos we took with our daily garments, taken at our 6:55 AM daily meeting:

Marica Barker, far left, Suzanne Hyland, far right

As the week goes by, accumulated fatigue sets in, but, as you can see, we are all still upright and vertical--for the most part.

The Market Team arrives 5 days before the Festival folks--we get the office ready and everything in place to welcome the Faculty of 133 we had this year:

Jill and Vickie missing here

Vicki and Barbara missing here--it is hard to get all of us in the room at the same time

The first full day I deal exclusively with Faculty Freight--trying to keep it all straight as each box is brought in, found on the freight sheets, tallied on my master spreadsheet then placed alphabetically, more or less. This room was packed full of boxes by the end of the day. Just call me the "box whisperer":

This year we welcomed a wonderful new member to the Education Staff--Suzanne Hyland was recently named Director of Education and Industry Relations for Quilts Inc. She is stepping in as Marcia Barker, the current VP for Education, is retiring after many years working with the Education Team. I am so sorry I did not get a photo of them together--other than this "it's all over dinner" shot. Suzanne is second from the left, Marcia is second from the right:

I met Suzanne a couple years ago when we were teaching at Road 2 CA. Spending 13 days with her in Houston was a treat and she will be a real asset to Quilts Inc. in general and Education specifically. Welcome onboard, Suzanne!

When Marcia told me last May she was retiring I thought I should make her a quilt. Then I realized I had several under construction--she could pick the one she wanted and I would work hard to get it done by October. She picked Sizzle--HOT!:

It took some doing, but I put my best quilting into this and got it done on time. It hung in the Education office until it was time to go home with her. I will miss this quilt, but not as much as I'll miss Marcia, having worked with her for almost all of the 21 years I have worked for Quilts Inc. on the Education Show Team. She stepped in when we lost Judy Murrah, and has led us forward the past two years. Best wishes for a long and fruitful "retirement"--whatever that is.

At the Faculty Appreciation luncheon, Ricky Tims snapped a photo of our table--I keep  good company:

Seeing the gang from The Quilt Show is always good. This year we revealed the 2020 Block of the Month: Afternoon Delight, a Sue Garman pattern. The event was aired on Facebook Live--check this out if you missed it:

The Big Reveal

Another highlight of this trip was the reunion with my "longest" friend, not "oldest" friend: Eileen Williams. We grew up in the same Philadelphia neighborhood, K-12 together. After college she joined the Navy and I joined the Marine Corps. We both married Marine Lieutenants from Alabama, both had sons, both became passionate quiltmakers and are both still happily married. Her work as a Fabric Artist is much different from mine but we speak the same language. Hard to believe it has been 5 years since the last visit--when she helped me celebrate the Ruby Jubilee. Here we are at a nice restaurant, Indianola:

I took time to say hello to Betsy Chutchian, another quilter friend I admire. She will be coming to my guild June 2020--we planned it for a time when I will be at home:

Another Faculty friend who is a real friend, is Jenny Lyon--we made time at the end of a very long day to visit with each other and learn more about our "real" lives, the life beyond quilting--no photo of us together but here is Jenny:

Many more people could be named as those I look forward to talking to each year--but you might accuse  me of name-dropping. I hope they know who they are. 

And to all of you who told me you follow this blog, or got help on Sizzle when you needed it, or are so eager to get started on Afternoon Delight: THANK YOU! Sometimes it can seem like I am talking to the wilderness--is anybody out there? It was very nice to know I have been helpful to some on their Joyful Journey. 

It's good to be home but I'm already looking forward to next October! If you haven't been to Houston, make next year the first. You will love it.

Let's quilt. 

Barbara