Houston’s International Quilt Festival and Book Review

The Houston Show is a Quilter’s dream. Simply heaven on earth. Thousands of quilts, hundreds of classes, thousands of vendors, and nearly 75,000 quilters all in one beautiful George Brown Convention Center. This years addition was exceptional.

 

 

The Show is always incredible with all of the special exhibits and the IQA Show. But, I love the vendors and seeing what is new with machines, fabrics, notions and other goodies. Ready, set, CHARGE!

 

 

 

I also like seeing everyone having fun and the outfits are amazing.

 

 

 

But, after three days of classes, an evening lecture and two days of shopping, drinking caffeine has no effect and it is time to nap. Can you say “Shop til you Drop!”.

 

 

Here are just a few of my favorite quilts from the show and I will be sharing more in a future blog.

“Is She Ready Yet?” by Heidi Proffetty of Bridgewater, MA won first place in the People, Portraits and Figures category. Remarkable piece and a remarkable woman.

 

 

A close up:

 

 

 

Bridget Villeneuve together with Diane Cote and Doris Boivin of Jonquiere, Quebec won first place in the Group category for their quilt “Ice Fishing Village”

 

 

 

This next piece was perplexing.  When seen at a distance and close up, it looked like randomly placed circles of differing colors and sizes. I tried to replicate what the quilt looks like to the naked eye

 

 

But, when you looked at it through your phone or camera, here is what the lens saw. Amazing study in lights and darks from Carol Morrisey of Double Oak, TX and her quilt “Kora”.

 

 

“Velvet Flowers” by Linda Anderson of La Mesa, CA was a top prize winner and given the Gammill Master Award for Contemporary Artistry.

 

 

 

Chizuko Ito of Hokuto City, Yamanashi, Japan won first place in Hand Quilting for her quilt: Song of Early Spring.

 

 

 

I love Laura Wasilowski’s quilts, I love Laura and I love Libby Lehman. Here is Laura’s quilt, “Libby’s Leaves #2” and guess what, “I love it!!”

 

 

 

Dell Jones, a doll maker from Houston Texas, exhibited this phenomenal piece entitled “A Stitch in Time.” I want to buy her!!

 

 

More quilts next week.

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Book Review

 

 

If you read my blog, you know I am a really big Michael Connelly fan and this book did not let me down.  LAPD detective Renee Ballard is working the night shift.  She finds retired detective Harry Bosch going through some old files.  Harry is working a cold case of a 15 year old girl, Daisy, found dead and left in a dumpster.  Bosch and Ballard join forces to find Daisy’s killer.  Unlike many of today’s authors, Michael Connelly only gets better and better.

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