International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene

Dear Quilt Scene readers, Welcome to the eighth edition of International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene! We are thrilled to bring you in these pages just a taste of the excitement, the fun, and the creativity that our attendees experience each year at International Quilt Festival in Houston. Our show draws more than 55,000 people from over 35 countries for four and a half days to celebrate just one thing: the love of quilts and quilting! This year, we will have more than 1,600 quilts and pieces of fabric art on display to see, more than 1,000 vendor booths to shop in, and 500+ classes and lectures to learn from. A few of our special exhibits are … well … a bit extra special this year. And you’ll find selections of the quilts from them…

WWW.QUILTS.COM MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW! INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL/HOUSTON is one of the most exciting quilt shows in the world, where more than 55,000 quilters and quilt lovers congregate annually to shop in more than 1,000 exhibitor booths, view more than 1,600 quilts and works of fabric art on display, and choose from over 500 classes and lectures from today’s top quilt instructors. Festival also holds a spring edition in Chicago. UPCOMING SHOW DATES International Quilt Festival/Chicago April 12-14, 2018 Classes begin April 12 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, Illinois International Quilt Festival/Houston November 8-11, 2018 (note later dates) Preview Night November 7 Classes begin November 5 George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT quilts.com /quiltfestival @quiltfestival @quiltfestival…

Finding time to quilt doesn’t have to be a luxury—or a long-term commitment. In Weekend Quilting, author Jemima Flendt shows you how to create stylish quilts, pillows, and runners in a few days or less. Written for quilters of all skill levels, this gorgeous guide features step-by-step directions for making 16 inspiring designs. With Weekend Quilting, you can enjoy stress-free stitching and the satisfaction of a finished quilt on Monday. 9781440246616 | $24.99 | 128 pages Available May 2017 Pre-order your copy today! ShopFonsandPorter.com…

QUILT FESTIVAL: TWO WORDS THAT MAKE MY HEART SING EVERY TIME I HEAR THEM. This is an event on every quilter’s bucket list, right up there with hand piecing a double wedding ring quilt (with no puckers and perfectly matched corners!) and perfecting free-motion feathers. I’ve met other quilters who never miss the opportunity to visit the world’s largest quilting show: they plan their visits for months, save their vacation days, room with their quilting besties, and year after year enjoy the experience that only this show can offer. As the Editorial Team for Quilt Scene can attest, the excitement in our office for the show increases with each passing month. From the time we start planning the issue in January to its publication in October, the anticipation grows and we can’t…

THE SHOW MUST GO ON Even a hurricane can’t stop us! by Karey Patterson Bresenhan Founder and Director Emeritus International Quilt Festival As this issue of Quilt Scene was being finalized, Hurricane Harvey decided to make its very unwelcome advance upon our hometown of Houston and the Quilts, Inc. offices. But we’ve been through this before, so we knew just how to prepare. We made sure that all the quilts that had been received for both the special exhibits and the International Quilt Association Judged Show were secure and protected. And, since we are on the fifth floor, there was no real danger of flooding. During the unprecedented bad weather and even as some of our own staff were displaced from their homes, we were able to keep in touch with our attendees…

My love of textiles has led me down an interesting path, from vintage picker and craft-hawking exhibitor, to an editorial player in the quilting world. And recently, it led me to the African village of Kibosho-Umbwe, Tanzania, where I worked for two weeks with a group of artists/activists helping the local women make quilts. Dressed in brightly colored textiles with quick smiles and gracious hospitality, the women are the backbone of the community. We were immediately welcomed; we were all “Dada,” sisters. Their homes are simple wooden structures with no plumbing or electricity, hidden among banana trees and small plots of corn. There is little economic opportunity for these women beyond trading local commodities of corn, bananas, and wood. These women are mentally and physically strong, making the trek from the village…