Houston International Quilt Festival! Oh Boy!

It was that time of year again! The Houston International Quilt Festival was here @ the George R Brown Convention Ctr.  

This is Terri Winsauer with Quilts Inc. Terri is the IQM/IQF show assistant and volunteer coordinator. She's also a member of Tri County Quilt Guild (the guild I belong to). She is always looking for worker bees and volunteers.

 

Last Saturday morning I headed to the Quilt Show for my shift as a door guardian at the food court. I’ve worked a few hours at the show for the last 3-4 years then afterwards I get to shop and wander amongst the quilts on exhibit. I guess my mind was wandering as I drove because I smooth missed my exit off I-10 to the George Brown. GRRRR. So I had to drive about a ½ mile down the road before I could turn around. I did get lucky and got the last spot in the parking lot right next to the George Brown Whew!

As I walked to my assigned position I couldn’t help but check out the vendor booths. There was so many quilty tools, gadgets, machines, stencils, fabric and buttons oh my. Along with jewelry, dolls, teddy bears, a machine to help you lose weight (you stood on it and it shook the poop out of ya LOL), a chair to relieve back pain and a foot massage machine. Oh how I wish I could have walked back to that booth at 6:30pm for a foot massage..

When my shift was over I went to sign out and stopped to take a couple pictures thru the windows looking out over the vendor area.

The aisles didn’t look too crowded but dang if all the people didn’t appear when I reached the first floor. I began my walk shuffle up and down every single aisle from the north end to the south end. That’s a lot of walking.







For those of you who have never been to the Quilt Festival or the George Brown let me give you some stats. The George R Brown covers 11 city Blocks. It's something like 1.8 million square feet (yep million) with the first floor alone where the vendors and exhibits are, is just over 853,000 square feet. I know I must have covered at least 800,000+.



   

Trish Lopes - Nolting Long Arm quilting machine

 Anyway as I shuffled (too many people to walk normal) thru the vendor area I did catch a few familiar faces that belong to Tri County Quilt Guild. On camera that is. Of course that flash caught their attention and I was in trouble. What's new?



Cindy Megginson - Bonnie Blue Quilts



They were all hard at work promoting/selling their wares.

Here's Cynthia Chaffee in the Quilts of Valor Booth. Another Tri County Member

I did ask a couple of folks that I didn’t know personally if they minded if I took their pictures. Like John Flynn here demonstrating his Quilting system you use with your home machine. I have one but have yet put it together. I guess that will be one of my projects while organizing my new sewing room at the new house.

Where to spead my money first? Not that I had much to spend. So Many Choices!

One vendor called Block Party Studios carries word panels. I found a tote kit for nurses with sayings like "It's only Poop" or "Nurses call the Shots!" I had my daughter in mind when I purchased it.
I also bought two packages of pre-cut batik fabric for a log cabin quilt from Jordan Fabrics. Several ladies at the booth told me the cuts were very precise so I won't have to worry about trimming them up. I can’t wait to actually get productive. We’ll see how that goes. I’m still busy cutting up blue jeans for some denim quilts.

Here’s a picture TQM Products rep showing how the bias and binding rulers work. I did walk away with both rulers.

Especially needed that binding ruler. I know how to make the binding and put it on but I can't seem to make the ends match up. After a few non-repeatable words and the use of a seam ripper I finally get it but this ruler should get it done in one try. Of course that means I must complete a quilt that needs binding. Novel concept. 

I also spent money on a pattern by Bobby G designs. It had these cute little kitchen aprons applique's on it like the ones my grandmother always wore.  I know I know Get busy and start making something and stop collecting. I'll get there I'll get there.

Purchase or just browse I didn’t want to miss a single vendor or quilt on display.

To the left are some Texas Theme 4H quilts.









Well okay to be honest I didn’t make it to see every quilt on display. By the time I finished in the vendor hall I was starting to fade.

About half way thru the quilts my feet and hips were killing me.

Didn't even feel like taking pictures so you know something was wrong.

That shuffle thru the aisles and the crowd of people took its toll.
Oh but all the pretty quilts were just hanging there waiting to be admired.

So I trudged thru as best I could. To see more pictures from the show Click Here.

An aisle or two away from the door I planned to exit I saw this woman with all her finds

 of the day waiting for the rest of her group.

There weren’t any chairs close by so she just made her own resting spot. I felt her pain and thought about joining her but then I would have to figure how to get up and I wasn’t sure that would happen the way I felt.

Now will I remember this pain next year when the Quilt show rolls into town? Yeah probably but that won't stop me I will go back. Maybe next year I need to start a training program so I can last longer like runners do when they're preparing for a marathon.

I called the hubby to say I was on my way home and I was hungry. We had already decided that we would go out since it would be late when I got home. We decided to try a new place for us, Mel’s Country Cafe in Tomball home of the Mega Mel Burger. My parents had been telling us about this place and how good it was and that the prices were reasonable. It’s not a fancy place but the food was really good and there was lots of it. 3 young boys were served the Mega Mel Burger for a chance to get on the Wall of Fame and a T-Shirt. The Mega Mel Burger is 1.5 # of ground beef, 1# of bacon, .25# cheese with lots and lots of lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles. I need to submit this place to Man vs Food. Wow! That is just crazy. If you’re looking for a family restaurant and good food I recommend trying this place. I got a grilled steak patty with grilled onions, mushrooms and brown gravy. Now I'm not a big fan of brown gravy but OMG I am of Mel's. It was sooooo good. When we go again we're gonna try the hamburgers and onion rings that looked and smelled delious but we're gonna pass on the Mega Mel Burger.

So now not only was I in pain I was stuffed.

I woke up Sunday still stiff and sore. It’s hell to get old.

David helped me put 2 more chrome shelves up in the laundry room to help me get it organized. Looking good but I need to find some baskets to help with the organization.

Man the weekend was over before I knew it and another work week began.......

Until next blog….. “Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from what you can do” ~ John Wooden

.•*¨`*•. ☆ .•*¨`*•. Be Happy ✿ .•*¨`*•. ☆ .•*¨`*•.
……………… ....♥ •.Carla.•´♥…………............…